Reports on a gathering of International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) representatives with those of the network, Rede Brasil de Jornelistas Agri (Brazilian Agricultural Journalists Network) to discuss possible collaboration for professional development and information exchange.
Via online issue. 3 pages., Features the career of a farm broadcaster who "worked on the bleeding edge during the early stages of the digital transition for radio and TV."
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.
Specht, Kathrin (author), Zoll, Felix (author), Schumann, Henrike (author), Bela, Julia (author), Kachel, Julia (author), and Robischon, Marcel (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2019
Published:
International
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 99 Document Number: D10870
Via online. 27 pages., Global challenges such as climate change, increasing urbanization and a lack of transparency of food chains, have led to the development of innovative urban food production approaches, such as rooftop greenhouses, vertical farms, indoor farms, aquaponics as well as production sites for edible insects or micro-algae. Those approaches are still at an early stage of development and partly unknown among the public. The aim of our study was to identify the perception of sustainability, social acceptability and ethical aspects of these new approaches and products in urban food production. We conducted 19 qualitative expert interviews and applied qualitative content analysis. Our results revealed that major perceived benefits are educational effects, revaluation of city districts, efficient resource use, exploitation of new protein sources or strengthening of local economies. Major perceived conflicts concern negative side-effects, legal constraints or high investment costs. The extracted acceptance factors deal significantly with the “unknown”. A lack of understanding of the new approaches, uncertainty about their benefits, concerns about health risks, a lack of familiarity with the food products, and ethical doubts about animal welfare represent possible barriers. We conclude that adaptation of the unsuitable regulatory framework, which discourages investors, is an important first step to foster dissemination of the urban food production approaches.
Online via UI subscription., This study explores how South Korean newspapers reported the issue of AI (avian influenza) by employing framing, and the concepts of media advocacy and mobilizing information (MI). Results indicate that news stories were more likely to attribute blame to the government. Government, scientist/researcher, and farmer sources were most prevalent in news coverage. Mentions of tactical MI for the preventive actions increased. Overall, findings indicate the increased media advocacy efforts during repetitive outbreaks of AI.
Summarizes results of a non-farmer survey documenting how each of five stages of the agricultural and food business value chain is evolving in terms of data collection and use.
Summarizes findings of a 2019 survey among U.S. farmers regarding their daily information sources for farming, agricultural news, weather and markets. "Even as new information sources appear and some farmers partake in them, traditional farm-news sources like radio continue to show broad-based strength."
Update on fundraising and fund uses of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) Foundation for scholarships, internships and other professional development efforts.
via online journal., The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the nature of corporate positions on animal welfare available on the websites of five meat producing companies in the U.S. The results of the content analysis illustrated that there were common topics among the dialogs the companies were willing to open related to their animal welfare positions. The companies typically took a general approach to animal welfare topics, commonly focusing on their corporate policy and their commitment to animal welfare. While each company focused on a unique combination of topics, companies commonly avoided mentioning more specific and possibly controversial topics and instead chose to focus on big-picture topics such as a commitment to sound animal welfarepractices. Each company used a particular set of frames to couch individual animal welfare messages for consumers. The most common frame led was that the company is an industry leader in animal welfare. Eighteen thematic terms related to livestock production and handling emerged through the content analysis. Of those, animal handling and humane were clearly the most commonly used terms. Future research should include matching these content analysis results with the existing communication strategies of each company, conducting more content analyses on animal protein companies’ other media outlets, as well as further exploring the presence of frames, topics, and terminology in news coverage in comparison to the online messages of animal protein companies.
Summary of the 2019 Co-op IMPACT Conference in Washington, D.C. Participants included co-op developers, financiers, community and city leaders, innovators, economists, and policy makers.
10 pages., Via online resource., Many smallholder farmers in developing countries grow multiple crop species on their farms, maintaining de facto crop diversity. Rarely do agricultural development strategies consider this crop diversity as an entry point for fostering agricultural innovation. This paper presents a case study, from an agricultural research-for-development project in northern Ghana, which examines the relationship between crop diversity and self-consumption of food crops, and cash income from crops sold by smallholder farmers in the target areas. By testing the presence and direction of these relationships, it is possible to assess whether smallholder farmers may benefit more from a diversification or a specialization agricultural development strategy for improving their livelihoods. Based on a household survey of 637 randomly selected households, we calculated crop diversity as well as its contribution to self-consumption (measured as imputed monetary value) and to cash income for each household. With these data we estimated a system of three simultaneous equations. Results show that households maintained high levels of crop diversity: up to eight crops grown, with an-average of 3.2 per household, and with less than 5% having a null or very low level of crop diversity. The value of crop species used for self-consumption was on average 55% higher than that of crop sales. Regression results show that crop diversity is positively associated with self-consumption of food crops, and cash income from crops sold. This finding suggests that increasing crop diversity opens market opportunities for households, while still contributing to self-consumption. Given these findings, crop diversification seems to be more beneficial to these farmers than specialization. For these diversified farmers, or others in similar contexts, interventions that assess and build on their de facto crop diversity are probably more likely to be successful.
