From the editor: Feeding the public appetite for the facts on agriculture

Social media is a useful tool to communicate with the public, with well-known faces such as North Wales hill farmer Gareth Wyn Jones amassing thousands of followers keen to learn more about what happens on UK farms.

With followers both in and outside agriculture, Gareths updates provide a snapshot of farming life and showcase the windswept beauty of theCarneddau mountains complete withthe trials and tribulations that go with it.

His latest video showing him skinning a dead lamb and fitting the fleece to an orphaned lambbrought praise and a flurry of misinformation in equal measure.

A seasoned social media influencer, Gareth is used to his fair share of trolling from angry keyboard warriors, but he has been left understandably shaken by threats made against his and his familys lives.

While he has said it will not deter him from using social media, there is no doubt this latest incident will cast a shadow. It is why so many people are wary of social media and the vitriol it can invite.

The trolls were also quick to jump on a tweet from Matthew Blair of Thrimby Farms in Penrith, who published a CCTV clip of a cow attacking his wife Dani to warn other farmers of how even the quietest of animals can be unpredictable and with dangerous consequences.

Again, misinformation spread like wildfire, with users saying Dani deserved to be attacked because she was taking away the cows calf.Someone politely replied, explaining that this was a suckler beef cow and calf with the clue being in the name.

It shows how quickly online hate and misinformation can swirl like a tornado and get out of hand.

This is why farmers such as Gareth and Matthew and the thousands of others out there who reveal an insight into their farming lives are so important.

Study after study shows that the general public is more engaged than ever in wanting to know about agriculture and how and where their food is produced.

There is a thirst for knowledge and consumers of all ages are genuinely inquisitive about farming, its practices and traditions and the industry should take heart in that.

You only have to look at the television guide and see the bulging list of programmes dedicated to farming to see that there is massive demand from people wanting a taste of farming life. As with most things, the haters are in the minority.

And finally: Our bumper diversification special is packed full of advice and inspiring case studies.