Digital Commons Network^™

The New American Farmer – Extension Engagement With Urban Agriculture And Food Systems, Margaux S. C. Robinson, Kc V. Cunningham, Jeffery A. Young, Nicole D. Breazeale, Kenneth R. Jones, Julie N. Zimmerman

Journal of Extension

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 & 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.

Customer Journey Mapping: A New Tool In The Extension Educator’S Toolbelt, Christopher Sneed, Heejin Lim, Michelle Childs, Megan B. Leffew

Journal of Extension

Customer journey mapping can be used to gain a complete understanding of customers by charting touchpoints across pre-purchase, purchase and post-purchase stages. By lifting customer journey mapping out of traditional retail settings and applying it to farm retail enterprises, customer journey mapping can be a powerful tool in the Extension educator toolbelt – a tool that can be utilized when educating producers in group settings or individual consultations. This article offers an introduction to the customer journey mapping tool. A case study and tips for using journey mapping concludes the article.

Perceived Healthfulness Of The Environment Of Communities With Low Income: Focus Groups And Interviews With Extension Nutrition Educators, Elder Garcia Varela, Jamie Zeldman, Jade Mcnamara, Jesse S. Morrell, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Melissa D. Olfert, Tandalayo Kidd, Kendra Kattelmann, Geoffrey Greene, Karla P. Shelnutt, Sarah Colby

Journal of Extension

This study explored Extension nutrition educators’ (NEs) perceptions of community members’ challenges and opportunities for achieving a healthy lifestyle. NEs represented various communities with low income across nine states. NEs across locations identified similar barriers (i.e., lack of access and availability of healthy and affordable foods; access to transportation; and financial insecurity) and opportunities (i.e., trustworthy and free nutrition education resources and programs; and access to food banks, food pantries, and health care professionals) that prevented or facilitated a healthful lifestyle. Future research should explore key community stakeholder and community member perceptions to guide the development of community-driven interventions.

Leveraging Community Partnerships And Resources To Address Food Insecurity In A Rural County During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kristen Johnson, Amy Elizer, Karen L. Franck, Soghra Jarvandi

Journal of Extension

Extension professionals are skilled at connecting with community partners and community members to identify needs and address challenges. This paper outlines how Extension professionals quickly responded to address rising rates of food insecurity in a rural Tennessee County during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through an extensive network of state, regional, and local partners, Extension professionals and partners planned and implemented mobile food distributions through the United States Department of Agriculture’s Farmers to Families program. These Extension-led efforts resulted in sustainable, community-driven initiatives to improve food insecurity. Lessons learned can help Extension professionals respond to emerging needs.

Offal Wildlife Watching: Connecting Hunters, Wildlife Researchers, And The Public Through Participatory Science, Ellen M. Candler, Grace Milanowski, Amy Rager, Joseph K. Bump

Journal of Extension

Offal Wildlife Watching is a participatory science project that engages deer hunters in wildlife research. The goal of the project is to better understand the ecology of scavenger species that visit deer gut piles across Minnesota. We asked hunters to deploy remote cameras at white-tailed deer gut piles that resulted from their freshly killed deer. Thus far 117 hunters have contributed images and recorded at least 49 different scavenger species. This project is a natural fit in Extension programs and can easily be adapted to other hunted species, biomes, and locations.

Proof Of Concept: Leveraging Large Language Models For Qualitative Analysis Of Participant Feedback, Andrew B. Crocker, Marcelo Schmidt, Juan Diego Tejeda, Howard Rodriguez-Mori

Journal of Extension

This proof-of-concept study explores the innovative application of Large Language Models (LLMs) for qualitative analysis of feedback from an Extension program, addressing the challenge of efficiently analyzing qualitative data. The study juxtaposes traditional human-led qualitative analysis with Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven techniques, revealing the complementary strengths of human insights and AI efficiency. It underscores the potential of LLMs to enhance qualitative analysis while recognizing the need for human oversight to ensure depth and context accuracy. This research contributes to the fields of program evaluation and data analysis, offering a new paradigm for integrating advanced AI tools in qualitative research.

