Wilson, M.C. (author / USDA, Office of Cooperative Extension Work, Extension Studies) and USDA, Office of Cooperative Extension Work, Extension Studies
Format:
Report
Publication Date:
unknown
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 44 Document Number: B05359
Notes:
James F. Evans Collection, Washington, D.C. : United States Department of Agriculture, 1926. 20 p. (Department Bulletin no. 1384), With a background of 10 years of cooperative extension work under the Smith-Lever Act, extension administrators and supervisors everywhere are seeking definite information upon which to base decisions affecting the future conduct of the work. Facts rather than opinions are needed. The field study reported in this bulletin was made by the Office of Cooperative Extension Work, in cooperation with the State extension services of Iowa, New York, Colorado, and California. Considerable light is thrown upon concrete problems concerning which extension leaders have long desired reliable information. The determination, in any adequate degree, of the results of extension teaching is a most complex matter. Only some of the most obvious results are here shown. It is hoped the present study mat be the basis for more comprehensive studies in the future. (original)
6 pages, In this time of information overload, successfully engaging farmers with compelling outreach materials is a major challenge for conservation programs and related research projects. One potential approach is targeting information to the recipient, e.g., local rather than regional soil and water conditions, when sending messages to farmers. Targeted information may increase engagement by making materials stand out as more relevant and useful; conversely, it may decrease engagement by making farmers wary of the program and how it is using the information. We tested the effect of targeted information on farmer engagement using a large, randomized controlled trial in Iowa. In partnership with Iowa State University, we sent 2,996 farmers a single mailing with information about erosion at the local watershed (targeted) or state (control) level and measured their responses to a two-minute survey. We found that targeted information increased relative response rates by 20%, from 13.8% to 16.4%. This level of increase is meaningful for practitioners, as well as statistically significant. Our findings show that targeted information can be an important tool for practitioners and researchers seeking to better connect with farmers who are inundated with marketing mail.
10 pages., Article # 5TOT4, via online journal., This article describes visual-based minimal-text food safety tools developed in Mandarin Chinese to educate Chinese-speaking food service workers about safe food handling practices. Ten posters and one PowerPoint presentation were developed, and their efficacy in conveying critical food safety messages was tested with Chinese-speaking food service workers in Iowa. Extension educators can use these tools for formal and informal food safety education, thereby contributing to protecting public health.