Pulse Comms-Cast

What makes farmers tune in and what keeps them listening? 

In this episode of the Pulse CommsCast, Pinstone managing director Catherine Linch speaks to Ben Eagle, founder and director of RuralPod Media, about the power of podcasting to engage farming audiences. 

Ben shares lessons from a decade of producing rural podcasts, including Meet the Farmers and explains why the format works well in agriculture.  

Hearing from trusted farming peers sharing their experiences, Ben explained how the channel of podcasting offers more than knowledge, with connection and a valuable sense of community key to gaining audience loyalty. 

Drawing on findings from our Pinstone Pulse report, Catherine and Ben explore the importance of understanding different farming audiences, speaking their language and choosing trusted voices. 

They also discuss how to capture attention in the first 30 seconds, balance commercial objectives with genuine listener value and use performance data to strengthen future episodes. 

This episode offers practical insight into creating content people will trust, value and return to. 

Hosted by Pinstone MD Catherine Linch, former Farmers Guardian editor and publisher Ben Briggs shares his journey from agricultural journalism to PR and comms, exploring how social media and AI have fundamentally changed the way we communicate with farmers and rural communities. Ben and Catherine also discuss the results of a recent Pulse report, which sheds light on how farmers think and feel, and who they trust to communicate on sustainability.

Guest: Clare Hill, Regenerative transition coach and farmer runs Roots to Regeneration program, where she helps farmers transition to regenerative methods.

Topics covered: Clare’s career journey, regenerative farming, storytelling for change, coaching, overcoming barriers.

Key message: Storytelling is key to driving the adoption of regenerative agriculture. It helps inspire change, overcome barriers, and connect with diverse audiences to foster broader acceptance.

Role of communication: Use real-life stories to engage and educate diverse audiences. Tailor messaging to specific groups (farmers, consumers, businesses). Share successes and challenges openly to build trust. Utilise multiple platforms (social media, farm visits, groups) for broader outreach.

The Bees' Knees Comms-Cast is brought to you by Pinstone, a B Corp award-winning PR and marketing agency specialising in food, farming and the environment. Speak to us if you want to engage your audience authentically on your sustainability story. www.pinstone.co.uk 

In this episode we speak to Professor Lorna Dawson CBE, head of the Centre for Forensic Soil Science at the James Hutton Institute and discuss forensic applications of soil, food provenance, rural crime, science communication, regenerative farming, soil health, and public engagement and why storytelling is key to making science relatable. 

In this instance, this is to ensure the role and importance of soil gets the attention it deserves in our food systems, legal structures, and public policy.

The Bees' Knees Comms-Cast is brought to you by Pinstone, a B Corp award-winning PR and marketing agency specialising in food, farming and the environment. Speak to us if you want to engage your audience authentically on your sustainability story. www.pinstone.co.uk 

The Bees’ Knees Comms Cast - Alexia Robinson, Founder of Love British Food

In this episode of The Bee’s Knees Comms Cast, we sit down with Alexia Robinson, founder of Love British Food, an initiative that has been driving grassroots change in the food and farming sectors for over two decades. 

 

Alexia shares the story behind British Food Fortnight and how her innovative, community-driven approach to communications is making a lasting impact on attitudes towards, and adoption of British food and recognition of the value of sustainability.

Key highlights:

• The origins of Love British Food: Alexia reflects on the challenging period after the foot and mouth outbreak and how British Food Fortnight was created to inspire consumer confidence in British produce, while providing farmers with a platform to showcase their work.
• Bottom-up communication: Love British Food’s campaign approach focuses on grassroots, community-driven action rather than top-down directives. Alexia explains how empowering individuals at a local level, such as farmers, chefs, and catering teams, helps create lasting behavioural change.
• Partnerships that matter: From engaging with food service giants like Green King and Aramark to partnering with public sector organisations like the NHS and in schools, Alexia discusses how Love British Food has expanded its reach to drive sustainable food choices on a larger scale.
• Changing attitudes in schools and beyond: Alexia shares the success of a food education guide created for schools, endorsed by government bodies, and how it’s helping to instil a love of British food in future generations.
• The role of communications in sustainability: We explore the importance of communicating sustainability goals and how Love British Food’s approach is creating meaningful, long-term connections between British food producers and consumers.
• The power of community networks: Alexia talks about leveraging established networks and organisations like the Women’s Institute, National Trust, and young farmer’s groups to spread the message of buying British and supporting local food.

Join us as we explore how Love British Food is reshaping the food sector through the power of community-driven communication, making British food synonymous with sustainability, nutrition, and support for local farmers.

Listen to the episode and get involved in British Food Fortnight every September.

For more information on how to participate, visit Love British Food.

