A Note from Michele Payn

Michele Payn, CSP, is one of North America's leading voices on food, farming, and science communication. As a Certified Speaking Professional – a designation held by fewer than 10% of professional speakers worldwide – she has spent 25 years helping agricultural organizations, agribusinesses, farmers, dietitians, and rural communities navigate the widening gap between food producers and the people who eat what they grow. She is the author of four books, including IPPY gold medalist Food Bullying, founder of #AgChat and #FoodChat, and a keynote speaker who has worked with people on sixcontinents.

From the farm girl who became agriculture's translator...

If you've found your way here, chances are you care deeply about food, farming, or the widening gap between the two.

Agriculture is the world I was born into, shaped by generations of farmers who came before me. My earliest memories are rooted in my parents’ Michigan calf barn, and today, some of my most cherished moments are spent working cattle with my daughter in our Indiana barn. These experiences aren't just memories; they are the foundation of my firsthand farming perspective.

Because I know the heart of the farm, I have devoted my career to a single mission: helping agriculture speak for itself.

When I founded Cause Matters Corp. in 2001, the gap between farmers and consumers was already widening – yet the very idea of "advocacy" was often questioned. Since then, fear-based food marketing has frequently drowned out the farmers, scientists, and health professionals who actually understand how food is produced. Twenty-five years and thousands of words later, that gap remains. I've spent every year since building bridges to foster understanding. Long before "agvocate" was a hashtag or "influencer" a career path, this was simply my work – to serve agriculture.

Whether you are a farmer frustrated by how the media portrays your farming practices, a scientist whose research is constantly misrepresented, a dietitian navigating conflicting food claims, or a rural leader looking for real tools to address the mental health crisis hiding behind the barn door—this work is for you.

I don’t care if you manage 5,000 acres of beans, milk 100 cows, run a feedlot, or buy your groceries at a local farmers market. I care that you have access to honest, science-grounded conversations about where your food comes from – and I care deeply that the people producing it are empowered with the tools and confidence to tell their story.

Take a look at our 25 year timeline and history of helping empower voices from farm to food

That's what Cause Matters Corp. does. It is deeply personal work to me. And now – as artificial intelligence reshapes how information spreads, how stories get told, and how science gets communicated – I'm also helping agricultural organizations understand what A.I. means for their work and protecting their voice. Because the mission hasn't changed. The tools just keep evolving.

I'd love to bring this work to your organization.