Dietz, T. (author), Frisch, A.S. (author), Guagnano, G.A. (author), Kalof, L. (author), Stern, P.C. (author), and Department of Sociology and Anthropology, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia 22030; Department of Education and Human Services, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901; Department of Sociology, State University of New York at Plattsburgh, New York 12901; U.S. National Research Council, Washington, D.C. 22052; Department of Sociology and Anthropology, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
unknown
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 101 Document Number: C08646
Journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/actatropica, Via online journal, Zoonotic diseases cause significant health and economic impact in developing countries such as India. Many zoonotic diseases are prevalent in the livestock and as an occupational zoonosis in the livestock farmers in India. Lack of knowledge on the disease transmission, prevention and control measures is a potential high risk for the occurrence of zoonotic diseases in the livestock and its keepers in India. We conducted this study to understand knowledge, attitude and practices of livestock farmers regarding zoonoses. Five villages from each of the 22 districts of the state were conveniently selected (n = 110). Farmers available at village community sites were enrolled in the study and requested to complete a custom designed questionnaire (n = 558). In addition, livestock farmers attending basic livestock husbandry training were also surveyed (n = 301). Data from questionnaires was used to create three index variables: (a) knowledge score; (b) attitude score and (c) practice score. Association between demographic and other explanatory variables with knowledge score was evaluated using linear regression analyses. Similarly, the association between knowledge and attitude score with practice score was evaluated. Of the 859 participants, 685 (80%) livestock farmers had heard the term ‘zoonoses’ but only 345 (40%), 264 (31%) and 214 (25%) farmers were aware of the zoonotic nature of tuberculosis, Japanese encephalitis and taeniosis, respectively. For practices, 23% farmers reported consumption of raw milk and only 10% and 8% livestock farmers ever got their animals tested for brucellosis and tuberculosis, respectively. The low level of education and being a cattle farmer were negatively associated with the farmer’s knowledge on zoonotic diseases. The attitude score was positively associated with the practice score of the participants. The results indicate need for educating the livestock farmers particularly those with a low level of education to reduce the health and economic impact of zoonotic diseases in India.
20 pages., Via online journal., Consumers are concerned about the risks related to genetically modified (GM) food, and there is a need for agricultural communicators and educators to address those concerns. The purpose of this study was to explore Florida residents’ latitudes of acceptance, rejection, and noncommitment toward GM food messages. The findings from this study can be used to guide communication and education campaigns for GM food. An online survey was distributed to a non-probability sample of 500 Florida residents to fulfill the purpose of the study. The messages that most aligned with the respondents’ views toward GM food discussed how potential risks related to human health had not been adequately investigated and that GM food may be riskier to consume compared to traditional food. The messages that most opposed the respondents’ views were that GM food was safe for consumption and that it caused cancer in humans. People whose views most aligned with the message that GM food caused cancer in humans had the largest latitude of rejection, likely due to their extreme attitude, confirmation bias, and ego-involvement. The largest percentage of respondents accepted messages that aligned with their position but expressed noncommitment to messages that opposed their views. This lack of rejection and indication of alignment with messages related to potential risk and uncertainty indicated Florida consumers were unsure about the effects of GM food. Communicators and educators should acknowledge these concerns when delivering information about GM food to enhance the effectiveness of communication with consumers.
Clark, Beth (author), Panzone, Luca A. (author), Stewart, Gavin B. (author), Kyriazakis, Ilias (author), Niemi, Jarkko K. (author), Latvala, Terhi (author), Tranter, Richard (author), Jones, Philip (author), and Frewer, Lynn J. (author)
Format:
Online journal article
Publication Date:
2019-01-10
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 7 Document Number: D10240
Many members of the public and important stakeholders operating at the upper end of the food chain, may be unfamiliar with how food is produced, including within modern animal production systems. The intensification of production is becoming increasingly common in modern farming. However, intensive systems are particularly susceptible to production diseases, with potentially negative consequences for farm animal welfare (FAW). Previous research has demonstrated that the public are concerned about FAW, yet there has been little research into attitudes towards production diseases, and their approval of interventions to reduce these. This research explores the public’s attitudes towards, and preferences for, FAW interventions in five European countries (Finland, Germany, Poland, Spain and the UK). An online survey was conducted for broilers (n = 789), layers (n = 790) and pigs (n = 751). Data were analysed by means of Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA, exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. The results suggest that the public have concerns regarding intensive production systems, in relation to FAW, naturalness and the use of antibiotics. The most preferred interventions were the most “proactive” interventions, namely improved housing and hygiene measures. The least preferred interventions were medicine-based, which raised humane animal care and food safety concerns amongst respondents. The results highlighted the influence of the identified concerns, perceived risks and benefits on attitudes and subsequent behavioural intention, and the importance of supply chain stakeholders addressing these concerns in the subsequent communications with the public.
