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Journal of Extension

Articles 31 - 46 of 46

Full-Text Articles in Agricultural Education

Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course: Program Evaluation, Nicola Oosthuizen, Pedro Fontes, Graham C. Lamb, Jason J. Cleere Sep 2023

Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course: Program Evaluation, Nicola Oosthuizen, Pedro Fontes, Graham C. Lamb, Jason J. Cleere

Journal of Extension

Survey results (n = 3,748) collected over a period of 7 years from the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course (BCSC) were analyzed to evaluate course demographics and the impact of the course on attendees. Results of this survey demonstrate that attendee demographics of the BCSC are representative of beef cattle producers in the United States and that the BCSC is effective at delivering information that positively impacts beef production in Texas. Extension professionals can make use of these findings to tailor future education programs to better serve the needs of beef cattle producers nation-wide.

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Virtually The Same? Understanding Virtual And F2f Farmer Audiences, Laura Witzling, Eric Williams, Dara M. Wald, Jacqueline Comito, Elizabeth Ripley May 2023

Virtually The Same? Understanding Virtual And F2f Farmer Audiences, Laura Witzling, Eric Williams, Dara M. Wald, Jacqueline Comito, Elizabeth Ripley

Journal of Extension

Agricultural and extension educators frequently employ a variety of methods to provide farmers with information about conservation practices. The introduction of virtual programming brought on in response to the COVID-19 pandemic set the stage for analysis of farmer outreach preferences with respect to face-to-face (F2F) versus virtual outreach. Using survey data of individuals who participated in field days in Iowa, we segmented participants based on their F2F or virtual attendance. We compared the groups based on key variables such as water quality concerns, communication behaviors, outreach preferences, and demographics. Our work suggests that a broad and dynamic communication strategy, including …

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Development And Assessment Of A Food Safety Training Program For Farmers’ Market Vendors, Joshua Scheinberg, Rama Radhakrishna, Catherine Cutter Dec 2022

Development And Assessment Of A Food Safety Training Program For Farmers’ Market Vendors, Joshua Scheinberg, Rama Radhakrishna, Catherine Cutter

Journal of Extension

Based on results collected through a comprehensive needs assessment of farmers market (FM) vendors in Pennsylvania, the purpose of this study was to develop and pilot-test a customized, food safety training program for FM vendors. A customized 3-hour, in-person, training program was developed and pilot tested. Using pre- and post-test assessment tests through piloted training, the results found participants scores on knowledge questions increased significantly by ~20% (p

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Connecting Diverse Communities Through A 4-H Urban-Rural Experience, Laurie Murrah-Hanson, Brittani Lee, Pamela Bloch Dec 2022

Connecting Diverse Communities Through A 4-H Urban-Rural Experience, Laurie Murrah-Hanson, Brittani Lee, Pamela Bloch

Journal of Extension

Misconceptions regarding agricultural careers are exacerbated by increasing urbanization and are one of many differences in perspective between urban and rural communities. The One Georgia 4-H Urban-Rural Experience addresses this divide through a statewide youth exchange focusing on the agricultural sector. The program includes a multifaceted look at agricultural careers through visits to urban and rural communities. Focus group evaluations revealed the impact on youth through exposure to new careers, increased understanding of the diversity of agriculture, awareness of the interconnected nature of urban and rural communities, and a sense of belonging to a diverse group of youth.

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Weather Information And Decision-Support Tool Needs Assessment, Lily Calderwood, Glen Koehler, Sean Birkel, Erin H. Roche Sep 2022

Weather Information And Decision-Support Tool Needs Assessment, Lily Calderwood, Glen Koehler, Sean Birkel, Erin H. Roche

Journal of Extension

University of Maine researchers developed three commodity-specific grower focus groups (lowbush blueberry, apple, mixed vegetable) to discuss and survey 1) current access to weather information, and 2) interest in weather-based decision support tools. NOAA National Weather Service (30%) (n=47) was most commonly cited as a weather information source. Growers ranked greater forecast accuracy (31%) and localization (19%) (n=48) as highest priorities. Only 34% of growers reported current use of weather-based decision support tools, but 86% expressed interest in future use (n=134). The project team is using grower input to improve weather data access and decision-support tools for Maine farmers.