Via online issue. 2 pages., Describes recent experience in which a packing house fire resulted in lower fed cattle prices and higher values of choice boxed beef cutout values - resulting in frustration and anger in cattle country.
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, Results showed that the producers had seen a positive improvement in sales following acquisition of the regional food quality label, although they had not noticed greater interest in their products during campaigns to support awareness of the label.
Available online at www.centmapress.org, This study distinguished five categories of inter-organizational network relations: very strong operational, strong sustainable, moderate social, weak innovative and very weak shared resources. The studied networks were characterized by strong activity and actor ties and weak resources bonds. "Specifically, the lack of shared resources might negatively influence the networks innovation and sustainable in the future."
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, Results showed that different segments of producers had distinctive purchasing behaviors. Specifically, analytic-oriented producers tended to focus on product performance and less on the relationship with suppliers when buying their inputs. They also tended to be loyal to input brands, rely less on dealers/retailers and salespeople, and they are willing to change suppliers more often than other producers. Intuitive-oriented producers valued more the relationship with the supplier and are interested in contacting the salesperson if they need a product. Balanced-oriented producers declared to be less loyal to brands, but were more stable in terms of not changing input suppliers frequently.
Available online at www.centmapress.org, Results indicated that both corporate firms involved in a food fraud case lacked an immediate mandate to address the legitimate stakeholders' claim. "This study adds the action perspective to stakeholder salience theory, providing practical guidelines for marketers in the food sector who face wicked contexts, attempting to achieve transparency and common goals along with their stakeholders."
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.
10 pages., Smallholder farmers in Afghanistan are already facing various risks in agricultural production due to past continuous insurgencies. Climate change is likely to amplify the risk and make them even more vulnerable. The present study attempted to evaluate the vulnerability profiles of smallholder farmers due to climate change using the IPCC Framework. Primary data on relevant parameters for assessing climate change-led social vulnerability in the region were collected by classifying study region into two zones: the plain and the hills of Yangi Qala District in Takhar province, Afghanistan. Thirteen villages from each zone were selected at random, and face-to-face interviews were conducted with ten randomly selected households in each of the selected villages in both zones based on a pre-tested questionnaire. The questionnaire contained indicators for all three dimensions of vulnerability: exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. The collected data were subjected to a proposed vulnerability index, after estimating the indices of the three dimensions of vulnerability. The Iyenger and Sudershan weighting method was used to assess the contribution of each vulnerability dimension. Vulnerability was classified according to different categories based on beta distribution to evaluate the villages’ vulnerability status. The results showed that about 23% of all 26 sampled villages in both zones had low exposure, 26% moderate exposure and 51% high exposure to climate-change hazards and extreme weather events. High sensitivity was observed in 51%, moderate sensitivity in 7%, and low sensitivity in 42% of villages. High adaptive capacity to climate change was observed in 38% of villages, 19% were moderately adaptive and 42% showed a low adaptive capacity. High vulnerability was observed in 50% of villages, 4% were moderately vulnerable, and 46% had low vulnerability. A high proportion of smallholder farmers in the hilly zone in the sampled district were highly vulnerable, exposed and sensitive with a low adaptive capacity to climate change compared to the plain zone. The high vulnerability in the hilly zone was attributed to limited resources with a low adjustment capability to counter the disturbances, especially in crop cultivation, in response to climate change. A handful of low-cost and local approaches such as improving farmer extension services, introducing small-scale local infrastructure projects, reinforcing informal safety nets and protecting natural ecosystems could be viable cost-effective options that would also be sustainable given their low recurring costs and the limited maintenance required.
11 pages., Pakistan is highly vulnerable to extreme climatic events, such as floods and droughts. This study determines the farmers’ risk perception, risk attitude, adaptation measures and various aspects of vulnerability to climate change (e.g. floods, droughts, heavy rainfalls, pests and disease) at farm level in rural Pakistan. The risk perception and attitude of farm households are crucial factors that influence farm productivity, investment and management decisions at this level. A well-designed questionnaire was used to interview 720 farm households from six districts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. A binary logit model was used to determine the main factors that affect the choice of adaptation strategies of the farm household. The findings revealed that crop diversification, changing crop varieties, altering the crop calendar, varying the fertilizer used, mulching and farm insurance were the main adaptation strategies followed by farm households. The results of the binary logit model revealed that age, education, farm size, household size, credit accessibility, annual income and the perception on the increase in temperature and decrease in rainfall had significant influence on the selection of the adaption strategies. The findings of this study can provide guidance, policy recommendations and reference for future researchers.