19 pages, via online journal, Science communication and informal science education collide in the context of Extension state fair exhibits for engaging public audiences in critical agricultural and natural resource issues impacting people’s daily lives. A need exists to employ systematic communication and education theory and techniques to effectively deliver scientific information in informal learning spaces. In an effort to apply and expand systematic instructional design thinking and research in informal science learning, this study piloted a touchscreen iPad survey evaluation (n= 93; ages 19-66) of adult state fairgoers’ demographics, experiences, attitudes, and learning during their visit to a 25,000 square-foot facility featuring an Extension museum-quality exhibit at the Nebraska State Fair in 2016. The exhibit included content such as farmers’ and ranchers’ stories, food security, soil quality, and water flow via natural landscapes and irrigation. Survey results included fairgoers’ demographics and backgrounds, as well as insights into favorite exhibit features, attitudes toward agricultural and environmental issues, and exhibit experience and attitude differences between visitors with agricultural backgrounds versus non-agricultural backgrounds. Results showed respondents were predominantly Caucasian with ties to agriculture, preferred physical and electronic engagement pieces of the exhibit compared to static text panels, and expressed slight changes in attitudes about agriculture with larger shifts in attitudes about the role of science in agriculture. Recommendations include systematically developing Extension informal learning efforts and exhibits such as the one in this study by conducting needs assessments and evaluations, as well as expanding exhibit locations, access, and topics to reach more diverse demographics.
Church, Sarah P. (author), Haigh, Tonya (author), Widhalm, Melissa (author), Garcia de Jalon, Silvestre (author), Babin, Nicholas (author), Carlton, J. Stuart (author), Dunn, Michael (author), Fagan, Katie (author), Knutson, Cody L. (author), and Prokopy, Linda S. (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
unknown
Published:
Netherlands: Elsevier Science BV
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 7 Document Number: D10262
16 pages., Via online journal., The Midwestern United States experienced a devastating drought in 2012, leading to reduced corn and soybean yields and increased instances of pests and disease. Climate change induced weather variability and extremes are expected to increase in the future, and have and will continue to impact the agricultural sector. This study investigated how agricultural trade publications portrayed the 2012 U.S. Midwestern drought, whether climate change was associated with drought, and whether these publications laid out transformative adaptation measures farmers could undertake in order to increase their adaptive capacity for future climate uncertainty. We performed a content analysis of 1000 media reports between April 1, 2012 and March 31, 2014, sampled from ten agricultural trade publications. The results lead us to suggest that trade publications’ 2012 U.S. Midwestern drought discussion lacked information that would allow farmers and agricultural advisors to assess climate change risk and subsequent potential adaptive management strategies. Agricultural risk from climate change is very real, and farmers will need to adapt. The agricultural trade publications studied missed an opportunity to convey risk from climate change and the transformative adaptation practices necessary for a sustainable and resilient agricultural system.
14 pages., Via online journal., Green technology is the means of improving towards the rising environmental concern. The implication of green fertilizer technology (GFT) is the need for the modern development of environmentally friendly technology, also to increase the production level among all the agriculture crops. It is especially needed for paddy production, as it has always been considered as an important commodity because it is the main staple food for the nation. Paddy production in Malaysia using GFT allows for sustainable development and boosts the yield. Nevertheless, the adoption rate of GFT is unsatisfactory in most of the developing countries, including in Malaysia. The fact that the cost of production is considerably higher results in low-level perception regarding the adoption of GFT. Hence, the integration of communication and technology factors could become one of the main elements for the further development of the paddy sector in Malaysia. The overall objective of this research study will identify the factors that determine paddy farmer's adoption decision on GFT in Malaysia. To do so, a literature review was compiled on the topic of agriculture innovation-based adoption decision theories such as Diffusion of innovation (DOI), Theory of reasoned action (TRA), Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Technology acceptance model (TAM) and communication channels to study paddy farmers' adoption decision of GFT. The results of the review revealed that this framework highlights adoption as an intricate behavior, interweaving aspects such as communication channels, socio-psychological and innovation attribute considerations. The conceptual framework illuminates the decision towards adoption as a self-motivated process, assumes a composite interaction among groups of variables coming from two different theories. The combination of DOI, TRA, TPB, TAM and communication channels overcome some limitations that arise when the only theory is used to examine the adoption decision among paddy farmers in Malaysia. Correspondingly, there has been limited empirical research done on the decision of adoption toward GFT use among paddy farmers in Malaysia.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 8 Document Number: D10313
Notes:
2 pages., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign., Researchers report consumer research indicating that the "future of U. S. citrus may hinge on consumer acceptance of genetically modified food."
11 pages., Via online journal article., As climate change is expected to significantly affect agricultural systems globally, agricultural farm advisors have been increasingly recognized as an important resource in helping farmers address these challenges. While there have been many studies exploring the climate change belief and risk perceptions as well as behaviors of both farmers and agricultural farm advisors, there are very few studies that have explored how these perceptions relate to actual climate impacts in agriculture. Here we couple survey data from United States Department of Agriculture farm service employees (n = 6, 514) with historical crop loss data across the United States to explore the relationship of actual climate-related crop losses on farm to farm advisor perceptions of climate change and future farmer needs. Using structural equation modelling we find that among farm advisors that work directly with farms on disaster and crop loss issues, there is a significant positive relationship between crop loss and perceived weather variability changes, while across all farm advisors crop loss is associated with reduced likelihood to believe in anthropogenic climate change. Further, we find that weather variability perceptions are the most consistently and highly correlated with farm advisors' perceptions about the need for farm adaptation and future farmer needs. These results suggest that seeing crop loss may not lead to climate change belief, but may drive weather variability perceptions, which in turn affect farm adaptation perceptions. This lends further evidence to the debate over terminology in climate change communication and outreach, suggesting that weather variability may be the most salient among agricultural advisors.
