Miller, Laura J. (author), Schwab, Charles V. (author), and Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1993-05
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 93 Document Number: C07026
Notes:
James F. Evans Collection, Mimeographed, 1993. 17 p. (Paper presented at the 1993 International Agricultural Communicators in Education conference; 1993 May 8-12; Miami, FL)
Abbott, Eric A. (author / Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Iowa State University) and Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Iowa State University
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1989
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 76 Document Number: C04060
Notes:
James F. Evans Collection, Mimeographed, 1989. 14 p. paper presented at the NCR90 Communication Research Meeting; 1989 October 25; Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
15 pages, Farmers are invited to tell stories about their farms, especially about their farm’s origin and history. However, some farm stories go untold, are uninvited, or become obscured, including stories of farm closures. With this case study, we invite journalists and academics to provide further opportunities for farmers to tell their own closure stories. Written by the farmer and her CSA member and friend, who researches farmer communication, this case study calls on farmers to tell their farm-closure stories in the complicated and robust ways such stories deserve. We draw on academic and public scholarship about farm closures and farmers’ disclosures to feature how one farmer decided to end her farm and farming career. We chronicle her decision-making process and her strategies to communicate the closure of her farm, as well as analyze themes from how audiences reacted to her news. We also offer a range of reasons for inviting such telling of complex closure stories.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 94 Document Number: C07137
Notes:
James F. Evans Collection, In: Communication research in progress, Iowa State University. Presented to NCR-90 meeting, October 25-27, 1988. Mimeograph. [p. 6]
Dean, Gerald W. (author), Heady, Earl O. (author), Hildreth, R.J. (author), and Department of Economics and Sociology, Iowa State College; Department of Economics and Sociology, Iowa State College; Department of Economics and Sociology, Iowa State College
Format:
Report
Publication Date:
1957
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 38 Document Number: B04273
Notes:
Includes Table of Contents, Summary and Objectives, Ames, IA : Agricultural Experiment Station, Iowa State College, 1957. p. 991-1010 (Research Bulletin 447)
Edelman, Mark A. (author), Olsen, Douglas R. (author), Schmiesing, Brian H. (author), and Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Iowa State University
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1990-03
Published:
USA: New York : John Wiley & Sons
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 89 Document Number: C06209
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.
