The Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2021 Virtual Stakeholders Summit, themed “Obstacles to Opportunities,” equipped farm and food stakeholders with the tools needed to turn the obstacles of 2020 into opportunities for the decades to come. The 2021 event, held primarily May 5 and 6, was the largest to date attracting 594 registered attendees. A full report of highlights and takeaways is available.
Kicking off the main event, Timothy Caulfield, professor of health law and science policy at the University of Alberta, discussed the spread of misinformation and how to effectively debunk myths. “Misinformation is being normalized, which means that it’s having a greater impact on people’s lives,” said Caulfield. He stated misinformation campaigns are often used to incite fear to sell certain narratives or products, but debunking false information can be effective and have an impact, especially coming from an expert on the subject. Caulfield added, “You can be direct while correcting [misinformation], but I still think you want to have a tone that engages the community and that allows that ongoing conversation.”