20 / SEEDWORLD.COM DECEMBER 2017 eruptions and so on. It’s harder for our brains to process.” There are, however, strategies to be employed in making the conversation easier. What You Can Do “Simply telling farmers, for example, that if they do a certain thing the nitrous oxide emissions from their soils will be reduced, that message doesn’t quite get through. Farmers are businesspeople, and businesspeople are naturally interested in how the actions they take will benefit them and their bottom line,” Wagner-Riddle says. It’s critical to translate the scientific language in a way that shows growers and others that reducing greenhouse gas emissions will benefit them directly. “Greenhouse gas reduction is related to better use of nutrients and seed — that needs to become the message. Using better inputs can earn the farmer more money, and makes it more difficult for them to continue practices that don’t necessarily do that.” Cadle-Davidson manages to talk in differ- ent terms that don’t necessarily mention climate change directly, but still get the point across. “Depending where I am, I might just refer to suboptimal environmental conditions, develop- ing microbial products for extreme environmental conditions, that kind of thing. Another concept is changing land use, and how we can adapt to warming by growing crops in places we never have before. There’s lots of opportunities to talk about those concepts, and that’s where I find the safe spot.” Another effective strategy, Cadle-Davidson says, is to simply continue doing good science. “I always felt that engaging in good science was my best defense. The occasional bit of lazy science is enough to call an entire field into question because a single instance will get a lot of press as the counter example. Vocal climate change deniers can easily wash out the voices of scientists owing to the differences in argumentation styles mentioned earlier,” she adds. “People can yell as loud as they want, but if scientists can operate on a more subtle level, that could be fine. Scientists don’t need fame. The hope is that we can guide policy and be a force for positive change over time.” SW Phone: 210-655-7171 Fax: 210-655-7551 seedcounters.com Exclusive Worldwide Sales and Service of Old Mill Brand Feeding, Counting and Packaging Systems Count and Weigh While Reducing Costs and Increasing Profitablity Model 750-2C-S • Displays seed count, weight, and Number of Seeds per gram, ounce, or pound. • Can automatically log data into external computer spread sheet, eliminating operator errors. • Accessories available as shown.