Get Involved with AAEA’s Communicating-Out Strategy

AAEA’s Communicating-Out strategy is reaching the end of it’s first full year with great success, and we’re looking for ways to build on that success.

The objective is to position AAEA and its members as a “go-to” resource for decision makers at federal agencies, congressional staffers, funding entities, media, industry, NGOs, consumer groups, other stakeholders, and non-member academics by providing reliable and credible insights on topics related to agricultural economics, applied economics, and economics generally.

The strategy is a multi-layer approach that includes new committees, a new emphasis on how we communicate both inside and outside AAEA, while utilizing the resources we already have; members who do amazing work in their respective fields that can and should be recognized in new ways.

The Communications Committee was formed to focus on getting information out to mass media, on social media, and to industry and consumer groups. The Publications Committee is focused more on, well, publications. We are working closely with our editor, Oxford University Press, on how to better highlight the articles that go into our two journals; American Journal of Agricultural Economics and Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy. Choices magazine along with The Exchange are also playing a role in the communicating out strategy. There is also a Government Relations part of this effort, working with C-FARE to reach relevant audiences in Washington, D.C., such as congressional staffers, federal agencies and their staff, funding agencies, and NGO’s.

Another part of the strategy included hiring a new position in the AAEA business office. Jay Saunders is our Communications Manager. He comes to AAEA after 15 years in television news and government public/media relations. He is the go-to person for media requests and communication with members about how to properly promote timely and important research. If you have questions, Jay’s email address is jsaunders@aaea.org.

You’ll also notice some changes at www.aaea.org, where you can find a complete list of the news releases we’ve done in the past year. Additionally, you’ll find an area of the website with resources to help inform members and provide ideas and suggestions on best practices and how to get involved in our strategy.

And, this summer at the Annual Meeting in Boston, we will have a session for members on “Working with the Media”; a panel discussion with members of the media and AAEA members who have experience with doing interviews on their research and areas of expertise. This will take place on Tuesday, August 2. Check the Annual Meeting schedule for more details.

This is an exciting undertaking, and one we hope members will participate in. The goal is simple: enhance the visibility of the AAEA and enhance the visibility and value of the science and the profession.