10 pages., Via online journal., Forest ownership is changing in Europe. Reasons include recent institutional changes in Eastern Europe, changing lifestyles of non-agricultural owners and afforestation. At present, there is little comparative analysis across Europe, and the implications that these changes have for forest management and for the fulfilment and redefinition of policy objectives have not been addressed systematically. This paper has been developed in the framework of a European research network on forest ownership change, based on conceptual work, literature reviews and empirical evidence from 28 European countries. It aims to provide an overview of the state of knowledge, to discuss relevant issues and provide conceptual and practical foundations for future research, forest management approaches, and policy making. In particular, it discusses possible approaches for classifying forest ownership types and understandings of “new” forest ownership. One important insight is that the division into public and private forests is not as clear as often assumed and that an additional category of semi-public (or semi-private) forms of forest ownership would be desirable. Another recommendation is that the concepts of “new forest owners” vs. “new forest owner types” should be differentiated more consciously. We observe that, in research and policy practice, the mutual relations between forest ownership structure and policies are often neglected, for instance, how policies may directly and indirectly influence ownership development, and what different ownership categories mean for the fulfilment of policy goals. Finally, we propose that better support should be provided for the development of new, adapted forest management approaches for emerging forest owner types. Forest ownership deserves greater attention in studies dealing with forest policy or forest management.
12 pages., Article 452, Via online journal., Storytelling is a mode of communication in human interaction and is pervasive in everyday life. Storytelling in marketing is also a managerial application as a marketing strategy. Researchers of consumer psychology and marketing have devoted great efforts to developing theories and conducting empirical studies on this approach. However, in addition to narrative theories, many researchers are mainly concerned about the effect of telling a good brand story and its applications, such as advertising design and presentation. However, for those products that usually lacks branding, such as agricultural products, knowledge remains scarce about the relative impact of storytelling in marketing. Few researchers have explicitly developed a valid tool for measuring the effect of storytelling in marketing. To aid storytelling research in consumer psychology, this article conceptualized a construct of the effectiveness of storytelling in agricultural marketing and developed a measure with further validation. This scale consisted of 13 items with four subscales: narrative processing, affect, brand attitude, and purchase intention. The findings of this study supported a structural model with strong order among the four dimensions and good model fit. A discussion of the results and the theoretical and practical implications for consumer psychology and marketing practice are also addressed.
7 pages., Article # 2RIB2, Via online journal., To assess small rural retailers' use of social media and the role of social media in their business sustainability, we conducted focus group interviews with small business owners/managers from rural communities in a midwestern state. Participants revealed strong interest in social media, especially for use in sales and marketing. However, their engagement in social media was limited due to lack of knowledge and resources (i.e., time, human resources, financial resources, effectiveness measurement) related to developing and updating content. On the basis of these findings, we examine implications for Extension professionals and outreach educators regarding social media needs and programming for small rural businesses.
4 pages., Via online journal., ACE President Elizabeth Gregory North comments on JAC as evidence of the strong research tradition that is alive and well in ACE.
Rumble, Joy N. (author), Rogers-Randolph, Tiffany M. (author), Buck, Emily B. (author), and The Ohio State University
University of Florida
Association for Communication Excellence
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2019
Published:
United States: New Prairie Press
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 15 Document Number: D10429
16 pages., Via online journal., The livestock industry has repeatedly struggled to effectively communicate livestock care and handling practices in order to promote awareness and acceptance. Many consumers still hold on to the historically picturesque view of production agriculture instead of the modern reality. It is necessary for the industry to identify how much is too much to tell or show consumers. Therefore, this study sought to understand the influence of two communication treatments on attitudes toward livestock care and use. Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) served as the theoretical framework for this study. A sample of 1,049 respondents was obtained through non-probability sampling. To fulfill the purpose of this study, the development of an online survey was informed by ELM and measured prior beliefs, personal involvement, and knowledge. An experimental treatment, consistent with persuasive communication within ELM, presented respondents with one of two images of cage-free egg laying housing and accompanying text. One image could be described as “historically picturesque” and the other as “modern reality.” Attitude toward livestock care and use was measured after exposure to one of the images. Respondents held favorable prior beliefs, demonstrated neutral involvement, and answered three or less knowledge questions correctly. Respondents exposed to the modern reality treatment displayed slightly lower attitudes than those exposed to the historically picturesque treatment. The results indicated that both prior beliefs and image exposure had a significant impact on attitude, while personal involvement was not found to be significant.
Gallardo, Karina R. (author), Grant, Kara (author), Brown, David J. (author), McFerson, James R. (author), Lewis, Karen M. (author), Einhorn, Todd (author), Sazo, Mario Miranda (author), and Washington State University
Michigan State University
Cornell Cooperative Extension
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2019-02-28
Published:
United States: American Society for Horticultural Science
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 15 Document Number: D10435
12 pages., Via online journal., Advances in precision agriculture technologies provide opportunities to improve the efficiency of agricultural production systems, especially for high-value specialty crops such as fresh apples (Malus domestica). We distributed an online survey to apple growers in Washington, New York, and Michigan to elicit stakeholder perceptions of precision agriculture technologies. Findings from this study demonstrated that growers are willing to adopt precision agriculture technologies when they receive results from applied research projects and are engaged with active extension programs. The availability of customized services and purchasing and rental options may minimize the effects of the economies of size that create barriers to adopting increasing access to technologies. Finally, respondents deemed collaborative efforts between industry and academic institutions crucial for adapting the innovation to better address the needs of growers.
