22 pages, While climate change threatens global food security, health, and nutrition outcomes, Africa is more vulnerable because its economies largely depend on rain-fed agriculture. Thus, there is need for agricultural producers in Africa to employ robust adaptive measures that withstand the risks of climate change. However, the success of adaptation measures to climate change primarily depends on the communities’ knowledge or awareness of climate change and its risks. Nonetheless, existing empirical research is still limited to illuminate farmers’ awareness of the climate change problem. This study employs a Bayesian hierarchical logistic model, estimated using Hamiltonian Monte Carlo (HMC) methods, to empirically determine drivers of smallholder farmers’ awareness of climate change and its risks to agriculture in Zambia. The results suggest that on average, 77% of farmers in Zambia are aware of climate change and its risks to agriculture. We find socio-demographics, climate change information sources, climate change adaptive factors, and climate change impact-related shocks as predictors of the expression of climate change awareness. We suggest that farmers should be given all the necessary information about climate change and its risks to agriculture. Most importantly, the drivers identified can assist policymakers to provide the effective extension and advisory services that would enhance the understanding of climate change among farmers in synergy with appropriate farm-level climate-smart agricultural practices.
6 pages, The COVID-19 pandemic has restricted traditional delivery of Extension programs. Our group of Rutgers agricultural agents responded by developing a weekly webinar series to remotely continue agricultural consultations and provide an open forum for farmers. Pandemic-related topics included farm labor, compliance with state executive orders, supply-chain disruptions, livestock processing, farmer assistance programs, and other issues. Participation from 258 farmers, agricultural agencies, and other groups resulted in effective networking and timely delivery of information to the agriculture industry. By using available online tools, we were able to efficiently deliver Extension programming and resources to agricultural producers and industry partners. Our efforts may be informative for others as needs related to the pandemic evolve.
Online from publication. 4 pages., Introduction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's proposed rule, called "Requirements for additional traceability records for certain foods." Reporter notes, "The industry has been waiting for this shoe to drop for years."
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D09318
Notes:
Online from Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, New York City, New York. 5 pages., Interview with Beverly Bell on Berta Caceres and indigenous environmental activism. Caceres was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2015 for leading an indigenous campaign that successfully pressured the world's largest dam builder to pull out of the Agua Zarca Dam.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 12 Document Number: D10405
Notes:
4 pages., Online from Australian Broadcasting Corporation website., During a severe drought, a Queensland grazier decided to share her story on a social media post that included distressing images of livestock. Unintended consequences included accusations of animal abuse and investigation by Biosecurity Queensland.
12 pages, This paper addresses consumer trust in organic food in order to find out which aspects increase and decrease trust and which trust expectations consumers have. The aim is to strengthen consumer trust on the basis of the findings and to develop trust-building measures. To this end, ten focus groups with German consumers were conducted online in February 2021 and evaluated using content analysis. The results show that there is a predominant lack of trust in organic food. This is based in particular on the fact that organic production is often doubted and there are from the consumer’s point of view too many organic labels. This can be attributed not only to a lack of knowledge on the part of consumers, but also to a lack of transparency within the organic sector and in relation to organic food. Results from the consumer's point of view show that the possibility of control, information and transparency are relevant for trust in organic food and the development of knowledge about organic food can positively influence this trust.
Online from publisher., Reports on a first bay-wide effort to protect shorelines from rising water, convening stakeholders to find common ground. Mediator hopes that giving all stakeholders a voice will ensure buy-in, even when talking to each other is optional.
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."
18 pages, Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) are known to have a wide range of negative impacts upon nearby residents and communities. Therefore, the siting of such operations in economically underdeveloped rural communities is an important environmental justice issue. This study explores the environmental conflict that surrounded a proposed CAFO in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. In this struggle, an outside corporation attempted to site a new CAFO in a community that was highly divided on the issue. We draw complementary insights from the environmental justice, stakeholder theory, and rural studies literatures to explain how the opponents of the CAFO were ultimately able to successfully resist the unwanted land use. This theoretical framework treats the formation of environmental inequalities as a process of conflict among diverse parties in which the potentially impacted communities may strongly influence the eventual outcome. Through interviews with key stakeholders and analysis of local and state media sources, we examine the primary points of contention within the local community along with the relative claims making and discursive strategies employed by each side. The findings of this study imply that how rural communities construct their identity and define potential environmental hazards are central to deciding environmental conflicts.
Rodriguez, Lulu (author) and University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences: Agricultural Communications
Illinois Public Media
Format:
Website
Publication Date:
2019-04-19
Published:
United States: Univeristy of Illinios, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 12 Document Number: D10356