Workshop Wine Wednesdays: Change In Behavior Around Local Wines, Aude Watrelot, Sarah Francis, Sarah Al-Mazroa Smith

Journal of Extension

Wine workshops hosted at local wineries positively impacted the behavior of Iowa wine consumers. Many participants (75%) reported visiting an Iowa winery following the workshop. The percentage of participants consuming Iowa wines increased by 20.6% (p

The Vrkc: A Newly Updated Tool To Help 4-H Volunteers Develop Foundational Competencies, Jennifer Lobley, Gemma Miner, Meggan Franks

Journal of Extension

Volunteers play a pivotal role in enhancing the effectiveness of the 4-H program. Research demonstrates that offering professional development opportunities to volunteers contributes to retention. The Volunteer Research Knowledge Competency Taxonomy (VRKC) is a framework that pinpoints essential competencies for proficiently delivering 4-H youth development programs. This article provides an overview of newly refined VRKC resources and discusses their application with volunteers for virtual and in-person delivery.

An Inventory Of Private Well Programs Across The United States, Bethany G. Foust, Ann S. Ojeda, Jessica Curl, Eve Brantley, Stephanie R. Rogers

Journal of Extension

Private well owners comprise approximately 15% of the United States (US) population and are responsible for managing their well water. Management of domestic wells can be burdensome, requires knowledge, and is critical for maintaining clean drinking water. Management resources vary by state and the resource landscape across the US is unclear. Thus, our objective was to inventory where resources exist, while also highlighting geographic areas that may need improved resources to ensure that people have the ability to safely manage their drinking water. Results of this inventory showed that 64% of states have programs; 72% of which were Cooperative Extension.

Treated Wastewater Reuse For Non-Direct Food Consumption Crops In Nebraska: Barriers And Benefits Of Municipal Irrigation Lagoons, Sussan Moussavi, Bruce Dvorak

Journal of Extension

Reusing treated wastewater for agricultural purposes can provide local benefits to small, rural communities. Additionally, irrigation lagoons can be an attractive wastewater treatment technology in areas with high agriculture demands and low water availability. This descriptive study used stakeholder discussions to identify barriers and benefits of irrigation lagoons. Dissemination materials were developed to help Extension professionals distribute information regarding these systems to the communities they work closely with.

Building Resilience To Public Safety Power Shutoffs Through Public Education, Vikram Koundinya, Cristina Chiarella, Susan Kocher, Faith Kearns, Sabrina Drill

Journal of Extension

Public Safety Power Shutoff events are being implemented in California to reduce wildfire impacts. We surveyed California residents to identify their information needs and understand the potential role of University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) in power shutoff management. A majority of respondents need information on alternative power sources and community power systems. Most respondents indicated family, friends, and neighbors as the important group to manage power shutoff. UCCE was least used and preferred source for power shutoff information. Our findings reveal a need for Cooperative Extension to play an important role in power shutoff management and educating the public.

Extension E-Learning Meets Instructional Design, Joan S. York

Journal of Extension

This article explores the application of instructional design principles to enhance Extension e-learning programs. The growth of e-learning has led to its incorporation into many organizations, including extension programs, offering opportunities for expanded access to educational content. However, e-learning presents unique challenges, such as the need for self-regulation and the absence of social interaction. To address these challenges, the article proposes leveraging instructional design theories, including cognitive load theory, interactivity, and formative assessment.

The Birds And The Bees: Teaching Parents How To Educate Their Children About Sex, Tonya Pell, Courtney Aldrich

Journal of Extension

Parent educators at Michigan State University Extension have had great success with their Extension Extras Parenting Hour series which began in 2020. The series is organized every quarter, meets weekly, and changes topics every week. The 90 minute class covers a range of parenting topics from positive discipline, talking to children about race, early literacy, and now, due to a need being identified and addressed, how to educate children about sex and sexuality. This new topic to the series has received positive feedback from participants and has led to community organizations asking for similar classes and support from the team.

