Farm marketing: 5 pillars you can't forget in the age of AI.

The marketing industry has become enamored with artificial intelligence. The promise of automation, hyperpersonalization and unprecedented efficiency resonates in every conference room. In this technological rush, it's easy to believe that everything we knew is going away. And yet, when we step out of the marketing parlors into the Polish countryside, we find that in agriculture - a business where a family's livelihood and multi-generational legacy are at stake - the AI revolution looks very different. Technology is and will continue to be a powerful tool, but the real game is still about something much older: trust.

Before we talk about AI, let's talk about the farmer

To understand why certain things remain constant, we must first understand the structure of the market itself. The data is unforgiving. According to the CSO's 2020 Census of Agriculture, farms of 100 hectares or more account for about 1% of the total number of farms in Poland. This means that advisors and sales representatives of concerns and distributors, while concentrating their efforts on the largest acreages, regularly visit only the statistical and strategic margin of the market. Admittedly, this small group of farms (of 100 hectares or more) manages a significant portion of the land - a total of approx. 3.45 million hectares, accounting for about 23% of the country's total agricultural land, is a very big piece of the overall pie, but who then advises the overwhelming majority of farmers? The answer has been the same for years: the man at the local store (well, and Uncle Google of course).

Added to this is the psychology of the decision. An agricultural producer is first and foremost an entrepreneur who manages quite a lot of risk. Of course, there are farmers who succumb to momentary fads, sowing what happens to have a high price. These, however, usually lose out on this, going into business „on the upside” and falling along with the market correction. Farmers who plan for the long term win. But even they face challenges, such as a lack of storage infrastructure, which forces many to sell crops when they are cheapest.

On smaller farms, the situation is even more specific. A small to medium-sized farmer often still works full-time, and runs the farm after hours. What follows is that such a farmer has no time for experimentation. A treatment performed on a Saturday must be effective, because there will be neither time nor money for a repeat. That's why he often pays more for certainty, for a product proven and recommended by someone he trusts. This is where we get to the heart of the matter. 

The unchanging pillars of marketing in the agricultural industry

In this context, several foundations of agricultural marketing remain unshaken, regardless of technological innovations.

1. Man and relationship „face to face”
   Sales in agriculture are still based mainly on direct contact. This means that the relationship and trust factor is fundamental to the functioning of the market. This is confirmed by a survey conducted by Martin&Jacob using the CAWI method with a sample of N=378 farmers in the period 29.11-12.12.2024.. As many as 38% respondents point to the store clerk as one of their main sources of information about crop protection products. What's more, for farmers acting „reactively,” that is, looking for a solution when a problem has already appeared in the field, the salesman is the absolute number one - as many as half of them go to him for advice. AI is not (yet) a substitute for a conversation at the counter, an understanding of local specifics and a relationship built up over years.
2. Credibility and the power of „panto mail”
   A farmer is more likely to believe a neighbor who has successfully used a product than the most beautiful advertisement. This is why, according to the aforementioned study, the most reliable sources of information are not manufacturers' websites, but agricultural forums (31%) i other farmers (28%). Opinions from other practitioners, moreover, are the most preferred form of information, with as many as 40% respondents pointing to them. Farmers' choice of products is very often based on trust in recommendations, which translates into loyalty to proven brands and solutions
3. Tangibility and proof in the field „See, touch, test” - this principle in agriculture never gets old. The farmer must see the effects with his own eyes. Hence the enduring popularity of field days, machinery demonstrations or a visit to a neighbor's demonstration plot. No virtual model can replace the sight of a real crop or the opportunity to test a tractor on your own farm.
4. E-commerce is growing, but it is still a margin of sales.
   The e-commerce market in agriculture is growing, that's a fact. It enables quick price comparisons and is also becoming a powerful negotiating tool when talking to a local distributor or store. However, it still represents a small percentage of the agro industry's total turnover. The final transaction in most cases is finalized in the traditional commercial model anyway. A farmer can check the price online, but for advice and the final purchase he is still more likely to go to a place where he can talk to a proven advisor.
5. Seasonality and the farmer's two modes of operation
   In agricultural marketing, there are two main types of potential buyers. The first is the „Planner,” who gathers knowledge in advance, analyzes and plans purchases. The second is the „Fireman,” reacting in real time when a threat arises. Interestingly, the aforementioned study shows that the market is dominated by „Planners” - as many as 72% farmers seek information before a threat arises, while only 28% operate in reactive mode. This is key strategic information - our communications must not only be reactive (seasonal) but also anticipatory, building awareness and educating well before the peak season. This reinforces the role of content marketing in the marketing tool palette. It also gives impetus to the use of AI in the agriculture business.

AI is essential, but must be used wisely

The above points do not mean that artificial intelligence is unnecessary in agricultural marketing. On the contrary, it is absolutely crucial, but its role must be properly understood. Companies that use generic AI tools to mass-produce superficial articles fall into a trap. They create marketing content without depth and context that does not build an expert image.

The real value in marketing strategy will become the construction of vertical AI agents - specialized, „trained” virtual advisors. The process is a bit like training your own employee:

1. Foundation: We rely on a ready-made, generic language model.
2. Knowledge Base: „We feed” it with the company's internal, unique data: field test results, product sheets, expert articles, customer inquiry history. This is where AI learns the industry and the specifics of our solutions.
3. Context and Personality: We define how the agent is to communicate - whether to ask additional questions to better diagnose the problem, and whether to speak the language of an expert rather than that of a salesman.

Such an agent becomes a powerful tool that „extends the arm” of human advisors. Available 24/7, it can handle many inquiries from farmers on smaller, unvisited farms. It can provide them with precise recommendations, educate and prepare them for the final conversation in the store. The effectiveness of such solutions could translate into increased farmer satisfaction and better customer relations in the future, resulting in increased sales.

Marketing agricultural: the right symbiosis of tradition and technology

The future of agricultural marketing does not lie in extremes. The key is an intelligent hybrid model. Let's use AI to scale expertise and reach a broad, fragmented online market. But let's do so with the full knowledge that the culmination of the sales process and the final decision is still made in the offline world, based on a relationship and trust with a human being.

The best that AI-supported agriculture marketing can do is to make the farmer walk into the store better informed, with specific questions and more confidence. But there, at the counter, he will still juxtapose that knowledge with the recommendation of an advisor he has known and valued for years. And that's the beautiful and constant thing about agricultural marketing.

We have been connecting agro brands with farmers for over 20 years.

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