13 pages, Agricultural fairs provide one of the last frontiers, and largest stages, for showcasing livestock agriculture to the public. However, public funding, attendance revenue, animal biosecurity, and public health concerns are all aspects worthy of conversation and increased research attention given the interaction between livestock animals and the general public in fair and festival settings. A prominent social media listening and data analytics platform was used to quantify online and social media chatter concerning agricultural fairs during a 27-mo period. A general search for online media referencing agricultural fair keywords was designed; social and online media mentions of agricultural fairs (n = 2,091,350 mentions) were further queried according to their reference to livestock, fair food, or the major agricultural product producing species of dairy and beef cattle (n = 68,900), poultry (n = 39,600), and swine (n = 31,250). Numbers of search results were found to be seasonal and Twitter was the single largest domain for all fair-related results; in contrast, the majority of livestock-related media was generated by news sources rather than from Twitter. On a weekly basis, the percentage of fair livestock mentions with species-specific reference was highly variable ranging from 0% to 86.8% for cattle, 0% to 85.7% for poultry, and 0% to 76.9% for swine. In addition to quantifying total search hits or mentions, the positivity/negativity of the search results was analyzed using natural language processing capabilities. The net sentiment quantified is the total percentage of positive posts minus the percentage of negative posts, which results in a necessarily bounded net sentiment between −100% and +100%. Overall net sentiment associated with mentions of agricultural fairs was positive; the topics garnering the highest positive sentiments were fair food and cattle (both 98% positive). Online discussion pertaining to agricultural fairs and swine was overall positive despite references to swine flu outbreaks. In conclusion, livestock and animal products had positive net sentiment over the time period studied, but there are multiple aspects of agricultural fairs worthy of further investigation and continued vigilance, including zoonotic disease risk and public perceptions of livestock industries.
USA: Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08960
Notes:
Page 21 in Lucinda Crile, Findings from studies of bulletins, news stories, and circular letters. Extension Service Circular 488. Revision of Extension Service Circular 461, which it supersedes. May 1953. 24 pages. Summary of Bulletin 12 (and master's thesis), Department of Agricultural Journalism, University of Wisconsin, Madison. 1942. 16 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 197 Document Number: D09533
Notes:
Eugene A. Kroupa Collection, 263 pages., Detailed resource for teaching agricultural journalism. Includes discussion topics,sample writing exercises, assignments, copy reading marks, media terms, reference shelf, and other teaching aids.
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.
USA: August House Publishers, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C23665
Notes:
416 pages., Focuses on the often under-rated role of the country correspondents and the unique difficulties of the rural newspaper's role as both critic and member of a small community.
Brooker, J.R. (author / University of Tennesse. P.O.Box 1071. Knoxville, TN 37901-1071 USA), Eastwood, D.B. (author / University of Tennesse. P.O.Box 1071. Knoxville, TN 37901-1071 USA), and Gary, M.D. (author / University of Tennesse. P.O.Box 1071. Knoxville, TN 37901-1071 USA)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1993
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 105 Document Number: C09139
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C26483
Notes:
Pages 437-447 in Zachary Michael Jack (ed.), Love of the land: essential farm and conservation readings from an American Golden Age, 1880-1920. Cambria Press, Youngstown, New York. 463 pages., From a 1918 book by Galpin, Rural life. (pages 261-276)
Brooker, John R. (author / University of Tennesse. ), Eastwood, David B. (author / University of Tennesse. ), and Gray, M.D. (author / University of Tennesse. )
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1993-02
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 105 Document Number: C09238
Ruiz Corzo, Martha Isabel "Pati" (author) and World Conservation Union (IUCN), International Union for Conservation and Natural Resources.
Format:
Book chapter
Publication Date:
2003-09-08
Published:
Mexico
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 155 Document Number: C25112
Notes:
Chapter 17 in Denise Hamu, Elisabeth Auchincloss and Wendy Goldstein (eds.), Communicating protected areas. Compilation of papers on education and communication presented to the Vth IUCN World Parks Congress, Durban, South Africa, September 8-17, 2003.
13 pages., Via online journal., Developing public and policy maker understanding of agriculture and natural resources is a national research priority of the American Association for Agricultural Education. Because of cultural and geographic distancing from agriculture, consumers' ability to obtain firsthand knowledge of agriculture may be limited to a handful of experiences including local, county, and state fairs. As such, agriculturalists' opportunities to communicate with the public about production agriculture may be limited to these experiences. Youth livestock exhibitors fill a gap in the agricultural education system. While a body of research exists about agricultural literacy among youth and adult groups, few studies exist concerning the impact of youth livestock show exhibits upon fairgoers. This study employed a survey research method using semantic differential scales with a then-now approach. Fairgoers, who had been through the youth livestock exhibits at the California State Fair, were asked about their attitudes toward the exhibits. Findings led to the conclusion viewing livestock exhibits and interacting with youth exhibitors resulted in fairgoers having more positive attitudes toward animal agriculture. Interaction between fairgoers and livestock exhibits should be encouraged and exhibitors should be prepared to view interactions with fairgoers as opportunities to educate about agriculture.
