Texas Farm Bureau, Lewis Public Relations Win Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation for Statewide Survey of Food Issues
Texas collaboration earns national award from Public Relations Society of America
DALLAS—Texas Farm Bureau (TFB), the state’s largest organization of farmers and ranchers, and Lewis Public Relations (LPR), a full-service Dallas public relations agency, received a 2014 Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) for superior performance in the design and execution of an individual tactic within a broader public relations campaign.
TFB and LPR were recognized by PRSA in the Research category for the organization’s “Research You Can Hang Your Hat On: Benchmarking Texans’ Views on Farming, Ranching and Food Issues” tactic. The award-winning entry resulted from the organization’s 2013 Attitudes about Agriculture research program, which surveyed Texans across the state on their opinions of agricultural and food-related topics.
“Research is the key to any communications effort,” said Gene Hall, APR, Fellow PRSA, TFB’s director of Public Relations. “This continuing research ensures Texas Farm Bureau has the right tools and the right messages to foster understanding with Texans about the diverse issues surrounding food.”
In 2008, TFB commissioned LPR to conduct statewide research of Texans’ attitudes about a variety of issues—including genetically modified organisms (GMOs), animal welfare, water availability and food prices. The findings were used to shape key messages that guided the organization’s communications and outreach efforts. Five years later, the 2013 Attitudes about Agriculture research program was launched to compare the effectiveness of TFB’s communications strategy against the earlier benchmark and uncover new issues important to Texans.
“Lewis Public Relations is pleased to again have the opportunity to team with Texas Farm Bureau for a continuation of our initial study of Texans’ attitudes about how and where their food is grown,” said LPR Principal Blake Lewis, APR, Fellow PRSA. “Even more than this award—which we, of course, are very proud to have received with Texas Farm Bureau—we’re pleased that this research will be used to guide the organization’s communications efforts and, in turn, further the success of Texas farmers and ranchers in the years to come.”
Insights resulting from the 2013 Attitudes about Agriculture research program include:
• Compared to 2008, Texans do not consider animal welfare to be as significant of a concern, meaning that TFB’s efforts to educate consumers on agricultural best practices have been effective.
• Farmers still are the most trusted source for information about farming, ranching and food issues. Likewise, TFB remains the most trusted organization when talking about these topics.
• More than three-quarters of Texans view water availability for farms and ranches as a “serious” or “very serious” problem. In the female subset, 85 percent view this issue as “very serious.”
• While Texans have a more definitive understanding of the term “organic,” other food labels, such as “hormone-free,” “GMO” and “natural,” are not clearly understood by consumers.
The Bronze Anvil Awards were created by PRSA in 1969 to recognize outstanding public relations tactics—the individual items or components that contribute to the success of an overall program or campaign. Bronze Anvil Awards are possible in 32 categories and various subcategories, including media kits, annual reports, newsletters, video programs, speeches, blogs, smartphone applications, websites and use of social media. The Bronze Anvils celebrate the best of the best in tactics through categories reflecting their growing scope, creativity and importance in strategic public relations.
Entries are judged by teams of PRSA members—and others who have specific category expertise—across the country. Only one Bronze Anvil Award and up to three Bronze Anvil Awards of Commendation may be earned in each category or subcategory. No Bronze Anvils or Bronze Anvil Awards of Commendation are awarded in categories where the judges feel the entries do not rise to standards set forth for the award.
About Texas Farm Bureau
TFB is Texas’ largest organization representing the interest of farm, ranch and rural families. Now more than half a million member families strong, the organization’s headquarters are in Waco, Texas.
About Lewis Public Relations
Lewis Public Relations is a Dallas-based public relations and integrated communications agency that applies strategic thinking and get-it-done capabilities to a broad range of client challenges and opportunities. Focusing on business-to-business communications, the team combines the knowledge and experience of a large, multi-national agency with the agility and value of an entrepreneurial boutique firm to help organizations be understood by their audiences. For more information, visit www.lewispublicrelations.com.
About the Public Relations Society of America
PRSA is the largest professional organization serving the U.S. public relations community. With a mission to “advance the profession and the professional,” PRSA provides news and information, thought leadership, continuing education and networking opportunities; sets standards of professional excellence and ethical conduct; and advocates for the business value of public relations and greater diversity among public relations professionals. Based in New York, PRSA comprises 112 local Chapters; 14 Professional Interest Sections that focus on specific industries and practice areas; and the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), which is active at more than 320 colleges and universities.
Media Contact:
Christi Chesner
Lewis Public Relations
214.635.3023
cchesner@lewispublicrelations.com