Robert Mensies

Background

About Robert Mensies

I found myself in the middle of a protest at the Legislative Building in 2009. After experiencing massive growth in the 1990's, an agriculture commodity group was protesting a bill that would essentially place a moratorium on their growth. They knew it was an act in vain as they didn't have the support of the government of the day and definitely not the support of the public. Once the dust had settled, they took a chance on me by hiring my company to begin the long and winding road of communicating with stakeholders, farmers and the general public. Tens years later, I still have the honour of working with them and just a few years ago the moratorium was lifted. This doesn't mean we pack up and go home, rather the contrary. Growth in the industry means new hurdles and communications priorities; while the continual need of earning the trust of the public can never be taken for granted. A wise colleague of mine stated that if you're not constantly earning the trust of the public, you're loosing it. An obvious statement, but a wise one nonetheless, and one that drives me. The agri-food industry is facing a monumental challenge. I'm doing what I can do to ensure the public is well informed in what the good people who raise and grow our food do on a day-to-day basis to provide healthy, safe and affordable food for us all.