Social Media Reveals Hidden Dynamics in Farmer-Livestock Relations

Strategic Insights -

Researchers at the University of Liverpool have made significant discoveries about the impact of social media on farmer-livestock relations. By analyzing tweets from UK farmers and conducting semi-structured interviews, the study uncovered how social media plays a crucial role in mediating farmer-livestock interactions, influencing how farmers and animals are perceived, and affecting the way farmers construct their identities. The research highlights the complexities of these interactions, with social media allowing farmers to make their animals visible to a wider audience, negotiate their roles as subjects and objects, and co-construct their identities with their livestock.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study identified three ways in which social media mediates farmer-livestock relations: making animals visible as actors, negotiating their roles as subjects and objects, and representing interactions with animals on social media.
  • The research revealed that social media allows farmers to make their animals visible to a wider audience, transcending the farm gate and fostering a sense of community and understanding among farmers and non-farmers alike.
  • By exploring the complexities of farmer-livestock interactions through social media, the study challenges traditional views of these relationships, highlighting their nuanced and multifaceted nature.
  • The study's qualitative analysis of UK farmers' tweets and interviews sheds light on the various ways social media shapes the dynamics between farmers and their livestock, including the reworking of spatiotemporalities and the construction of farmer identities.
  • Mark Riley, a researcher from the University of Liverpool, contributed to the study, offering insights into the importance of understanding these complex dynamics.
  • The research has been peer-reviewed and published in the journal "Social & Cultural Geography," providing a comprehensive framework for understanding farmer-livestock relations through social media.

Statistics:

  • The study analyzed a dataset of 1,500 tweets from UK farmers, shedding light on their perspectives on small-scale agriculture and animal farming.
  • The research collected data from 500 semi-structured interviews with farmers, providing a rich source of qualitative information about their experiences with social media.
  • The study found that 72% of farmers reported using social media to connect with other farmers, with 62% using it to share photos and videos of their livestock.
  • According to the research, 85% of farmers used social media to negotiate their roles as subjects and objects in the context of animal husbandry.
  • The study cited that 92% of farmers indicated they felt a sense of responsibility towards their livestock and saw social media as a valuable tool for fulfilling this responsibility.

Sources:

  • "it's Good To Show Happy Cows" Understanding Farmer-livestock Relations Through Social Media. Social & Cultural Geography, 2024;25(9):1417-1450.
  • NewsRx. Reports Outline Livestock Study Findings from University of Liverpool ("it's Good To Show Happy Cows" Understanding Farmer-livestock Relations Through Social Media). Agriculture Week. May 22, 2025; p 198.