Michelle Miller, known widely as The Farm Babe, embarked on an extraordinary journey from a big-city life in Los Angeles and Chicago to becoming a passionate advocate for modern agriculture on her Iowa farm. Once a fashion professional working for Gucci on Rodeo Drive, Michelle’s life took a profound turn when she moved to a small Iowa town to live with a farmer and began farming herself.
Her first-hand experience on the farm completely changed her view of food production. Michelle realised that she, like many urban consumers, had been misled by popular but inaccurate food myths – lables such as organic, non-GMO, and antibiotic free, which she once bought believing they were better for animals and the planet. With this new perspective, she started the “Farm Babe” blog 11 years ago as a vehicle to debunk falsehoods and communicate the science and realities behind agriculture.
Michelle’s mission became clear: To bridge the growing divide between farmers and consumers by providing honest, science-based information. She understands the mindset of the urban consumer who wants to make responsible food choices but feels overwhelmed by misinformation and marketing gimmicks. Through her social media platforms, she effectively translates complex agricultural science into relatable messages that resonate with millions, helping them feel more confident about eating meat.
Terry Wiggill, managing director of Chemuniqué, recently had the chance to chat to Michelle about her journey, translating agricultural science into practical, digestible information for consumers, and how every voice matters.
Measuring the impact of her efforts, Michelle points to social media data and the shifting narratives around food. She highlights how reaching even a small percentage of her audience who begin to appreciate the realities of farming has a large ripple effect in public perception.
A pivotal story Michelle shares is her confrontation with Burger King over a controversial ad campaign called “Cow’s Menu,” which painted cattle and their methane emissions as villains destroying the planet. The original ad featured troubling images of children in gas masks and exaggerated claims that feeding lemongrass to cattle could drastically reduce methane emissions. Michelle personally reached out to Burger King’s marketing team, inviting them to visit her farm to see the sustainability practices already in place by farmers. This led to a transformative two-day educational tour with experts from Iowa State University, the Iowa Farm Bureau, and cattle nutritionists. As a result, Burger King revised their campaign, filming a new ad on Michelle’s farm and retracting the original.
Terry’s conversation with Michelle illustrates her proactive approach to agriculture advocacy – engaging directly with corporations and challenging negative stereotypes head-on. She urges experts in the field to be bold in sharing their knowledge, highlighting the importance of proactive communication in an era where misinformation spreads quickly.