Becoming a Farmhand Inspired Clayton Lind to Share the Truth About Agriculture

California native Clayton Lind didn’t have an ag background, but working as a farmhand in Iowa changed his life. He now runs a media company focused on telling agriculture’s story and bridging the gap between farmers and consumers.

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Meet Clayton Lind

When Lind came to Iowa during COVID, his heavy-duty mechanic experience helped him land a job as a farmhand, despite having no ag background. He soon realized some of the messages he had received about farming while living in California weren’t necessarily true. “My whole world got flipped upside down because of my interactions with the guy I worked for every day, working with cattle and working with crops,” he said.

In thinking about long-term career plans, Lind wanted to combine his newfound love of agriculture with his interest in storytelling, photography, and marketing. His company, Atlas Media Solutions, was born. Lind still lives in Iowa, but works with clients across the country.

“This company’s sole focus is to serve agriculture. Right now that’s trying to tell farmers’ and ranchers’ stories, because it’s hard to get them out there, there are a lot of people who don’t know where their food comes from, and now people are interested in that,” he said. “What matters to consumers is, ‘Who are you, how are you growing my food, and how is that affecting me?’ That’s what people want to know.”

In addition to doing paid campaigns for ag companies, he does pro bono work for nonprofits like Farm Rescue and creates content that promotes agriculture in general. 

“We’re running out of farmers and ranchers, we’re running out of land, we have a lot of big problems, and we have to start solving these things,” Lind said. “As a company, we really want to help solve those problems. We’re not going to solve all of them, but I feel a personal burden to do my part.”

Episode Highlights

• Clayton Lind grew up in California with no agricultural background before moving to Iowa in 2020.
• He became a farmhand by accident during COVID, learning firsthand how complex farming really is.
• The experience flipped his worldview, reshaping misconceptions he once held about agriculture.
• Lind experienced the challenges of farm labor, from long hours to low wages, while gaining respect for farmers.
• With a media background, he pivoted to ag storytelling to share the truth he discovered on the farm.
• His company focuses on humanizing agriculture and putting farmers’ faces at the center of the story.
• Lind said consumers care more about people and practices than crop yields or inputs.
• He stressed the importance of respectful dialogue with critics to build understanding of farming.
• Lind supports Farm Rescue, donating media services to help spread awareness of their mission.
• He said better marketing is vital to agriculture’s future and to reconnect farmers with consumers.

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