10 pages., Via online journal., A survey of Connecticut consumers was used to investigate perceptions of various green industry retailers. Consumer perceptions of independent garden centers (IGC), home improvement centers (HIC), and mass merchandisers (MM) business practices and their perceived value were assessed. Analysis of variance and ordinary least squares regression models were used to analyze the data. Results indicated that customer service, knowledgeable staff, and high-quality plants are important factors when consumers are deciding where to shop. IGCs were ranked highest in perceived customer service, knowledgeable staff, and plant quality, followed by HICs. MMs were ranked lowest for the majority of measured business practices, with the most notable exception being price. Additionally, IGCs, HICs, and MMs are perceived differently across age cohorts.
18 pages., via online journal., Genetically modified (GM) foods have attracted a great deal of controversy. While some consumers and organizations regard GM foods as safe, many other consumers and organizations remain concerned about their potential health risks. The results of three studies suggest that consumers respond differently to persuasive messages regarding GM foods on the basis of their preexisting attitudes. Weak anti-GM consumers tend to comply with a variety of pro-GM messages. In contrast, strong anti-GM consumers exhibit message-opposing behavior. Moreover, they respond just as negatively to a safety message (claiming that GM foods are safe) as to a risk message (claiming that GM foods are unsafe). The mechanism underlying these effects is consumers’ perceived health risk. A benefit message claiming that GM foods are beneficial (e.g., more nutritious than their conventional counterparts) is a better alternative for strong anti-GM consumers. Finally, the results suggest that persuasive messages do not significantly change pro-GM consumers’ evaluations of these foods.
19 pages., via online journal., The rapidly increasing rate of biodiversity and habitat loss across the globe can be largely attributed to human behaviors. Conservation practitioners have struggled to influence behaviors through traditional awareness-raising efforts and been slow to adopt techniques from the behavioral sciences such as social marketing to change behaviors and improve conservation outcomes. We conducted a meta-analysis of 84 social marketing campaigns that applied the same theory of change for human behavior to disrupt patterns of destructive activities such as illegal hunting and overfishing. Questionnaires of more than 20,000 individuals across 18 countries measured changes in behavioral variables pre- and post-campaigns, including knowledge, attitudes, interpersonal communication, behavior intention, and behavior. For each campaign, we extracted data and validated data for behavioral variables, estimated mean effect sizes for each variable across all campaigns, and used path analysis to measure relationships among variables included in seven different models. On average, all behavioral variables increased significantly (p < .001) from 16.1 to 25.0 percentage points following social marketing campaigns. The full model used a combination of all variables and had the highest explained variation in behavior change (71%). Our results highlight the importance of (a) incorporating behavioral theory and social marketing into traditional conservation programs to address threats to biodiversity across the globe; (b) designing interventions that leverage a combination of community knowledge, attitudes, and communication about a behavior; and (c) facilitating more opportunities for interpersonal communication as a main driver of behavior change. We conclude with potential applications for practitioners interested in behavior change campaigns.
11 pages., via online journal., Dependence of rural population on traditional fuel sources namely biomass has increased because of easy accessibility and affordability. The use of biomass fuels results in many environmental and health-related hazards. Rural households have little awareness about the ill effects of using biomass energy sources. This study investigated the patterns of rural household energy use and identified the role of information on the effects of biomasses on human health, in addition to other factors influencing households’ choices of energy sources. For this purpose, primary data from 196 households were collected from four districts of the Punjab province in Pakistan. Results showed that use of clean energy sources was limited to basic appliances and 90% of the respondents depended on biomass fuels. Estimates of the multivariate probit model showed that awareness about adverse impacts of biomass fuels as energy sources were significantly related with the choice of energy sources. Further, household head’s education level, household income, landholding, children under the age of 5 years and higher number of adult females were significantly related with the cleaner energy source choices. Distance to market increased the probability of the use of biomass energy sources. The study concluded that awareness campaigns regarding the benefits of using clean energy sources should be launched through print and electronic media while targeting rural women.
25 pages., via online journal, Rural internet use, although still limited, is growing, raising the question of how rural people are using social media politically. As a vehicle of communication that permits the rapid transmission of information, images and text across space and connections between dispersed networks of individuals, does technological advance in rural areas presage significant political transformations? This article investigates this question in the light of a poor result for the Cambodian People’s Party in the 2013 elections, and the subsequent banning of the main opposition party, before the 2018 elections. Expanding internet use in rural areas has linked relatively quiescent rural Cambodians for the first time to networks of information about militant urban movements of the poor. Rural Cambodians are responding to this opportunity through strategies of quiet encroachment in cyberspace. This has had real effects on the nature of the relationship between the dominant party and the rural population and suggests the declining utility of the election-winning strategy used by the party since 1993. However, the extent of this virtual information revolution is limited, since neither the urban nor rural poor are mapping out new online political strategies, agendas or identities that can push Cambodia’s sclerotic politics in new directions.
18 pages., via online journal., Findings in rural communities prompt authors to recommend a customized policy framework that is responsive to the diversity and uniqueness of local contexts in connectivity and digital inclusion.
USA: International Food Information Council Foundation, Washington, D.C.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 30 Document Number: D10555
Notes:
3 pages., via website, International Food Information Council Foundation., Topics like sustainability, plant-based diets and clean eating seem to permeate news about food, but it turns out they’re not just buzzwords or “flavors of the week.” IFIC Foundation’s 2019 Food and Health Survey shows genuine and growing interest in these and other trends.
USA: The Center for Good Integrity. Gladstone, Missouri.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 30 Document Number: D10561
Notes:
3 pages., Online from the Center for Food Integrity, Gladstone, Missouri., Features research results indicating that public conversation about the environment is growing and so is the scrutiny applied to consumption of natural resources. Information source urges producers to engage more actively.
