Results That Move Agriculture Forward: What Michele Payn Delivers

Michele empowers voices from farm to food. Cause Matters Corp. helps communities connect around the power of their cause.

Impact at a glance

25 years. Six continents. Thousands of conversations changed through empowered voices.

Michele Payn doesn't measure success in applause – she measures it in the farmer who finally felt confident enough to talk to their neighbor about how they farm, the scientist who learned to explain their research without losing the room, and the meeting planner who heard "that was the best keynote we've ever had" from attendees on the way out the door.

Recognized for results

CSP – Certified Speaking Professional, National Speakers Association (top 10% globally)
IPPY Gold Medal – Food Bullying (Medicine, Health & Nutrition, 2020) – world's largest book competition, 4,500+ entries
IPPY Bronze Medal – Food Truths from Farm to Table (2018)
Mashable Top 3 Twitter Users of the Year – 2009, for founding #AgChat
MSU Spartan Saga – Featured among first honorees for career impact in agriculture
Face of Innovation – Selected recognition for global ag communications work
MSU CANR Alumni Association Past President – Michigan State University College of Agriculture & Natural Resources

The speaking profession's highest credential – the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation – is held by 900 professional speakers worldwide. Michele earned it the same way she earns everything: one audience at a time, over five years of documented client outcomes.

Her books have been recognized in the world's largest independent publishing competition, IPPY – because the ideas inside them are built on science, not trends. And when she founded #AgChat on Twitter in 2009, Mashable named agriculture one of the top three most impactful uses of the platform that year – putting farmers in the same conversation as celebrities, exactly where they belong.

What Michele delivers

Tangible outcomes for with tailored packages for each client.

Keynotes: Opened and closed national and state agricultural conferences with motivational, thought-provoking messages that set – or seal – an inspirational tone. Meeting planners consistently report higher post-session engagement scores, and audiences leave with a clearer sense of purpose and practical language they can use the next day.
Workshops & Training Programs:Delivered 60-minute to four-day training sessions in science communication, A.I. as a forecasting tool, agricultural advocacy, mental health, social media strategy, grassroots marketing, and fundraising. Every program is customized — participants walk away with frameworks they can apply immediately, not just inspiration that fades by Monday morning.
Strategic Planning Facilitation:Created and led multi-year strategic plans for statewide agricultural organizations, including internal change agent development for deploying initiatives. Organizations finish with a clear roadmap, aligned leadership, and the internal champions needed to actually execute it.
Coaching for Farmers, Scientists & Executives:Provided one-on-one and small group coaching in science communications, executive presentation skills, and leadership development. Clients find the confidence and specific language to tell their story – and start changing how people think about agriculture, one conversation at a time.
Research & Market Insight: Conducted grassroots marketing research for agricultural retailers, facilitated customer and vendor interviews, and led online focus groups to develop actionable marketing strategies. Clients gain honest insight into how their audiences actually think – and the strategic clarity to act on it.
Award-Winning Author & Content Creator: Authored four books recognized in the world's largest independent publishing competition (IPPY), plus hundreds of published articles, columns, and resources for agricultural and food audiences. Readers gain practical tools for navigating food myths, communicating science, and managing the stress of agricultural life – resources they return to long after the event ends.
Global Agricultural Development: Partnered with USAID to strengthen agricultural communication systems in Ukraine and Egypt, and delivered training programs for farmers across four continents. International participants leave with communication strategies that work across cultural and language barriers – because the gap between farmers and the people they feed is a global challenge, not just an American one.

What clients say

Cause Matters Corp. partners with a variety of busiensses and organizations - read more what they have to say on our Rave Reviews page.

"I’m so grateful for the way you connect both sides of the table. The journey from idea to product is long, complex, and filled with years sometimes entire careers focused on solving a single challenge for a grower. Thank you for helping people see the heart, rigor, and care behind that work." — Broch Martindale, Corteva Agriscience

"Of all the presentations, Michele Payn's will result in me changing my actions. Very stimulating presentation. I have a list of five things I will do early in the new year.” — Farms at the Table Attendee, Saskatoon

"Outstanding information that is heartfelt, touching and transformational to farmers and ranchers who need to see that sustainability is more than taking care of the land, it is also about taking care of themselves. — Dr. Megan Webb, Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College

Trusted by the field

Cause Matters Corp. has partnered with agricultural organizations, Farm Bureaus in 30+ states, commodity boards, agribusinesses, not-for-profits, food companies, dietitian associations, and rural community organizations across North America and beyond – on six continents. Our client list and testimonials are available here.

Michele Payn's expertise and passion comes from firsthand experience and extensive research; she does not accept payment from any company or organization to support a particular position or product. Cause Matters Corp. chooses consulting projects based on alignment with Michele's goals around connecting the people and science of farm and food.