Examining Influences On Cotton And Peanut Farmers’ Intentions To Adopt Agricultural Best Management Practices In Southeast Georgia, William R. Taylor, Abigail Borron, Jessica Holt, Walter Scott Monfort

Journal of Extension

Various factors have been found to influence farmers’ adoption of best management practices. This study examines the influences on farmers’ intentions to adopt best management practices by using an extended model of the theory of planned behavior. This descriptive exploratory study surveyed Georgia cotton and peanut farmers (N = 41). Findings revealed farmers had positive attitudes toward best management practices and showed that the use of best management practices is aligned with farmers’ intrinsic motivations. Agricultural practitioners may enhance educational and outreach efforts by leveraging farmers’ motivations and necessary capacities as outlined in this study.

Growers’ Perceptions And Strategies To Mitigate Spring Frost Injury In Grapevines, Vinicius Cervilieri, Imed Dami, Guilherme Signorini

Journal of Extension

Uncertain weather patterns raise concerns about frequent spring frosts and injury in grapevines. This article quantifies growers’ perceptions of susceptibility to spring frosts and examines their satisfaction with existing mitigation strategies. Departing from a survey with grape growers, results show that over 80% of sampled growers have experienced damage due to frosts. Over-vine sprinklers, proper site selection, and adoption of late budding cultivars are the practices with the highest satisfaction levels. None of the strategies examined reached the highest satisfaction score. In addition, 61% of respondents showed interest in sprayable products to delay budbreak and circumvent grapevine damage.

Welcome To The New Frontier: Introducing Extension To The Next Generation Of Conservation Planning Tools, Emma E. Bravard, Emily K. Zimmerman, John C. Tyndall, David James

Journal of Extension

A new frontier of conservation planning capacity utilizing innovative decision support tools has emerged. Extension professionals play an important role in using these new data and tools to achieve conservation and water quality outcomes. Here, we detail the application of two conservation planning tools: Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF) and Financial and Nutrient Reduction Tool (FiNRT). Tools like these are increasingly being used to guide conservation efforts in agricultural landscapes; provide information regarding potential resource concern; and offer valuable data about outcomes from best management practice (BMP) placement. Extension professionals’ use of such tools could enhance conservation implementation and outcomes.

The Farmer Stress Production Meeting Model: Acceptability And Feasibility Of An Intervention, Anna Scheyett, Andrea Scarrow, Jennifer Dunn, Stephanie Hollifield, Justin Shealey, Brian Hayes

Journal of Extension

Farmers experience high stress levels, but are often reluctant to participate in mental health-specific programming. We tested providing stress supports to farmers by embedding information and resources within existing Extension production meetings. During meetings, farmers were offered blood pressure screenings where providers would also discuss stress; were offered an information packet on stress and health, and listened to a brief talk from a therapist with local roots. Farmers accepted screenings and resources, and several later contacted the therapist. Extension agents, initially cautious about addressing the topic of farmer stress, expressed greater confidence in talking about the issue after these meetings.

Potato University: An Interactive Framework To Engage And Educate Industry Stakeholders In Potato-Related Research, Jaime Willbur, Erin Burns

Journal of Extension

Understanding how farmers prefer to learn is critical for the development and delivery of successful extension programming. Therefore, Michigan State University Extension specialists conducted an interactive hands-on demonstration workshop (Potato University) addressing pressing issues to Michigan potato production at the Michigan Winter Potato Conference. The new session format emphasized alternative, hands-on research presentation formats and promoted small group interactions between researchers and stakeholders. Overall, we developed an alternative framework to deliver information in a novel format by highlighting research activities in an approachable format for stakeholders that better aligned Extension teaching styles with the learning styles of the potato industry.

Building Extension Professional’S Capacity To Engage Volunteers: Evaluation Of The Developmental Stages Of An Extension Professional Model, Kandi O'Neil, Rachelle Vettern, Rebecca Harrington, Sarah Maass, Patricia Mcglaughlin, Josset S. Gauley

Journal of Extension

The Developmental Stages of an Extension Professional (DSEP) model depicts how professionals can move through the stages of service, education, management, and leadership to build volunteer and program capacity. It encourages Extension professionals to assess the situation and adjust their leadership style.

