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    3. The new American farmer – extension engagement with urban agriculture and food systems

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    Collection:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
    Contributers:
    Crider, Margaux S. (author), Vick, K.C. (author), Young, Jeffery A. (author), Breazeale, Nicole D. (author), Jones, Kenneth R. (author), and Zimmerman, Julie N. (author)
    Format:
    Journal article
    Publication Date:
    2025-02-15
    Published:
    USA: Extension Journal, Inc.
    Location:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 209 Document Number: D13542
    Journal Title:
    The Journal of Extension
    Journal Title Details:
    63(1)
    Notes:
    20 pages, Extension’s evolving role in urban food production will require intensive reflexivity and ongoing collaboration. Extension educators around the country have already made progress in engaging with both the social and horticultural sides of urban agriculture. Designed appropriately, urban food systems hold the potential for healthy food access, community and environmental resilience, and economic prosperity (Rangarajan &amp; Riordan 2019). Moving forward, we offer recommendations for Extension staff to apply within their institutions and beyond. Specifically, we urge Extension to prioritize the following: 1) mediate the rural/urban dichotomy, 2) tackle structural and institutional power dynamics, and 3) intensify strategies for community resilience.

    5. Nebraska conventional farmers’ perspectives toward agricultural hemp: A qualitative insight guided by the diffusion of innovations theory

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    Collection:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
    Contributers:
    Colclasure, Blake C. (author), Gray, Nicholas (author), and Young, Laura E. (author)
    Format:
    Journal article
    Publication Date:
    2024-08-03
    Published:
    USA: Clemson University Press
    Location:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 209 Document Number: D13546
    Journal Title:
    The Journal of Extension
    Journal Title Details:
    62(2) : Article 8
    Notes:
    10 pages, The legalization of hemp cultivation in the United States has provided opportunities for farmers to grow a new crop. Despite these opportunities, significant social, economical, and technical challenges to growing hemp have been well documented. The purpose of this research was to explore Nebraska conventional farmers’ perceptions toward hemp cultivation. Using the diffusion of innovations theory as a framework, one-on-one interviews were conducted with seven conventional farmers in Nebraska. Data were analyzed using deductive coding methods. Results are presented in four emergent themes describing farmer perceptions: 1) limited prior exposure; 2) perceived technical challenges; 3) advantages; and, 4) impartial feelings.

    6. Public perceptions of free-roaming dogs and cats in India and the United States

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    Collection:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
    Contributers:
    Sensharma, Reshmi (author), Reinhard, Chelsea L. (author), Powell, Lauren (author), and Watson, Brittany (author)
    Format:
    Journal article
    Publication Date:
    2024-07-03
    Published:
    UK: Informa UK Limited
    Location:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 208 Document Number: D13267
    Journal Title:
    Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science
    Notes:
    15 pages. Pages 1-15 of journal. No volume or issue listed., In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to describe differences between India and the United States in public perceptions of free-roaming dogs and cats, concerns related to free-roaming animals, and preferred strategies for veterinary medical interventions and population management. Between August 2021 and February 2022, 498 individuals completed an online survey including 210 Indian respondents and 288 American respondents. Free-roaming dogs and cats were largely perceived as community animals among Indian respondents, with significantly more respondents indicating they should be allowed to roam freely compared with American respondents. Respondents from both countries were concerned about animal welfare, although Americans were significantly more likely to list animal welfare, public health and wildlife risks as significant concerns related to free-roaming cats and dogs. American respondents were also more likely to support adoption for sociable animals and euthanasia for unsociable animals, whereas Indian respondents were more likely to support spay/neuter, vaccinate and release strategies for both dogs and cats. Our findings speak to the importance of implementing tailored strategies for free-roaming cat and dog management based on local cultures and community perceptions of free-roaming animals.

    7. The animal agriculture industry, US universities, and the obstruction of climate understanding and policy

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    Collection:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
    Contributers:
    Morris, Viveca (author) and Jacquet, Jennifer (author)
    Format:
    Journal article
    Publication Date:
    2024-02-26
    Published:
    Netherlands: Springer Nature
    Location:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 209 Document Number: D13549
    Journal Title:
    Climatic Change
    Journal Title Details:
    177 : Article 41
    Notes:
    42 pages, The 2006 United Nations report “Livestock’s Long Shadow” provided the first global estimate of the livestock sector’s contribution to anthropogenic climate change and warned of dire environmental consequences if business as usual continued. In the subsequent 17 years, numerous studies have attributed significant climate change impacts to livestock. In the USA, one of the largest consumers and producers of meat and dairy products, livestock greenhouse gas emissions remain effectively unregulated. What might explain this? Similar to fossil fuel companies, US animal agriculture companies responded to evidence that their products cause climate change by minimizing their role in the climate crisis and shaping policymaking in their favor. Here, we show that the industry has done so with the help of university experts. The beef industry awarded funding to Dr. Frank Mitloehner from the University of California, Davis, to assess “Livestock’s Long Shadow,” and his work was used to claim that cows should not be blamed for climate change. The animal agriculture industry is now involved in multiple multi-million-dollar efforts with universities to obstruct unfavorable policies as well as influence climate change policy and discourse. Here, we traced how these efforts have downplayed the livestock sector’s contributions to the climate crisis, minimized the need for emission regulations and other policies aimed at internalizing the costs of the industry’s emissions, and promoted industry-led climate “solutions” that maintain production. We studied this phenomenon by examining the origins, funding sources, activities, and political significance of two prominent academic centers, the CLEAR Center at UC Davis, established in 2018, and AgNext at Colorado State University, established in 2020, as well as the influence and industry ties of the programs’ directors, Dr. Mitloehner and Dr. Kimberly Stackhouse-Lawson. We developed 20 questions to evaluate the nature, extent, and societal impacts of the relationship between individual researchers and industry groups. Using publicly available evidence, we documented how the ties between these professors, centers, and the animal agriculture industry have helped maintain the livestock industry’s social license to operate not only by generating industry-supported research, but also by supporting public relations and policy advocacy.