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Teaching Educators Basic Fruit Tree Grafting Methods, Jeffrey C. Wilson, Wayne Porter, Casey Barickman Sep 2022

Teaching Educators Basic Fruit Tree Grafting Methods, Jeffrey C. Wilson, Wayne Porter, Casey Barickman

Journal of Extension

Hands-on education has proven to be successful in teaching basic grafting methods. MSU Extension developed and conducted eleven statewide workshops teaching Extension Agents and Master Gardeners preferred fruit tree grafting methods. The hands-on workshops provided specialists, agents, and Master Gardeners training on teaching fruit tree grafting classes for clientele. Each workshop consisted of a pre-test, a PowerPoint presentation, a post-test, and a grafting demonstration. Post-test scores showed a significant gain in knowledge over pre-test scores. This training can be replicated/adapted by other organizations to conduct educational outreach.

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Perceptions And Management Of Ventenata By Producers In The Inland Pacific Northwest, Lisa Jones, John Wallace, Kathleen Painter, Pamela Pavek, Timothy S. Prather Jun 2022

Perceptions And Management Of Ventenata By Producers In The Inland Pacific Northwest, Lisa Jones, John Wallace, Kathleen Painter, Pamela Pavek, Timothy S. Prather

Journal of Extension

Ventenata is an annual grass that has invaded agricultural and wildland settings in the Inland Pacific Northwest, causing economic and ecological losses. We know little about producers’ perceived risks and management of ventenata. We present results of surveys in 2011 and 2014 targeting producers across affected counties in Idaho and Washington. Awareness of ventenata and costs to producers increased across that time interval. Respondents attending ventenata Extension events adopted recommended management strategies more than those who did not attend. Our study documents the importance of continued integrated pest management research in concert with stakeholder engagement and education.

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Expanding Effective Behavioral Health Literacy Programs To Address Farm Stress, Cheryl L. Eschbach, Courtney Cuthbertson, Gwyn Shelle, Ronald O. Bates Jun 2022

Expanding Effective Behavioral Health Literacy Programs To Address Farm Stress, Cheryl L. Eschbach, Courtney Cuthbertson, Gwyn Shelle, Ronald O. Bates

Journal of Extension

Attention to stress and mental health among agricultural producers has increased over recent years, and Cooperative Extension has been active in offering educational workshops and resources to agricultural audiences. This article describes the process and effectiveness of expanding two (university) Extension farm stress management programs to Cooperative Extension in other states through a national Farm Stress Management Summit. The two-day training Summit provided deeper knowledge about farm stress issues and prepared Extension professionals to offer behavioral health programs in their own communities and respective states. Evaluation findings highlight effective aspects of the Summit and next steps.

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Thinking Outside The Box Of Evaluation Platforms: Adapting Qualtrics For Virtual 4-H Judging Competitions, Maria Calvert, Ty Peckman Mar 2022

Thinking Outside The Box Of Evaluation Platforms: Adapting Qualtrics For Virtual 4-H Judging Competitions, Maria Calvert, Ty Peckman

Journal of Extension

Competitive events represent a major component of 4-H programming. These events are typically held in person; however, unforeseen circumstances, like the COVID-19 pandemic, have required Extension professionals to adapt these programs to virtual settings. This paper outlines some unique features of Qualtrics, a web-based tool commonly used to build surveys, that led Missouri 4-H to use the platform to administer agriculture and natural resource science contests.