12 pages., Digitalization is a key enabler of sustainable development of cities’ socio-economic dynamics with the potential to foster climate-friendly urban environments and societies. The advent of the 4th industrial revolution has seen the increased application of digitalization in several fields and at different levels. High-tech digital devices, platforms and environments are increasingly being deployed to enhance productivity, efficiency and sustainability, and improve overall well-being of urban dwellers. Digitalization is projected to further impact cities in future, transform jobs and trigger life-style changes with far-reaching impacts that will ultimately affect cities’ resilience and adaptation capacities. While a growing body of research has highlighted the significance of digitalization to climate change mitigation such as reducing GHG and CO2 emissions, comprehensive evaluations of the potentials of digitalization as an enabler of climate change adaptation remain scarce. This paper addresses this gap by analysing the current trend in digital revolution in relation to climate change adaptation and examines the likely challenges of digitalization. A desk research method was adopted, focusing on core digitalization concepts driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0). Nine case studies in cities across various continents were selected to assess the potentials of digitalization in addressing climatic hazards and to highlight benefits from implementing digitalization, while considering the social-ecological-technological challenges and tensions around IR 4.0. Our findings reveal the capabilities of digitalization in supporting more effective early warning and emergency response systems, enhancing food and water security, improving power infrastructure performance, enabling citizen engagement and participatory adaptation measures and minimizing the impacts of climatic hazards. Finally, we recommend feasible pathways to overcome present risks and challenges in order to optimize the numerous opportunities offered by digitalization in support of climate change adaptation initiatives.
Online from the New Yorker., Fibre-optic cables strung above a home in Jackson County, Kentucky, one of the poorest countries in the country. High-speed broadband has been used to bring internet-based jobs to the region.
Via online issue obtained from aginfo@farmjournal.com. 3 pages., Author reports on efforts for closer integration among the cow-calf, stocker, and feeding sectors of the beef industry. The article describes efforts of feedlot veterinarians affiliated with the Production Animal Consultation (PAC) to develop a plan to share data, experiences, ideas, and outcomes. "PAC now has 35 veterinary members in 14 states and two international countries, along with staff to assist in information technology, data collection, research and communications."
4 pages., Posted online February 12, 2020., Describes career and retirement plans of Ken Root, veteran agricultural broadcaster and former executive director of NAFB.
2 pages., Posted online February 12, 2020., Brief news item announces that during December farm broadcaster Orion Samuelson (WGN Radio, Chicago, IL, and "This Week in Agri-Business" television program) marked his 45th year of doing a live year-end TV-radio interview with the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. It was conducted, as traditionally, in the office of the USDA Secretary in Washington, D.C.
Ranjan, Pranay (author), Wardropper, Chloe B. (author), Eanes, Francis R. (author), Reddy, Sheila M.W. (author), Harden, Seth C. (author), Masuda, Yuta J. (author), and Prokopy, Linda S. (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2019
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 130 Document Number: D11296
"To overcome barriers to conservation, interviewees recommended improving communication between NOLs [non-operating landowners] and operators and modifying cash rent lease terms in order to build in flexibility for equitable sharing of risks and rewards."
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.
"This teaching case provides an example of adopting e-commerce in the interaction and trading activities between participants in the food sector through a typical agricultural products e-commerce company in China." It can be used to teach graduate/postgraduate students in agricultural business, MBA and executive programmes about the agri-food e-commerce business model.
An analysis of secondary data from the National Panel Survey in Tanzania revealed physical, socioeconomic, and institutional factors influencing the adoption of soil conservation technologies among small-scale maize farmers. Findings revealed, for example, only 13.9 percent of those had adopted soil conservation technology. This was cited as small, compared with other countries.
Online via AgEconSearch., In this teaching case study the authors analyze the economics of installing automatic milking systems under three investment scenarios. The study also "provides an opportunity to apply capital budgeting to a modern agriculture investment and addresses broader questions related to technology investment and adoption on farm."
Online via AgEconSearch., Authors evaluated the impact of varietal awareness and nutrition knowledge on their adoption of biofortified crop varieties. Findings suggested that farmers who had knowledge of the nutritional attributes of a specific variety of beans were more likely to adopt them.
Via online. 28 pages., Involves Facebook responses of local chapters of the National FFA Organization involving a 2017 wildfire devastation in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Author's analysis of 23 public posts led to an observation that the FFA chapter posts contained embedded traditional rural literacies and insular narrative. Observed failure to capitalize on Facebook's potential as an advocacy tool to inform and engage large public audiences.
Via online., "This research project aimed at identifying a new network of routes and historical itineraries for the development and promotion of rural tourism in the Tuscany Region, by promoting forms of sustainable mobility in rural areas, particularly marginal ones." Examples: shrines, churches, abbeys, hermitages and sacred places.
Online via https://doaj.org, Article deals with the role of information and communication technologies and the related infrastructure to induce innovations for sustainable rural development." Authors examined the role of social innovation to create a new demand for products, services, and organizational models for farm and rural enterprises.
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.
20 pages., Via online., Historical analysis of butter sculpture within the context of food as art, and as a way to promote butter as the natural, healthy alternative to oleomargarine.