    8. Not getting laid: consumer acceptance of precision fermentation made egg

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    Collection:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
    Contributers:
    Zollman Thomas, Oscar (author), Chong. Mark (author), Leung. Angela (author), Fernandez, Tricia Marjorie (author), and Ng, Shu Tian (author)
    Format:
    Journal article
    Publication Date:
    2023-09-14
    Published:
    Switzerland: Frontiers Media S.A.
    Location:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 206 Document Number: D12961
    Journal Title:
    Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
    Journal Title Details:
    V.7
    Notes:
    16 pages, Mounting concern over the negative externalities of industrialized animal agriculture, coupled with falling cost curves of novel food technologies have birthed the field of cellular agriculture: a new category of food technology seeking to reproduce the sensory experiences of animal protein, and promising a cleaner, more ethical way of enjoying animal proteins. This research examines consumer acceptance of precision fermentation (PF) made egg products in Germany, Singapore, and the USA. Using an online survey of 3,006 participants, the study examines demographic and dietary traits that predict willingness to try such products and identifies the reasons why consumers are most attracted to them. The findings suggest that PF made egg products are likely to find a willing market, with a substantial proportion (51–61%) of participants willing to try the product, with vegetarians and vegans displaying the highest enthusiasm. Egg consumption habits and, to a lesser extent, income also predict acceptance. Major reasons for adopting the product were animal welfare in Germany, and health aspects in Singapore and the USA, as well as curiosity in all three countries. Observed differences between the acceptance of PF egg and PF dairy are discussed, as well as comparisons to existing alternative protein (AP) product adoption.

    9. Flocking to fire: how climate and natural hazards shape human migration across the United States

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    Collection:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
    Contributers:
    Clark, Mahalia B. (author), Nkonya, Ephraim (author), and Galford, Gillian L. (author)
    Format:
    Journal article
    Publication Date:
    2022-12-08
    Published:
    Switzerland: Frontiers Media S.A.
    Location:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 206 Document Number: D12963
    Journal Title:
    Frontiers in Human Dynamics
    Journal Title Details:
    V.4
    Notes:
    20 pages, As global climate change progresses, the United States (US) is expected to experience warmer temperatures as well as more frequent and severe extreme weather events, including heat waves, hurricanes, and wildfires. Each year, these events cost dozens of lives and do billions of dollars' worth of damage, but there has been limited research on how they influence human decisions about migration. Are people moving toward or away from areas most at risk from these climate threats? Here, we examine recent (2010–2020) trends in human migration across the US in relation to features of the natural landscape and climate, as well as frequencies of various natural hazards. Controlling for socioeconomic and environmental factors, we found that people have moved away from areas most affected by heat waves and hurricanes, but toward areas most affected by wildfires. This relationship may suggest that, for many, the dangers of wildfires do not yet outweigh the perceived benefits of life in fire-prone areas. We also found that people have been moving toward metropolitan areas with relatively hot summers, a dangerous public health trend if mean and maximum temperatures continue to rise, as projected in most climate scenarios. These results have implications for policymakers and planners as they prepare strategies to mitigate climate change and natural hazards in areas attracting migrants.

    14. Impact of broadband penetration on U.S. Farm productivity: a panel approach

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    Collection:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
    Contributers:
    LoPiccalo, Katherine (author)
    Format:
    Journal article
    Publication Date:
    2022-06-11
    Published:
    UK: Elsevier
    Location:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 208 Document Number: D13364
    Journal Title:
    Telecommunications Policy
    Journal Title Details:
    46(9)
    Notes:
    34 pages, This paper uses data on broadband connections and the production and sales of agricultural products to empirically estimate the impact of improved connectivity on U.S. farming outcomes. The Federal Communications Commission has detailed data on broadband subscriptions from its semi-annual Form 477 collection. The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) releases a complete census of agriculture every five years to measure agricultural activity. By pairing periodic releases of the Form 477 data collection with information on farm production expenses and crop yields from corresponding releases of the Census of Agriculture, the analysis directly evaluates the benefit of rural broadband development on the U.S. farming industry. Overall, I find evidence of crop yield improvements from increased Internet penetration rates at thresholds of 25 Megabits-per-second download and 3 Megabits-per-second upload speeds. Among the findings, doubling the number of 25+/3+ connections per 1000 households is associated with a 3.79% increase in corn yields, as measured in bushels per acre. I also find some evidence of cost savings at thresholds of 10 Megabits-per-second download and 0.768 Megabits-per-second upload speeds. Doubling the number of 10+/0.768+ connections per 1000 households is associated with a 2.41% decrease in operating expenses per farm operation. The paper also provides an introductory look at changes in the composition and speed thresholds of connectivity available for selected field crops over time.