Ben-Othmen, Marie Asma (author) and Ostapchuk, Mariia (author)
Format:
Paper
Publication Date:
2019-05
Published:
France
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 32 Document Number: D10583
Notes:
16 pages., Paper presented at the 172nd European Association of Agricultural Economists Seminar,"Agricultural policy for the environment or environmental policy for agriculture?" Brussels, Belgium, May 28-29, 2019., via database., Results of this study indicate that environmental consideration is not the key factor behind farmers' preference involving land restoration programs. The financial component remains the main incentive.
Rose, Kathleen M. (author), Howell, Emily L. (author), Su, Leona Yi-Fan (author), Xenos, Michael A. (author), Brossard, Dominique (author), and Scheufele, Dietram A. (author)
Format:
Online journal article
Publication Date:
2019
Published:
SAGE Journals
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 32 Document Number: D10600
19 pages., via online journal., The impact of knowledge on public attitudes toward scientific issues remains unclear, due in part to ill-defined differences in how research designs conceptualize knowledge. Using genetically modified foods as a framework, we explore the impacts of perceived familiarity and factual knowledge, and the moderating roles of media attention and a food-specific attitudinal variable (food consciousness), in shaping these relationships. Based on the differential effects on “negative attitudes” toward genetically modified foods, we provide further evidence that the measures of knowledge are separate concepts and argue against a one-dimensional view of scientific knowledge. We discuss implications for understanding the relationship between knowledge and science attitudes.
12 pages., Article #:3FEA1, via online journal., The Journal of Extension serves as a conduit for the dissemination of current research and practices within Extension and 4-H. We conducted a review of Journal of Extension articles published since passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Our purpose was to determine what practices, programs, and studies have occurred regarding inclusion in 4-H of youths with disabilities or special health care needs. The review resulted in detailed examination of 16 articles and revealed information about Extension professionals' attitudes toward inclusion, strategies and program approaches related to inclusion, and specific areas that need to be addressed further to increase inclusion.
16 pages., Article #:3RIB3, via online journal., Research on the family mealtime has shown its importance for youths' dietary attitudes and behaviors. Youths who have more frequent family meals often have more healthful dietary behaviors. However, little is known about the context and processes related to how family mealtimes affect youths' dietary behaviors. To address this gap, we examined the context of family mealtimes and parent socialization that occurs during family meals through mealtime observations and interviews. Family mealtimes are valued by parents, and our findings can be useful to Extension professionals in educating parents and families regarding shaping of family mealtimes, feeding strategies, and nutrition.
15 pages., via online journal., The study analyzed 108 films released during the transformation agenda period. The proportion, frequency, centrality and framing of agricultural content in the movies were reviewed. Data obtained were described using frequency counts and percentages. One out of three movies screened had agricultural content, which was either one or two scenes in the movie (80.0%). Such content was mostly peripheral (89.0%) to the themes of the films and negatively framed (60.0%). Potentials of the industry for agricultural purposes were poorly utilized by government. Government should partner with Nollywood to portray agriculture in a positive light for improved citizens’ attitude toward agriculture.
14 pages., via online journal., In public health, politics, and advertising, interactive content spurred increased elaboration from audiences that were otherwise least likely to engage with a message. This study sought to examine interactivity as an agricultural communication strategy through the lens of the Elaboration Likelihood Model. Respondents were randomly assigned a static or interactive data visualization concerning the production of peaches and blueberries in Georgia, then asked to list their thoughts in accordance with Petty and Cacioppo’s thought-listing measure. Respondents significantly exhibited higher elaboration with the interactive message as opposed to the static, extending the results of past research in other communication realms to agricultural communication as well. This increase in attitude and cognition encourages agricultural communicators to pursue the use of more interactive elements in their messaging.
15 pages., via online journal., This paper presents selected highlights from the ‘Engaging with society’ session of EFSA's third Scientific Conference ‘Science, Food and Society’ (Parma, Italy, 18–21 September 2018). The social dimension for scientific advisory bodies largely concerns science communication and public engagement. The political, economic and technological transformation of contemporary societies is challenging conventional structures and approaches in these areas. The disintermediation of communication and the proliferation of misinformation, it is argued, herald the onset of the post‐truth society. A better understanding of the way individuals consume information today has led to the development of tools to guide mediators such as journalists and communication specialists in countering these trends. Public engagement can reinforce confidence in regulatory bodies and potentially contribute to the quality of the scientific process. Scientific advisory bodies in Europe have created strategies and mechanisms to engage the public that are designed to increase transparency and representativeness. To be effective, several engagement mechanisms are needed, although factors such as resource constraints, institutional culture and public/stakeholder attitudes may limit their development. In conclusion, a more vigorous role for social research is needed to place scientific risk assessment within broader socio‐economic and political contexts. Social science expertise can help to define more impactful public information strategies and to explore the potential opportunities that engaged stakeholders and citizens can make to sustain and strengthen regulatory science.
24 pages., via online journal., The present study investigated the effects of communication styles, source expertise, and audiences’ preexisting attitudes in the contexts of the debate regarding genetically modified organisms. A between-subject experiment (N = 416) was conducted manipulating communication styles (aggressive vs. polite) and the expertise of the communicator (scientist vs. nonscientist) in blog articles. The results showed significant effects of communicator expertise and individuals’ preexisting attitudes on writer likability and message quality, depending on the communication style used. Expectancy violation was found as a significant mediator that explains the differences. These findings provided a plausible explanation for the way in which communication styles work in science communication contexts and offered practical implications for science communicators to communicate more strategically.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 83 Document Number: D10838
Notes:
Online from the Center for Food Integrity, Gladstone, Missouri. 2 pages., "New research shows a significant and growing group of health-conscious consumers is confused by the mixed messages they're receiving about the 'real deal' and the substitutes entering the market."
