A PANEL OF experts representing high-profile food companies seeks to: be transparent about the products they produce, connect with consumers in a meaningful way and deploy sustainable practices. Consumers are overwhelmed with information about food today, how it was produced and how it got to our tables, says Andy LaVigne, American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) president and CEO. He says with all the information and influencers out there, it’s hard to keep up on food trends as what was good yes- terday now seems to be bad, and then good again two weeks later. These ever-shifting consumer per- ceptions make it challenging for compa- nies such as Cargill, Land O’Lakes and General Mills to forecast trends and then get something on the shelf before they have to pull it and replace it. LaVigne says it’s important for the seed industry to know what food com- panies are looking for so “when we are producing seed, growing new varieties and using new technology, it’s got a place at the end of the day.” Panelists included John Weibold, vice president of global sustainability and green operations for General Mills; Jenny Verner, commercial excellence leader for Cargill’s Food Ingredients and Bio- Industrial enterprise; and Autumn Price, vice president of government relations for Land O’Lakes. What We Know About Consumers “The changes going on today are impact- ing food companies in ways that they haven’t been in decades,” says Weibold. “Consumers today are changing faster than ever. “Digital technology and social media have created new communication chan- nels for consumers to research informa- tion, connect with each other and share opinions. And consumers use these tools to spend a lot of time researching food; they are asking serious questions that are tied to their values.” Weibold says some of those ques- tions are as simple as: •  Where does my food come from? •  Is the food that I’m eating safe? •  Are the people who are making my food being treated fairly? All consumer groups participate in these discussions, regardless of genera- tion, Weibold says. People are on social The food industry is no longer being driven by corporations. Today everything from how food is produced to what appears on the label is driven by consumers. Julie Deering How to Connect with Consumers 38 / SEEDWORLD.COM SEPTEMBER 2017