    15. The exploration of undergraduate attitudes and knowledge about international agricultural issues and US agricultural policy

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    Collection:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
    Contributers:
    Bletscher, Caitlin (author), Gould, Megan (author), and Qu, Shuyang (author)
    Format:
    Journal article
    Publication Date:
    2022-05-01
    Published:
    USA: New Prairie Press
    Location:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12727
    Journal Title:
    Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education
    Journal Title Details:
    Vol. 29, N. 2
    Notes:
    19 pages, In today’s globalized world, educators and employers generally agree on the necessity for undergraduate agricultural [ag] students to develop a sound understanding of global ag issues and policy. Because of this, many U.S. universities have promoted internationalizing curriculum and increased international study abroad experiences. However, few studies have examined the impact of international experiences on students’ knowledge and attitudes about international ag issues and policies. This study bridges this gap by identifying the relationship between student knowledge and attitude toward international ag issues and U.S. ag policy, and how international experience and demographic variables play a role in that relationship. Adapted from previous literature, an online survey was developed in 2019 among 196 undergraduate students in ag and non-ag fields to measure student knowledge (global aptitude assessment) and student attitude (attitude index score) towards the importance of global agricultural issues and policy. Results concluded that undergraduate students held a low level of knowledge about global ag issues and policy; in fact, ag students held lower average knowledge scores than non-agricultural students. This emphasizes the urgency for administrators to intentionally design and reevaluate our current curriculum to meet these knowledge gaps. Additionally, study abroad experiences did not contribute to students’ knowledge nor attitudes. The authors discuss several possibilities for such results and highlight the call to similarly reevaluate our study abroad curriculum to be more intentional in impacting student knowledge in global ag food systems and acknowledge differences in policy, getting students excited and interested in the global market.

    16. State of US farm operator livelihoods, the

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    Collection:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
    Contributers:
    Burchfield, Emily K. (author), Schumacher, Britta L. (author), Spangler, Kaitlyn (author), and Rissing, Andrea (author)
    Format:
    Journal Article
    Publication Date:
    2022-02-21
    Published:
    Switzerland: Frontiers Media S.A.
    Location:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 206 Document Number: D12774
    Journal Title:
    Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
    Journal Title Details:
    V. 5
    Notes:
    22pgs, In nine of the last 10 years, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has reported that the average funds generated on-farm for farm operators to meet living expenses and debt obligations have been negative. This paper pieces together disparate data to understand why farm operators in the most productive agricultural systems on the planet are systematically losing money. The data-driven narrative we present highlights some troubling trends in US farm operator livelihoods. Though US farms are more productive than ever before, rising input costs, volatile production values, and rising land rents have left farmers with unprecedented levels of farm debt, low on-farm incomes, and high reliance on federal programs. For many US farm operators, the indicators of a “good livelihood”—stability, security, equitable rewards for work—are largely absent. We conclude by proposing three axes of intervention that would help US agriculture better sustain all farmers' livelihoods, a crucial step toward improving overall agricultural sustainability: (1) increase the diversity of people, crops, and cropping systems, (2) improve equity in access to land, support, and capital, and (3) improve the quality, accessibility, and content of data to facilitate monitoring of multiple indicators of agricultural “success.”.

    17. Characteristics and Motivational Factors of American Equine Journalists

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    Collection:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
    Contributers:
    Bowden, Zoe (author), Telg, Ricky W. (author), and Lundy, Lisa (author)
    Format:
    Journal article
    Publication Date:
    2022-02-01
    Published:
    United States of America: New Prairie Press
    Location:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12438
    Journal Title:
    Journal of Applied Communication
    Journal Title Details:
    Issue 1 (2022)
    Notes:
    22 pages, The purpose of this study was to identify the demographic characteristics, career motivations, and professional development of American equine journalists. An online survey was distributed to equine journalists identified through their professional organizational membership. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Equine journalists were found to be predominately female, Caucasian, and averaged 53 years old. Nearly half were exposed to the equine industry prior to their career and have been working in the industry for over 15 years. Respondents were well educated and were most motivated towards their career as an equine journalist because of their interest in horses. Over 70% of equine journalists in this study participated in one to 10 professional developments in the last year, with social media management as the most frequently reported topic. Other frequently reported topics were marketing, journalistic writing, and magazine publication. Recommendations for practice include recruiting agricultural communications minor or certificate students from specialized programs such as animal science, equine science, equine studies, or livestock. Future research should consider the influence of pre-career experiences on equine journalist career motivations and skill development.