Van Loo, Ellen J. (author / Wageningen University), Caputo, Vincenzina (author / Michigan State University), and Lusk, Jayson L. (author / Purdue University)
Format:
Research report
Publication Date:
2019
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 85 Document Number: D10851
Via live link within an online article, "Consumers prefer real beef over other alternatives" by Greg Henderson. 37 pages., Results of a nationwide survey of more than 1,800 consumers who completed a choice experiment in which they selected among conventional beef and three alternative meat products at different prices. "Overall, this study shows most consumers strongly prefer conventional beef to the alternatives."
First published May 7, 2019. In press., We analyzed comedy series for food and beverage references, with particular attention to their type of presentation, along with the characteristics of actors associated with the references. Because the generally positive tone of comedy series can exert affective influence over audiences, the result that clearly unhealthy products appeared more often (food: 51.6%; beverage: 40.5%) than clearly healthy ones (food: 11.2%; beverage: 19.6%) could be especially problematic. Moreover, women (56.5%; men: 47.4%) and African American characters (62.7%; Caucasians: 51.5%; Other: 44.7%) were significantly more often associated with unhealthy foods, which could prompt stereotypes of such individuals.
Landini, Fernando (author), Beramendi, Maite (author), and University of La Cuenca del Plata
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)
School of Psychology, University of Buenos Aires
Format:
Online journal article
Publication Date:
2019-07-24
Published:
Argentina: Taylor and Francis
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 101 Document Number: D10880
18 pages, online journal article, Purpose
This article aims at designing and validating a psychometric scale to assess extensionists’ and advisors’ beliefs about extension and innovation.
Design/Methodology/approach
The scale was developed by drawing upon results from a previous empirical research as well as insights from a literature review on extension and innovation approaches. The theoretical framework used to write the items was validated by 12 international experts from 11 countries. 608 Argentine extension workers completed the questionnaire. Replies were analysed using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis.
Findings
The scale has a good fit and satisfactory level of internal consistency. Five factors were identified: Dialogue and horizontal coordination; Transfer of technology; Blame on farmers; Participatory, farmer-led extension; and Self-critical attitude.
Practical implications
The scale has multiple and different uses, including research, theory development, institutional practice, diagnosis, and teaching.
Theoretical implications
Results show that a horizontal, facilitative extension approach shares a common epistemology, as well as underlying values and assumptions, with territorial development and with an innovation systems perspective, and that both contrast with a traditional transfer of technology approach. Nonetheless, practitioners would not tend to see these two contrasting perspectives as contradictory but as complementary.
Originality/Value
The scale is the first validated psychometric instrument, based on an ample theoretical framework, that allows for a quantitative assessment of beliefs about extension and innovation.
17 pages., via online journal., Members’ offline engagement is commonly believed to affect the producer–member relationship in community‐supported agriculture, however, little research focuses on engagement in the online context. Using qualitative data of 24 members and quantitative data of 279 members from China, this study uses a sequential exploratory mixed‐method design to explore the impact of members’ WeChat engagement on relational outcomes. The findings indicate that WeChat engagement positively affects four relational outcomes: Service satisfaction, word of mouth, social bonds, and commitment. In addition, those four relational outcomes are not equally influenced by WeChat engagement. The greatest impact is on commitment, while the lowest is on service satisfaction. Furthermore, multigroup analysis results suggest that gender moderates the relationship between WeChat engagement and commitment.
Goldberg, Matthew H. (author), Van der Linden, Sander (author), Ballew, Matthew T. (author), Rosenthal, Seth A. (author), Gustafson, Abel (author), Leiserowitz, Anthony (author), and Yale University
University of Cambridge
Format:
Online journal article
Publication Date:
2019-10-01
Published:
United States: SAGE Journals
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 121 Document Number: D11064
14 pages, via online journal, Research on the gateway belief model indicates that communicating the scientific consensus on global warming acts as a “gateway” to other beliefs and support for action. We test whether a video conveying the scientific consensus on global warming is more effective than a text transcript with the same information. Results show that the video was significantly more effective than the transcript in increasing people’s perception of scientific agreement. Structural equation models indicate indirect increases in the beliefs that global warming is happening and is human-caused, and in worry about global warming, which in turn predict increased global warming issue priority.
27 pages, via online journal, This study explored whether satire (an emotional blend of humor/indignation) can minimize the emotional tradeoffs researchers have documented for humorous appeals about climate change. Using a sample of U.S. young adults, we conducted a 2 (humor: present/absent) × 2 (indignation: present/absent) + 1 (control) experiment in which we manipulated a climate change segment from Jimmy Kimmel Live! Our evidence suggests that it is possible for a late-night host to affect young adults’ climate change risk perception and behavioral intentions under certain conditions. Moderation analyses indicated that avoiding humor helped close the partisan gap in risk perception between Republicans and Democrats.
Available online at www.centmapress.org, Results showed that depending on expressed meta-values, respondents had different specific information sources and needs. Online sources were rarely mentioned, the majority of consumers referred to brochures, flyers and interpersonal contacts.
Available online at www.centmapress.org, Bio-economy describes an economy based on renewable instead of fossil resources. Findings identified three perspectives: "sufficiency and close affinity to nature," technological progress" and "Not at any price."