Episode Timestamps:

• 1:09 - Introduction to Love British Food and British Food Fortnight
• 5:35 - The founding story of Love British Food and the vision behind it
• 10:32 - The bottom-up approach: how grassroots efforts are driving real change
• 17:01 - Engaging the public sector and NHS catering teams
• 24:41 - Changing procurement practices and empowering change makers
• 28:51 - The role of schools and community networks in spreading the message
• 36:23 - The importance of multi-channel communication in sustainability
• 39:23 - Closing thoughts and how you can get involved in British Food Fortnight

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The Bees' Knees Comms-Cast is brought to you by Pinstone, a B Corp award-winning PR and marketing agency specialising in food, farming and the environment. Speak to us if you want to engage your audience authentically on your sustainability story. www.pinstone.co.uk 

00:03:40 – methods and importance of effective communication

00:09:54 – measuring outputs vs outcomes of campaigns

00:15:24 – Open Farm Sunday

00:18:54 – young people programme

00:21:31 – barriers to engaging young people

00:24:22 – working with wider organisations and patrons

00:26:13 – the role of the farming community

00:27:34 – other initiatives in food, farming and environment education

The Bees' Knees Comms-Cast is brought to you by Pinstone, a B Corp award-winning PR and marketing agency specialising in food, farming and the environment. Speak to us if you want to engage your audience authentically on your sustainability story. www.pinstone.co.uk 

0:00:05 - Introduction and welcome to Sarah Bolt

0:00:54 – Discussion on sustainability in the UK dairy sector

0:02:04 - Barriers and obstacles to sustainability in dairy farming

0:03:50 - Opportunities for sustainability in the dairy sector

0:05:16 - Research on soils and carbon storage

0:10:25 - Holistic dairy management and its connection to soil health

0:14:11 - How Sarah Bolt's work supports farmers in responding to supply chain demands

0:16:07 - Engaging the public on sustainability in food and farming

The Bees' Knees Comms-Cast is brought to you by Pinstone, a B Corp award-winning PR and marketing agency specialising in food, farming and the environment. Speak to us if you want to engage your audience authentically on your sustainability story. www.pinstone.co.uk 

0:04:25 - Discussion of changing mood of businesses thinking about sustainability

0:10:40 - Example given of complexity in supply chains using deforestation

0:17:12 - Discussion of greenwashing fears from companies investing in sustainability 

0:23:16 - Discussion of what could prevent confidence in sustainability programs

0:27:31 - Importance of authenticity and transparency in sustainability claims

0:32:46 - Emphasis on importance of collaboration at all levels

0:36:15 - Bringing discussion to importance of culture and people within workplaces

0:39:41 - Final discussion on examples that have made big impacts

The Bees' Knees Comms-Cast is brought to you by Pinstone, a B Corp award-winning PR and marketing agency specialising in food, farming and the environment. Speak to us if you want to engage your audience authentically on your sustainability story. www.pinstone.co.uk 

0:09:10 - Suez's vision and goals for sustainability leadership

0:11:31 - Evolving business models towards circular economy principles

0:15:51 - Changing approaches to communication and engagement

0:20:05 - Addressing behaviour change in waste management 

0:25:59 - The importance of data in decision making

0:32:03 - Examples of successful reuse and repair initiatives

0:34:17 - Impactful Doncaster contamination reduction campaign

The Bees' Knees Comms-Cast is brought to you by Pinstone, a B Corp award-winning PR and marketing agency specialising in food, farming and the environment. Speak to us if you want to engage your audience authentically on your sustainability story. www.pinstone.co.uk 

Episode timestamps: 

• [00:01:30] Introduction to Harry Mayhew and the inspiration behind Ember Snacks
• [00:04:00] The significance of Ember's roots on the Suffolk family farm and its impact on the business’ mission
• [00:06:45] How Ember stands out with its no sugar, no sweeteners policy and its support for British agriculture
• [00:10:15] The challenges and milestones in Ember's journey to market presence and consumer trust
• [00:13:50] The role of sustainability in building customer loyalty and the importance of B Corp certification
• [00:17:25] Harry's vision for Ember's future in challenging traditional snacking habits and expanding its reach
• [00:20:40] Closing thoughts and where to find Ember Snacks

Links and resources:

Follow Ember Snacks on Instagram and Facebook   

Email us at [email protected] for suggestions, enquiries, or to share your sustainability story

Acknowledgements:

Hosted by Catherine Linch, Pinstone  

Special Guest: Harry Mayhew, co-founder and CEO of Ember Snacks

Produced by Pinstone - telling authentic sustainability stories

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Bees' Knees Comms-Cast is brought to you by Pinstone, a B Corp award-winning PR and marketing agency specialising in food, farming, and the environment. Join us as we shine a spotlight on the people, brands, and businesses making a real difference in the world.

The Bees' Knees Comms-Cast is brought to you by Pinstone, a B Corp award-winning PR and marketing agency specialising in food, farming and the environment. Speak to us if you want to engage your audience authentically on your sustainability story. www.pinstone.co.uk