24 pages, The popularization of social media and an increased interest in local food has led to the need for an online presence of direct-to-consumer agricultural producers. The COVID-19 pandemic quickly pushed the transition from traditional marketing practices to digital marketing practices, further emphasizing the importance of an online presence for small businesses. To better understand the perceptions of direct-to-consumer agricultural businesses, this study sought to understand the current use of social media and online communication and the challenges faced, related to social media and online communication, among these producers. Ten direct-to-consumer agricultural business personnel were interviewed to examine their social media and online communication use. Direct-to-consumer agricultural businesses are using Facebook as a primary social media platform and finding time to focus on social media and online communication is a challenge for agricultural personnel. A website is important to direct-to-consumer agricultural businesses, however many do not currently have a website. Direct-to-consumer agricultural businesses believe social media and an online communication are important to the growth and success of the business and are interested in educational materials and professional support to improve their online presence.
13pgs, Sufficient access to and utilization of broadband is an ongoing concern for rural economic development. Using a rural region in Northern New York (USA), we consider the investment and operational costs of a broadband cooperative and determine service prices for which it is financially viable. Service prices need to increase 75%–131%, depending on grant restrictions, relative to existing market prices for a new broadband cooperative to become financially feasible. Put differently, the cooperative would not cash flow at market prices unless there was at least 14 potential subscribers per mile at a 62% take rate. For a cooperative, the grant restriction that providers offer a minimum level of speed at a maximum price results in a high level of subsidization by high-speed to low-speed members to support the business. Given grant funding and member equity investments, financial infeasibility has little to do with construction costs, than with annual operational and maintenance costs required to sustain the system long term. More reasonable feasibility scenarios occur for existing utility cooperatives expanding services into broadband, particularly areas with a high proportion of high-speed, year-round users and strong take rates. Consideration of public benefits of broadband arguably needs to be added to the equation, particularly surrounding access to healthcare and educational purposes, and as a prerequisite to supporting taxpayer-funded public-private partnerships to expand broadband services. Policy levers to eliminate or subsidize property taxes and pole rental costs reduce cash flow prices considerably; however, feasibility is highly sensitive to assumed take rates.
10 pages., Article # 5RIB3, via online journal., We developed a program centered on a social marketing–enhanced home energy education visit to encourage homeowner adoption of specific energy conservation measures. We randomly assigned 170 homeowners to an experimental condition that included energy education before an energy audit or a control condition that included only an energy audit. Participants in the experimental condition adopted more no-cost and low-cost one-time energy conservation changes, such as adjusting refrigerator/freezer temperatures and lowering hot water temperature. However, they did not invest more in home energy renovations or other costly changes, such as replacing inefficient appliances. We discuss implications of this experiment for enhancing effectiveness of Extension-based energy education programs.
Sonti, Nancy Falxa (author), Campbell, Lindsay K. (author), Johnson, Michelle L. (author), Daftary-Steel, Sarita (author), and Baltimore Field Station, USDA Forest Service, Baltimore, MD, USA
New York City Urban Field Station, USDA Forest Service, New York, NY, USA
Food Dignity Project, Brooklyn, NY, USA
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2016-09
Published:
USA: Sage Publications Inc.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 164 Document Number: D08243
Conrad, Jon M. (author), Forker, Olan D. (author), Liu, Donald J. (author), and Liu: Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Iowa State University; Conrad, Forker: Professors, Department of Agricultural Economics, Cornell University
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1992
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 90 Document Number: C06465
Notes:
James F. Evans Collection; Paper presented at the 1989 Commodity Advertising and Promotion Conference, In: Kinnucan, Henry W.; Thompson, Stanley R.; and Chang, Hui-Shung, eds. Commodity advertising and promotion. Ames, IA : Iowa State University Press, 1992. p. 319-335
Decker, Daniel J. (author), Merrill, William G. (author), and Decker: Assistant Professor and Extension Leader, Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; Merrill: Professor of Dairy Management, Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1990
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 76 Document Number: C04123
James F. Evans Collection; See C04120 for original; AGRICOLA IND 90027729, Despite its increased use in recent years, evaluation of videotape application to non-formal adult education has been limited. Dairy specialists at Cornell University believing that a videotape might work well, produced a 25 minute videotape as part of an educational program on proper milking procedures. Although a workshop setting was the intended format for viewing the videotape, it was clear the videotape might be used in less-structured settings, such as a farmer's home. Therefore, it was developed to be self-explanatory, with a supplemental bulletin. Dairy farmers liked having a videotape as part of the workshop. Furthermore, the videotaped-based program lead to improvement in knowledge and change in attitude among farmers. The value of follow-up contact to understand the extent of actual impact was also demonstrated.
Forker, Olan D. (author), Kaiser, Harry M. (author), Liu, Donald (author), Mount, Timothy D. (author), and Department of Agricultural Economics, Cornell University; Department of Agricultural Economics, Cornell University; Department of Agricultural Economics, Cornell University; Department of Agricultural Economics, Cornell University
Format:
Report
Publication Date:
1989-11
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 76 Document Number: C04109
Notes:
See also C04100, Ithaca, NY : Cornell University, Department of Agricultural Economics, 1989. 69 p. (A.E. Res. 89-22)
Compton, J. Lin (author), Green, Jennifer C. (author), Sappington, Harry W., III. (author), Whitmore, Elizabeth (author), and Assistant Professor, Maritime School of Social Work, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1988-07
Published:
USA: Medford, MA : Association of Voluntary Action Scholars.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 86 Document Number: C05585
AGRICOLA IND 89051564, This study is part of a larger study which examined the development of leadership knowledge and awareness in rural communities. This part of the study focused on what adults learn through participation in community groups. The subjects of this study were 10 members of community groups located in rural counties. All subjects participated in an open-ended, semi-structured interview. Transcripts were analyzed for statements of learning. A total of 259 learning statements in eight categories were identified. The categories are self, internal knowledge, internal skills, external knowledge, external skills, broader skills, special groups and issues, and learning about the learning process. The authors also discuss factors related to learning, including: social factors, local control, democratic procedures, and satisfaction.
Delaney, Carol. (author / Department of Agricultural Economics, New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.)
Format:
Report
Publication Date:
1988
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 92 Document Number: C06736
Notes:
AGRICOLA CAT 89911127, Ithaca, N.Y. : Department of Agricultural Economics, Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station, New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, [1988]. v, 13 leaves (Agric. Econ. 88-16)