Available online at www.centmapress.org, Using two different ranking procedures, main points of criticism as well as sideshows could be identified for fattening pigs, dairy cattle production, and laying hens
Available online at www.centmapress.org, Findings of a word association task revealed that most participants associated cows, rural areas, and traditional production systems with the cue dairy farms. While purchasing their products, they paid the most attention to attributes such as health and hygiene, indicating that they pay the most attention to product quality and not production quality. Yet more than half indicated that modern production systems contradict their norms and values. Authors concluded that the current modernization efforts in Colombia do not fit to the specific culture of the country.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 121 Document Number: D11097
Notes:
Online from ACES News, University of Illinois. 2 pages., Findings of a survey among farmers in Wisconsin suggested that respondents were open to receiving agricultural health and safety information from any source. Preferred methods of delivery: magazines and newspapers, face-to-face communication. Least preferred: social media, the internet and phone support lines.
Via online. 5 pages., "Industry in a frenzy, trying to decode the sludge of public opinion while still getting used to the idea this is something to take seriously."
2 pages., Summary of results from a survey among British citizens inviting attitudes toward food and farming. First such research effort by the British Guild of Agricultural Journalists.
USA: Center for Food Integrity, Gladstone, Missouri.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 123 Document Number: D11183
Notes:
Via online release. 1 page., Findings of a digital ethnography report indicate that while the climate change debate is expected to grow 3.6 percent in the next two years, the conversation on causes is expected to grow 260 percent and solutions 202 percent.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 123 Document Number: D11184
Notes:
Online via AgriMarketing Weekly. 2 pages., "A new poll reports awareness and interest in technology-driven foods but reveals the need for transparency and education to remove fears and potentially drive adoption."
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 130 Document Number: D11291
Notes:
3 pages., Online from the Center for Food Integrity, Gladstone, Missouri, USA., Summary of findings from a new study focused on "The 25 most trusted brands in America" from Morning Consult. Results showed reductions in food-related food marketers in the list, among older to younger consumer segments.
USA: National Cattlemen's Beef Association, Centennial, CO
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 130 Document Number: D11293
Notes:
21 pages., Online via AgriMarketing.com., Announcement of results of an online survey among more than 1,800 U.S. consumers during late 2019. Findings suggested "widespread consumer confusion regarding the ingredient composition and purported benefits of plant-based fake meat products." More than half did not realize that plant-based products being marketed as "burgers" have no real meat." The PowerPoint presentation and accompanying news release provide statics on responses to specific questions.
Online from AgEconSearch., Authors examined farmers' reluctance to participate and adopt insurance involving climate, crops, and rainfall. They also recommended needed information for farmers about the purpose of such insurance, as well as financial support.
Online via https://newprairiepress.org/jac, Authors identified five labels related to animal welfare that are frequently found on food packages in USA grocery stores Results of a controlled online experiment among consumers showed that while most consumers lacked knowledge regarding meaning of the labels and certification standards, they relied on the labels with simplistic terms as heuristic cues to judge the ethical treatment of hens on the farm. The selected labels did not lead consumers to pay a higher premium for the labeled products.
7 pages., Online via Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). 7 pages., The aim of this study was to determine the mediating role of psychological dependence between social networking sites addiction and attitude towards social networking advertising among a sample of rural students in South Africa. Findings indicated that "perceived ease of use positively supports psychological dependence." Authors interpreted the findings in terms of opportunities for establishing marketing relationships.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 133 Document Number: D11393
Notes:
15 pages., Online research report., Reports findings of a survey of 3,627 U.S. adults, October 1-13, 2019. Democrats mostly agreed the federal government should do more on climate, while Republicans differed by ideology, age and gender
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 133 Document Number: D11394
Notes:
9 pages., Via online., "For the first time, environmental protection rivals the economy among the public's top policy priorities" (for the president and Congress). Findings of a national survey among U.S. adults conducted January 8-13, 2020.
Leiserowitz, A. (author), Maibach, E. (author), Rosenthal, S. (author), Kotcher, J. (author), Bergquist, P. (author), Ballew, M. (author), Goldberg, M. (author), and Gustafson, A. (author)
Format:
Research summary
Publication Date:
2019
Published:
USA: Yale Program on Climate Change Communication at Yale University and Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason University.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 136 Document Number: D11420
Notes:
71 pages., Via Yale Program on Climate Change website., This report is based on findings from a nationally representative survey, March 29-April 8, 2019, among 1,291 U.S. adults. Findings provided detailed insights about current attitudes toward existence of global warming, causes of it, effects of it, level of concern, interactions and sources of information about it, and other aspects.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 136 Document Number: D11432
Notes:
2 pages., Online from AgriMarketing Weekly. News release of March 16, 2020., Brief summary of results of a consumer research study measuring market potential for gene-edited food and agriculture products. Research was sponsored by the FMI Foundation, American Seed Trade Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, and Farm Foundation.
USA: Center for Food Integrity, Gladstone, Missouri.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 136 Document Number: D11433
Notes:
3 pages., Online from publisher., Report from the Consumer Trust Insights Council indicates that beyond shoppers' emphasis on supplies of canned and frozen supplies of food during this global disease outbreak, "there's something else folks are buying during their supply runs - guilty pleasures." Those take the form of treats like chocolate, cookies and beverages, "...little indulgences to bring them joy during anxious times."