Researchers used a mixed methods approach to assess Dr. James Rutledge’s DSEP model. Findings confirmed training Extension professionals in the DSEP model throughout the Achieving the Extension Mission through Volunteers course led to positive behavior change when working with volunteers. Extension needs to train professionals and utilize the DSEP model to build program capacity through volunteer engagement.

Increasing Wildfire Preparedness Through Defensible Space Training For The Private Sector, Christina Restaino, Spencer Eusden

Journal of Extension

There is a large effort across the United States to create fire adapted communities which are communities that are resilient to wildfire and are safe for firefighters to defend. These communities need adequate defensible space to become fire adapted, but the capacity to perform the work is low. A skilled workforce trained in defensible space can increase capacity and help communities be more prepared. We created a defensible space certification training program for landscape architects and contractors. The training is a way to increase our collective capacity to address the wildfire issue in Northern Nevada and across the West.

The Ins And Outs Of Language Translation And Interpretation Of Program Resources, Regina Mcgoff, Annalisa Hultberg, Stephen A. Kells

Journal of Extension

In an increasingly diverse country, creating Extension resources available in a variety of languages and formats is important for supporting learning by Limited English Proficient audiences and extending these impacts throughout the entire community. Learn tips from educational professionals who have created print and electronic resources in ten different languages to better support a diversity of stakeholders.

Who Cares For The Caregiver? Exploring Extension’S Role In Informal Caregiving Support, Mckenzie R. Tuttle, Erin L. Martinez, Aimee Fox

Journal of Extension

Family caregivers provide invaluable service by taking on the responsibility of caring for older adults in the United States. With a growing aging population, the need for family caregivers and demands on their time and resources will continue to increase. Although a variety of caregiving resources and support services exist, family caregivers often lack the awareness, time, transportation, or financial resources to connect to services. There is a critical need to address the barriers that prevent caregivers from accessing services. In this commentary, we highlight barriers and make recommendations for improving conversations, research, and practice to meet this growing problem.

The Challenges Of Co-Developing Climate-Smart Strategies, Practices, And Technologies Among Research And Extension Teams, Michelle R. Worosz, Hannah Stewart, Mckayla Robinette, Brenda Ortiz, Rishi Prasad, Audrey Gambel, Leah Duzy

Journal of Extension

With climate-smart agriculture as the context, we explore one aspect of transdisciplinarity, the co-development of knowledge (CDK). Challenges were identified via matrix coding and word frequency queries of field day, meeting, and interview transcripts. Focusing on the Research-Extension team, we found they highly value collaboration and participatory-based projects, but developing trust-based relationships, enhancing long-term stakeholder investment, and understanding both team and stakeholder capacity was difficult. This paper informs transdisciplinary projects aimed at climate adaptation by illustrating the need for Research-Extension teams to take incremental steps towards CDK, to engage stakeholders before program planning, and to increase both interaction and reflexivity.

Competencies Essential For Early Career 4-H Agent Success, Andrew Toelle, Ed Osborne, Nick Place, Hannah Carter, Dale Pracht

Journal of Extension

The purpose of this study was to identify the competencies essential for Florida early career 4-H agent success. This four-round Delphi study asked three expert panels to identify the competencies required for Florida early career agent success in years one and three. The Delphi procedure is a multi-round consensus building process, with the preceding round dictating the questions asked in subsequent rounds (Werner, 2017). The panels identified 55 year-one and 67 year-three competencies that fell into 15 competency areas. These competencies can be used to develop professional training programs to meet the needs of early career agents.

Virtual Culinary Nutrition Education: Youth And Parent/Guardian Acceptability Of The Switch Cooking School, Summer Mcvicker, Laura Paulsen, Anna Mlodzik, Allison Henry, Maren Wolff

Journal of Extension

Face-to-face cooking programs can positively impact food choices, fruit and vegetable intake, and cooking self-efficacy; however, little is known about virtual cooking programs. We studied the perceived acceptability of the virtual SWITCH Cooking School (SCS). Four monthly cooking classes were offered for each participating school. Classes included nutrition education, food safety, and cooking demonstrations. Feedback was collected through post-class surveys and focus groups with parent/guardian and youth participants. Families valued the convenience of the virtual delivery and were interested in participating again. Future considerations for the SCS include incorporating additional variety of culinary skills and modifying registration methods.

