Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: Byrnes9; Folder: ISU files Document Number: D09124
Notes:
Francis C. Byrnes Collection, A chapter from "Technical Journalism" printed by the Iowa State College Press. ISU files, Iowa State University. 35 pages.
Sublet, Virginia (author / National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), Spring, Christina (author / National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), and Howard, John (author / National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2011
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 197 Document Number: D09474
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 197 Document Number: D09503
Notes:
Online from the National Safety Council. 1 page., Emphasis on instilling a sense of mission and creating an environment where employees regularly deliver and seek safety-related information.
USA: American Association of Agricultural College Editors (AAACE)
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 197 Document Number: D09584
Notes:
Delmar Hatesohl Collection, First edition. 148 pages., Nine reference units in this handbook were compiled by agricultural communications specialists in the Office of Agricultural Communications, College of Agriculture, University of Illinois.
Delmar Hatesohl Collection, Author addresses "a kind of 'siege mentality' among producers." Suggests that it may make them feel better, "but it doesn't work."
Delmar Hatesohl Collection, Describes messages conveyed and responses from consumers during visits with civic organizations and supermarket shoppers in three Missouri communities.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 197 Document Number: D09620
Notes:
Delmar Hatesohl Collection, Publisher of this article is not identified., Author examines rural-urban understanding in the context of public concerns about animal rights, across the years. Offers six suggestions for those producing food, including advice to take a look at your production system and avoid responding with emotional arguments.
USA: Farm Service Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 199 Document Number: D09870
Notes:
Via FSA website. 3 pages., Describes the USDA Certified State Agricultural Mediation Program administered by the Farm Service Agency. Cites examples, performance goals, results, resources and links to related sites.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 199 Document Number: D09907
Notes:
Presentation at the Association of Communication Excellence (ACE) conference during the Agricultural Media Summit, Scottsdale, Arizona, August 4-8, 2018. 47 pages. PowerPoint slides.
Carnegie, Dale and Associates (author) and Cole, Brent (author)
Format:
Book
Publication Date:
2012
Published:
USA: Simon and Schuster Paperbacks, New York, New York.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D10001
Notes:
245 pages., Adapted from an earlier bestseller by Dale Carnegie. Includes a brief agriculture-related example on pages 161-162, with a citation cited on page 241.
Taylor, Carl C. (author) and Frame, Nat T. (author)
Format:
Handbook
Publication Date:
1928
Published:
USA: Kiwanis International, Chicago, Illinois.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 151 Document Number: D10043
Notes:
246 pages., A syllabus for the 11th conference of the American Country Life Association featuring "urban-rural relations," Urbana, Illinois, June 19-21, 1928. A handbook for leaders in Kiwanis clubs and other organizations interested in the betterment of urban-rural relations.
Journal currently known as: Crop and Pasture Science, Via CSIRO Journals., There is considerable potential for seasonal to inter-annual climate forecasts derived from dynamic models of the earth’s climate to be used widely to help improve management of important real-world issues in a variety of different areas (e.g. disaster management, agriculture, water management, health, natural resource management, food security, and insurance). Unfortunately, several factors currently inhibit this potential, e.g. low skill, low awareness, mismatches in what model forecasts can provide and what users need, and the complexity and probabilistic nature of the information provided. Substantial effort around the world is currently directed towards reducing these impediments. For example, climate model development continues behind the scenes, and techniques such as multi-model ensemble forecasting are progressing rapidly. Communication strategies that enable probabilistic information to be communicated more effectively have been developed and exciting developments such as the emergence of the Argo float program have dramatically improved our ability to initialise forecast systems. We can also look forward to greater computing power in the future, which will allow us to increase the resolution of the models used to perform forecasts. Research on the integration of climate forecasts with risk-management tools more useful to managers is also occurring.
