New York Farm Bureau Utilizes Virtual Reality to Highlight Agricultural Labor

Feeding the world is no small task, and with much of the work being done in rural America, it can be hard for much of the country to fully comprehend how food goes from farm to fork. In hopes of shining light on all areas of agricultural labor, New York Farm Bureau created a virtual reality video experience series highlighting the importance that agricultural labor plays in supplying the domestic food system.

The video series features multiple farmers from across the state, covering what farming looks like on a daily basis, including the labor challenges. These videos are used to show legislative representatives, government agency staff and consumers what it takes to get food to their tables.

Once the video experiences were created, New York Farm Bureau implemented a media campaign that pushed them out to state and federal representatives. They also set up virtual reality screenings at various county Farm Bureau events and New York Farm Bureau’s legislative reception.

Strategic Action Fund

New York Farm Bureau’s virtual reality project was funded through a grant from AFBF’s Strategic Action Fund. Through the fund, state Farm Bureaus with fewer than 25,000 members were eligible to apply for funding of up to $5,000 for public policy-related projects.

Several state Farm Bureaus – Idaho, Iowa, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas – each contributed at least $1,000 to the Strategic Action Fund for the 2023 round of projects.