Extension Education For Real Estate Professionals: Teaching Regulations And Sharing Resources That Protect Water Quality And Property Values, Linda Patterson, Shari Halik, Kristine F. Stepenuck

Journal of Extension

Real estate professionals can be an important source of information for home buyers and sellers about regulations and practices that protect water quality and properties from environmental damage. Lake Champlain Sea Grant (LCSG) Extension identified a deficit in real estate education covering these topics for real estate professionals. Accredited real estate workshops were initially developed by LCSG Extension and Vermont Agency of Natural Resources specialists. The program was later expanded to New York. Six-month follow-up surveys indicated that the majority of participants continued to use knowledge and tools gained in the workshops. Suggestions for replicating this program elsewhere are provided.

Beyond Direct Education And Facilitation: Revisiting The Role Of Extension In Community & Regional Food Systems Development, Catie M. Demets, Lindsey Day Farnsworth

Journal of Extension

The fundamental issues that community and regional food systems aim to address are inherently systems problems, yet many Extension programs continue to focus food system development efforts on activities and actors that directly support the food value chain. While important, the impact of these interventions is limited. Drawing from interviews with directors of four of the nation’s leading Community and Regional Food Systems Extension programs, this article makes a case for rethinking Extension’s role in community and regional food systems development in relationship to key leverage points through a typology of Extension roles and corresponding examples.

Removing Barriers To Create Sustainable Leaders In Extension: The Odyssey Of Leadership Development, Lauren Griffeth, Joel Burnsed

Journal of Extension

Leadership development programs are an exploratory journey that develop Extension faculty to better themselves in service to the organization. In an effort to mitigate potential barriers for participants, it is imperative that organizations work to create conditions conducive for success. We posit barriers for extension professionals include, participants having a fixed-mindset (Dweck, 2016), time constraints (Lindle, 2015; McAlearney, 2006), and the employee burnout epidemic (Fisher, 2018; Seppala & Moeller, 2021). Proactively working against common negative influences, sets up leadership program participants to become more fully immersed in learning and subsequently have a better chance for a positive behavior change.

Strategies For Lgbtq+ Inclusivity Among Elementary School Aged Youths In Extension, Maru Gonzalez, Michael Kokozos, Sudha Sankar

Journal of Extension

While there is a growing body of scholarship related to LGBTQ+ inclusive practices among adolescents in 4-H, there is currently no research focused specifically on elementary school aged youths. This paper identifies research-based strategies to foster LGBTQ+ inclusivity among elementary school aged youths in 4-H and provides recommendations for implementation at the individual and institutional level. These strategies include ongoing professional development, supportive adult relationships, inclusive curriculum and programming, and LGBTQ+ inclusive guidance and protocols. The strategies and recommendations for implementation underscore the need for a multi-faceted approach to create more welcoming spaces that benefit all youths.

Assessing The Influence Of 4-H Participation On The Development Of Workforce Readiness Skills, Jodi L. Smith, Jamie Mullins, Lisa Ingram, Brenda Pruett, Allison Nichols, Carole Scheerbaum, Lorrie Wright, Amanda Johnson

Journal of Extension

We examined the impact of 4-H participation on workforce readiness skill development, including personal, work, communication, and problem solving/decision-making. The study examined two levels of 4-H activities: county-level and state-level. The online survey instrument contained questions about demographics, skill development and 4-H participation. Respondents indicated participation in county-level activities was positively related to the development of the four workforce skills; however, participation in state-level activities was significantly related to the development of work skills. Problem solving/decision-making skills was least associated to county or state-level participation. We recommend Extension professionals intentionally incorporate workforce readiness skills into all 4-H activities.