Public perceptions about agriculture have taken a battering in recent years as various interest groups have used examples of bad practice to paint entire industries with the same negative brush.

All too often the people telling agriculture’s story on the national stage are people not involved in agriculture.

In June visiting US cattle ranchers and agricultural advocates Troy and Stacey Hadrick urged Australian farmers to plug into the power of social media to start a positive conversation about their industry.

This Sunday ABC Landline examines how social media sites like Twitter and Facebook are empowering Australian farmers to speak out and share their stories with the wider community.

The audience will be invited to “tweet” after the show, so if you’re not already on Twitter, today is a great to time to sign up and join agriculture’s vibrant and ever-growing online agricultural community.

Mr Hadrick will also be on twitter to join the conversation from his South Dakota cattle ranch.

If you haven't yet joined Twitter you’re not alone – in this Sunday’s program MLA chairman Don Heatley concedes to reporter Pip Courtney that he has not yet joined the social media site, but says he plans to get on board.

Watch ABC Landline at noon on Sunday and visit #abclandline on Twitter after the show to join the conversation. Will Don Heatley be on Twitter by Sunday? Tune in to find out.

For more details visit ABC Landline at http://www.abc.net.au/landline/

To read Beef Central’s story about the Hadrick’s visit in June, "Promoting Agriculture one story at a time", click here