National Association of Farm Broadcasters Archives, University of Illinois. NAFB Publications Series No. 8/3/88. Box No. 5. Contact http://www.library.uiuc.edu/ahx/ or Documentation Center
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 71 Document Number: D10781
Notes:
Claude W. Gifford Collection. Beyond his materials in the ACDC collection, the Claude W. Gifford Papers, 1919-2004, are deposited in the University of Illinois Archives. Serial Number 8/3/81. Locate finding aid at https://archives.library.illinois.edu/archon/, Pages 3-4 in Research Library Newsletter, Farm Journal, September 15, 1965., Findings from a national research project of the National Farm and Power Equipment Dealers and reported in Farm and Power Equipment magazine. Questions involved where farmers first see and hear such information and what sources they consider most useful.
National Association of Farm Broadcasters Archives, University of Illinois. NAFB Publications Series No. 8/3/88. Box No. 5. Contact http://www.library.uiuc.edu/ahx/ or Documentation Center
19 pages, via online journal, Science communication and informal science education collide in the context of Extension state fair exhibits for engaging public audiences in critical agricultural and natural resource issues impacting people’s daily lives. A need exists to employ systematic communication and education theory and techniques to effectively deliver scientific information in informal learning spaces. In an effort to apply and expand systematic instructional design thinking and research in informal science learning, this study piloted a touchscreen iPad survey evaluation (n= 93; ages 19-66) of adult state fairgoers’ demographics, experiences, attitudes, and learning during their visit to a 25,000 square-foot facility featuring an Extension museum-quality exhibit at the Nebraska State Fair in 2016. The exhibit included content such as farmers’ and ranchers’ stories, food security, soil quality, and water flow via natural landscapes and irrigation. Survey results included fairgoers’ demographics and backgrounds, as well as insights into favorite exhibit features, attitudes toward agricultural and environmental issues, and exhibit experience and attitude differences between visitors with agricultural backgrounds versus non-agricultural backgrounds. Results showed respondents were predominantly Caucasian with ties to agriculture, preferred physical and electronic engagement pieces of the exhibit compared to static text panels, and expressed slight changes in attitudes about agriculture with larger shifts in attitudes about the role of science in agriculture. Recommendations include systematically developing Extension informal learning efforts and exhibits such as the one in this study by conducting needs assessments and evaluations, as well as expanding exhibit locations, access, and topics to reach more diverse demographics.
Mahler, Robert L. (author), Simmons, Robert (author), Gamroth, Mike (author), Pearson, Pat (author), Sorensen, Fred (author), and Barber, Michael E. (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2010-04
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 179 Document Number: C35978
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 117 Document Number: C12790
Notes:
Pages 148-165 in M.R. Dua and V.S. Gupta (eds.), Media and development: themes in communication and extension. Har-Anand Publications, New Delhi, India. 176 p.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C19059
Notes:
Pages 208-261 in Rajab Ali Memon, managing author, and Elena Bashir, editor, Extension methods. National Book Foundation, Islamabad, Pakistan. 378 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C19155
Notes:
Pages 111-170 in U.S. Department of Agriculture, "Farmers in a changing world," 1940 Yearbook of Agriculture, U.S.Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 1,215 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 131 Document Number: D11333
Notes:
Online from the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C. 22 pages., Report of a national online survey among a representative sample of 18- to 37-year old residents in the United States. Invited information about science topics and other related and unrelated content areas, then build a picture of science relevance and connection from the full pattern of survey responses. "...this investigation represents a crucial first step toward a more data-driven, audience-centric approach to doing public engagement with and for young adults - an approach that is necessary and appropriate for the 21st century."
Posted at www.agrimarketing.com, Article in "A salute to NAMA on its 50th," special supplement featuring the 50th anniversary of the National Agri-Marketing Association.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D00802
Notes:
Review of an event at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, October 18-21, 2010. 14 pages. Via Prolinnova Europe.
Oklahoma Extension Editorial staff converts a 25-foot house trailer into a traveling press room and photo laboratory for the Extension staff to use at shows, fairs, camps, field days, tours and other events.