The great potential for much wider use of climate model forecasting cannot be denied. However, it will only be realised if models continue to be developed further, if climatic variability continues to be closely monitored from the surface, the atmosphere, the ocean, and from space, and if these data are made readily available to the research community.
16 pages, via online journal article, This study examined the online content of interdisciplinary agricultural center webpages. Content modification dates, mission statements, and content were determined through a content analysis. Many of the websites did not mention a modification date for the content, while many websites had outdated content mostly older than six months. More than two-thirds of the websites provided PDFs that visitor could download to learn more about topics, by many of the websites lacked any media element that was being coded. Additionally, many websites did not use multiple forms of media. More than half of the websites were coded as lacking any social media content or plugins, but out of the websites that did include social media content, Facebook was the most prevalent. The commonalities between the center’s mission displayed on the website and the content theme were analyzed and chi-square tests provided the degree of association. A significant association existed and an alignment between communication strategies and missions of the centers was concluded, which is important when organizations communicate about agricultural science as indicated by previous literature. It is recommended that centers communicate via their websites in a timely manner and allow modification times to be seen to viewers to show their information is up-to-date. Website media content should also be diversified and communicators of these centers should explore the unique communication opportunities provided by social media. Future research should explore the target audience of interdisciplinary agricultural centers and should analyze the messages centers are using to communicate with those audiences.
Bowman, Brittany (author), Settle, Quisto (author), North, Elizabeth Gregory (author), Lewis, Kerri Collins (author), and Oklahoma State University
Mississippi State University
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2018
Published:
United States: New Prairie Press
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 152 Document Number: D10159
18 pages, via online journal, Extension is often called the “best-kept secret” having low awareness with the public but high satisfaction with clientele. Extension services nationwide have faced budget cuts, creating a need for the organization to re-evaluate its activities, including how it communicates with its stakeholders. While Extension personnel are the ones who will do most of the communicating, their supervisors impact the personnel’s actions, which means it is important to assess both groups. A survey was conducted with Extension personnel and their supervisors in Mississippi assessing engagement in communications activities and perceptions of those activities, as well as personnel’s preference of professional development activities. Personnel reported higher use, comfort, and importance of more traditional (e.g. making a speech) and written activities (e.g. writing a promotional handout) than media-relations activities (e.g. being interviewed for TV), social media-related activities (e.g. managing a Twitter account), and visual communication activities (e.g. graphic design). Supervisors perceived individual communications activities as less important overall than personnel did, and although supervisor and communication scores for use and comfort/capability were similar for most communication activities, there were noticeable exceptions. Additionally, personnel preferred professional development activities that were hands-on or showing the activities first-hand (e.g. demonstrations and field days). Future research should be expanded to other states, conducted in a case study format to study specific relationships, and involve qualitative components. Extension should ensure clear supervisor-communication dialogue on prioritizing communication activities, provide training on communication activities with low use and comfort, and utilize early innovators who are comfortable using newer communication activities.
15 pages, via online journal article, Scientist-stakeholder partnerships are formed by scientists from academic institutions and industry representatives in an effort to address contingent science issues such as climate change, inform the public and influence public policies. Such organizations often lack expertise in communicating to the public and conducting outreach which are crucial components to building a good reputation. This study selected Florida Water and Climate Alliance [FWCA] as an example of such an organization, exploring its media attention and media framing to assess the visibility and reputation of [FWCA]. Results showed very limited media attention had been devoted to [FWCA]. The framing analysis results indicated that the coverage of [FWCA] is mostly introductory and descriptive information from public institutions, collaborators and funding agencies. These results demonstrate the need for such organizations to increase media visibility and build their reputations through strategic communication. Scientist-stakeholder partnership organizations like FWCA could gain from strategic collaborations with agricultural communications professionals and academic researchers. To better assist in building the reputation for these organizations, recommendations include developing strategic communication plans and conducting research about stakeholders’ and collaborators’ perceptions of an organization’s reputation.