6 pages., via online journal., Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is commonly applied to analyse contributions of determinant variables on the adoption of communications technology. However, identifying external variables that affect technology adoption need to explore. This research is aimed to identify the role of education variable in the technology adoption. The study was conducted by survey design. One hundred respondents were determined by judgmental sampling method with criterion that respondents are owners or manager of small medium enterprises that use livestock-based product such as meat, eggs and milk in Bantul Regency, Special Province of Yogyakarta. The research showed that Perceived Ease of Use affected Perceived Usefulness (p≤0.001), and both of those variables were critical factors for Attitude Toward Social Media Use (p≤0.001). The study revealed that Intention to Adopt Social Media is affected by Attitude Toward Social Media Use and Perceived Usefulness (p≤0.001). Then, the test found that education moderates relationships between Attitude Toward Social Media Use and more influential users on those with lower education backgrounds (p≤0.05). Even so, education did not moderate relationships between Perceived Usefulness and Intention to Adopt Social Media. In short, the proposed model was able slightly higher in explaining compare to the original TAM.
29 pages., Findings of a survey among consumers indicated that consumers recognize different kinds of functional foods, are willing to pay a premium for their purchase, and perceive possible health value. However, they appeared anxious about the health benefits these foods communicate in their labels.
1 page., Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of International Communication Association. Special issue article., Authors meta-analyzed 57 studies, conducted in 13 countries with a cumulative N of 42,854. Findings suggested that while pictorial warnings increased affective and some cognitive risk appraisals, they did not increase beliefs about disease risk.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 153 Document Number: D11607
Notes:
21 pages., Online from Think Shift Communications, San Francisco, California, via AgriMarketing Weekly., "While the industry hs never been a stranger to change, it seems increasingly certain that we are currently in the greatest state of evolution - maybe even revolution - that ag has ever faced."
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 157 Document Number: D11640
Notes:
4 pages., Online from G&S Business Communications, New York City, New York. 4 pages., "A new consumer intelligence survey fielded by G&S Communications found Americans are changing their consumption behaviors and their perceptions of the food supply chain as a direct result of the coronavirus. From food safety and quality to availability and affordability, people are beginning to think differently about where their food comes from and the significance of the nation's farming infrastructure."
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 163 Document Number: D11646
Notes:
8 pages., Results of Gallup World Poll 2019. Online from publisher., "On the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Gallup offers a snapshot of how satisfied people in 145 countries and areas around the world were in 2019 with their efforts to preserve the environment and with the quality of their air and water."
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 163 Document Number: D11648
Notes:
15 pages., Paper presented at the 2018 conference of the International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE), July 28-August 2, 2018, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada., Author develops a theoretical model that helps provide a better understanding of the effect of hostile marketing and advertisement strategies on competition involving meat. Findings suggest that negatively influencing consumers' perceptions of rivals' products may be a more effective marketing tool than the "beggar-thy-neighbor" advertising where one firm steals some market share from the rivals by means of positive promotion of its own product.
9 pages., Financial challenges facing the public extension system in Trinidad prompted researchers to assess the attitude of vegetable farmers about paying for extension services. Findings of a survey among farmers indicated there is an opportunity to introduce payment.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 166 Document Number: D11675
Notes:
2 pages., Online via AgriMarketing Weekly., Summary of research by The Sustainability Consortium of Farm Journal among more than 400 U.S. farmers in more than 40 states. The survey invited their perspectives on sharing data about their production practices with downstream supply chain organizations, such as food companies and retailers. Findings suggested that growers value data collection, the environment, and conservation agriculture practices on their farmers, but hold concerns about sharing farm data.
20 pages., Via online from the University of Illinois website., Authors' review provided an overview of the data sources, computational methods, and applications of text data in the food industry. Applications of text data analysis were illustrated with respect to food safety and food fraud surveillance, dietary pattern characterization, consumer-opinion mining, new-product development, food knowledge discovery, food supply-chain management, and online food systems.
Arnot, Charlie (author / Center for Food Integrity)
Format:
Commentary
Publication Date:
2020
Published:
International: Center for Food Integrity, Gladstone, Missouri.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 201 Document Number: D11706
Notes:
4 pages., Online from publisher website., Perspectives about how consumers will perceive technology in food and agriculture going forward. "...will they view innovation as positive and something they should embrace and support? Or, will innovation be perceived as another looming threat that should be avoided at all costs? The answer to those questions rests with those who bring the technology to market."
Markenson, Steve (author / Food Marketing Institute)
Format:
Research summary
Publication Date:
2020-04-17
Published:
USA: Food Marketing Institute, Arlington, Virginia.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 201 Document Number: D11747
Notes:
Online from Institute website. 2 pages., Summary of efforts to track how shoppers are finding new ways of grocery shopping during the coronavirus. Compared with other grocery shoppers, Latinx and Black shoppers are more likely to report a disruption in their household as a result of the pandemic. They are adjusting where they shop (fewer, different stores), shopping more online, spending more money per trip, and changing the range of products for which they shop.
Markenson, Steve (author / Food Marketing Institute)
Format:
Research summary
Publication Date:
2020-04-24
Published:
USA: Food Marketing Institute, Arlington, Virginia.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 201 Document Number: D11748
Notes:
Online from Institute website. 2 pages., Summarizes findings of the FMI COVID-19 weekly tracking surveys among U.S. consumers during this early stage of the pandemic.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 201 Document Number: D11754
Notes:
Online from AgriMarketing Weekly. 3 pages, Highlights from a national survey representing all age groups of U.S. consumers. Nearly one-half said they were concerned or extremely concerned about the safety and reliability of the food chain as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.