Empowering Voices from Farm to Food
Michele Payn has spent 25 years translating farm to food – from training Ukrainian grain farmers to advising Fortune 500 executives to coaching scientists on storytelling. Michele shows up for the people who feed the world – and those who worry about what they eat.
Michele Payn's Impact
A personal note from Michele
Cause Matters Corp. empowers farmers to find their voice, scientists to tell their story, and consumers to separate food fact from fear. Known as one of North America's leading experts in connecting farm and food, Michele's impact is far-reaching.
- 4 books (IPPY Gold Medal winner)
- 6 continents, 25+ countries
- Holstein breeder, conservation farmer
- 120+ podcast episodes
- CSP – held by 900 professional speakers worldwide
- Founded #AgChat & #FoodChat
- $5M+ raised for FFA and 4-H
- CNN, NPR, USA Today, Agri-Pulse, RFD-TV, RealAgriculture, ABC, and many more media appearances
What Drives This Work
Michele has been known to antagonize farmers into telling their authentic story – helping them make knowledge matter, going beyond "agvocating." She works with dietitians and healthcare professionals separate food fact from fiction so they can counsel clients with confidence. And she works hard to help agriculture build consumer trust by debunking myths, communicating sustainability honestly, and normalizing conversations about mental health in rural communities.
Whether you're a farmer frustrated by how the media portrays your practices, a scientist whose research gets misrepresented, a dietitian navigating conflicting food claims, or a rural leader looking for real tools to address the stress of agriculture – Michele gives you the language, frameworks, and confidence to change that conversation. See how she works →
Evolving for Tomorrow's Challenges
Today Michele continues to lead agriculture into new territory. From pioneering social media advocacy with the launch of #AgChat in 2009 to now teaching farmers about artificial intelligence as an issues forecasting tool, she stays ahead of the curve. She's a dynamic speaker preparing agriculture for tomorrow's challenges, not just defending yesterday's practices.
The mission hasn't changed since 2001: connect farm and food through relatable communication rooted in science. The tools just keep evolving.
Farm Girl. Cow Lover. Bridge Builder.
Michele has been a registered Holstein breeder since age nine. Some of her most cherished moments have been spent working cattle with her daughter in their Indiana barn. Today, Michele and her husband are creating wildflower pollinator project on that same land and still learning about conservation daily.
These experiences aren't just memories – they're the foundation of her firsthand farming perspective. She knows agriculture because she lives agriculture. Her formal education from Michigan State University (degrees in Animal Science and Agricultural Communications) combined with decades of hands-on farm experience gives her a perspective few can match. She understands both the science in the lab and the reality in the barn.
Her work spans six continents – from USAID development projects in Ukraine and Egypt to interactive training programs across North America. She's marketed dairy genetics to 25+ countries, raised over $5 million in corporate sponsorships for FFA and 4-H, and trained everyone from small family farms to large agribusinesses. Michele Payn is a speaker who knows how to bring experiences to life with entertaining stories to evoke thought.
Award-Winning Author & Thought Leader
Michele's Food Bullying book was selected as the gold medal recipient from among 4,500 books entered in the Independent Publishers Book Awards (IPPY), the world's largest book contest.
Her four books that have earned international recognition and changed how thousands of people think about food and farming.
- Science Story Speak (2024, co-authored with Amy Hays) — A playbook for communicating science in ways that rebuild trust.
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying B.S. (2019) – A gold medal winner in the world’s largest book competition, this book exposes misleading food claims and how to push back against fear-based marketing that are confusing brains in grocery stores.
- Food Truths from Farm to Table: 25 Ways to Shop & Eat Without Guilt (2020) – A best-selling book that simplifies grocery shopping by separating facts from food marketing myths.
- No More Food Fights! Growing a Productive Farm & Food Conversation (2013)– A two-sided book Building bridges between farmers and consumers.
- Agriculture's Growth Journal provides real-life stress management tools for farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses to help normalize mental wellness in the culture of agriculture.
Beyond books, Michele co-hosted the Food Bullying podcast (140+ episodes), writes regular columns for AgDaily and Progressive Dairy, hosted private Table Talk trainings for professionals around the plate, and has appeared on CNN, NPR, USA Today, Agri-Pulse, RFD-TV, and other media outlets as an expert voice on agriculture and food issues.
Professional Excellence
As a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), a designation held by less than 10% of professional speakers worldwide, Michele brings proven expertise to every stage. Her clients span the full spectrum of "influencers" around the plate: Farm Bureaus and commodity groups, agribusinesses, university systems, dietetic associations, and international development projects. Whether training 500 young farmers, facilitating a strategic plan, or coaching executives, she brings fun, insight, and practical tools that help people communicate with confidence.
Endorsed by: Harvard Business School's Agribusiness Program | International Food Information Council | Purdue University | Today's Dietitian | Extension | Center for Food Integrity | Michigan State University Women in STEM | National Association of County Agricultural Agents | Amercan Meat Science Association | Food Tank
The Personal Side
When Michele isn't speaking or traveling, you'll find her on her small Midwestern farm with her "city slicker" husband and cow-loving daughter. Michele volunteers with church, 4-H and FFA , loves to bake new creations, and cheers loudly for Michigan State Spartan hoops.
She believes the best ideas happen around a table with good food and friends – and tries to create as many of those moments as she can. Because after 25 years of this work, one thing remains constant: the most meaningful food and agriculture stories come from the people living them every day.
Were do you fit?
Farmers & ag organizations – Build your story →
Scientists & communicators – Tell it with confidence →
Dietitians & health professionals – Separate fact from fear →
Rural communities – Address stress for mental wellness →
(Shortened bio for promotional use)
Michele Payn, CSP, cuts through the noise around food, farming, and the people who feed us. As principal of Cause Matters Corp., she's spent 25 years empowering voices from farm to food - authoring four award-winning books, working across six continents, and raising millions for 4-H and FFA. One of only 900 people worldwide to hold the Certified Speaking Professional designation, Michele also has degrees in Agricultural Communications & Animal Science from Michigan State University. When she's not antagonizing audiences into action, she's on her Indiana farm with registered Holsteins, wildflowers, and her city-slicker husband.