22 pages, via online journal, Marketers rate online video as their most utilized content medium. This study used a between-subject control group post-test-only experiment to investigate the effect of three local food messages delivered via online video on U.S. consumers’ attitudes toward local food. The three 30-second videos each featured one of the documented benefits of local food: high quality, support of local economy, and strengthening of social connection. Results indicated all three video treatments yielded a positive attitude toward local food, while respondents in the control group had a neutral attitude. The video treatment featuring local food’s high quality generated a significantly more favorable local food attitude than the other two video treatments. Although the social connection video treatment generated a positive attitude toward local food based on the real limits, it did not significantly differentiate from the control group. Communicators should consider using similar short, online videos for emphasizing the high quality of local food and its support of the local economy to promote local agricultural products. Future research should pair live-action or animated footage with the same messages in the video treatments to identify messages effectiveness. Researchers should also investigate why some individuals respond to local food’s benefit of social connection more readily than the others, and identify strategies to use social connection media frame to promote local food.
5 pages., Article # 1IAW6, vial online journal, Project Happy Apples began as an effort to assist backyard growers in managing codling moth in their fruit trees. We developed a process using emails and a web page to provide timely information related to the life cycle of codling moth and relevant integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. The content of our updates included pertinent photos, costs of tools, and suggested dates of action. Results from a survey of participants suggest that they were more confident, knowledgeable, and successful in using IPM strategies in their own backyards as a result of our project.
18 pages., Via online journal., The study asserts that rural villages which have developed relatively complex communication systems have extensive local knowledge and practice systems. Using the knowledge and community-based perspective, the study departs from past works of development communication scholars, who have focused their attention mainly on the transfer of information. The study is concerned with how meaning is created and shared in rural communities through the use of communication. It looks at how small homogenous farming communities in Thailand – world’s number one rice exporter – utilize communication to improve rice crop production. It asks: what roles does communication play in the formation of collective definitions (perspectives) and the construction/management of local knowledge and practices on rice farming? To explore the plausibility of this paper’s assertion, ethnographies of two rice farming villages were conducted – Baan Sap Som Boon (irrigated) in Chainat province (Central Region) and Baan Hua Hae (rainfed) in Ubon Ratchathani province (Northeast Region). Data generation period was from October 2004 to July 2005. Research results indicate that Baan Sap Som Boon has both an extensive knowledge of rice farming methods and procedures and an elaborate community-based communication system. Baan Hua Hae, on the other hand, practices more traditional means of rice production and divides time with other livelihood activities. In both villages, communication plays a central role in improving crop production via facilitating the formation of collective definitions on rice farming, labor, economics and agriculture-related institutions.
pgs. 1-17; Article 3, Via online journal., Audience analysis is a critical skill to forge relationships and develop effective communications. Programs provided by the Cooperative Extension Service must be aware of external and internal audiences to provide relevant information and evoke impacts. Berlo’s (1960) Source-Message-Channel-Receiver Model of Communications guided this formative evaluation of Extension staff, and horse 4-H club volunteer leaders (program facilitators) to expose internal communication tendencies in Arkansas. Findings identified that program facilitators seek horse-related information from a variety of sources, most frequently relying on personal connections and least frequently seeking Extension sources. Program facilitators share a variety of messages and most frequently relay information about deadlines to club members. Messages about recruitment and fundraising were shared least often. Program facilitators described utilizing a variety of personal and electronic channels to share messages with the greatest frequency for in-person communications. Incoming channels were less diverse than outgoing channels and primarily featured email, which program facilitators preferred. Program facilitators are primarily female, aged in their thirties, described lifetime involvement with 4-H and the horse industry, and most frequently reported having less than five years’ experience in their current position. The ground-level perspective of facilitators’ demographics and communication tendencies was evident in results of this study. In application, practitioners must continue to actively seek relationships with audiences, remain cognizant of communication factors, and provide accurate messaging through preferred channels.