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Water Conservation: Extension Agents’ Perceptions Of Issue Importance, Professional Abilities, And Landowner Needs, Audrey Mccrary, Leslie M. Burger, Laura Downey, Beth H. Baker Mar 2022

Water Conservation: Extension Agents’ Perceptions Of Issue Importance, Professional Abilities, And Landowner Needs, Audrey Mccrary, Leslie M. Burger, Laura Downey, Beth H. Baker

Journal of Extension

The Extension Service is one of many agencies charged with increasing awareness and knowledge of research-based agricultural conservation practices. A regional survey of Extension agents with agriculture and natural resources responsibilities was conducted to assess the need for in-service training on 11 water resource conservation topics. The highest priority training needs were for topics related to complex interactions and drivers of agricultural water pollution. This article highlights the implications of these results and offers broader perspective on bringing the Borich model of needs assessment into the agricultural and natural resources realm of subject matter expertise.

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Development Of Add-On Materials To Supplement Food Safety Modernization Act Trainings In The Western U.S., Jovana Kovacevic Feb 2022

Development Of Add-On Materials To Supplement Food Safety Modernization Act Trainings In The Western U.S., Jovana Kovacevic

Journal of Extension

During the 2017 annual meeting of the Western Regional Center to Enhance Food Safety, 52 representatives from 15 western states/territories, regional centers funded through USDA-NIFA Food Safety Outreach Program, federal and state government agencies, and non-governmental organizations prioritized topics for the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) training materials that address region-specific agricultural production and processing systems. This article describes supplemental materials or “add-ons” developed to support FSMA-related food safety trainings. Although the materials were developed for the western region stakeholders, they can be applied or adapted to other regions in or outside the U.S. to enhance food safety trainings.

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Addressing Nature-Deficit Disorder Using A Multi-Program Area, Multi-State Approach, Rod N. Williams, Robert Cordes, Rebecca Koetz, Jarred Brooke, Molly Hunt, Lindsey Pedigo Dec 2021

Addressing Nature-Deficit Disorder Using A Multi-Program Area, Multi-State Approach, Rod N. Williams, Robert Cordes, Rebecca Koetz, Jarred Brooke, Molly Hunt, Lindsey Pedigo

Journal of Extension

Youth are spending less time outdoors compared to previous generations. Because youth spend much of their time in school, teachers can provide the critical linkages that introduce students to nature. Unfortunately, teachers often lack access to standards-based STEAM curricula focused on natural resources, do not feel comfortable taking their students outside, and may not be knowledgeable about how to incorporate nature into the classroom. Addressing the nature deficit disorder facing today’s youth and the lack of professional development for teachers requires involvement from Extension (agriculture and natural resources specialists, health and human science educators) and natural resources professionals.

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Veganic Agriculture In The United States: Opportunities For Research, Outreach, And Education, Alisha Utter, Mona Seymour Jul 2021

Veganic Agriculture In The United States: Opportunities For Research, Outreach, And Education, Alisha Utter, Mona Seymour

Journal of Extension

A growing number of farmers are excluding animal inputs from crop production, an approach commonly referred to as veganic or stockfree organic agriculture. This research-based article discusses the soil health and fertility strategies reported by a sample of U.S. veganic farmers. These approaches may be relevant beyond the veganic community to farmers seeking innovative methods for produce safety and nutrient cycling. Agricultural outreach professionals (AOPs), including Extension personnel, play a critical role in supporting veganic practices by serving as cross-pollinators between farmers and research institutions. Thus, the article endeavors to expand AOP familiarity with veganic practices and benefits.

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Integrating Underutilized Black Volunteers In 4-H Youth Development Programs, Maurice Smith Jr., Shannon Wiley Jul 2021

Integrating Underutilized Black Volunteers In 4-H Youth Development Programs, Maurice Smith Jr., Shannon Wiley

Journal of Extension

4-H Youth Development prides itself on providing essential resources to reach underserved minority populations. 4-H provides programming and professional development for volunteers to include diverse hands-on training, and cultural competency workshops. This article provides best practices for the inclusion of African American volunteers in 4-H programming efforts that could help extension educators better understand the need to include minority volunteer roles and responsibilities. These strategies include strengthening diverse volunteer make-up, increasing participation and trust among African American youth, and engaging volunteers working in educational organizations that could provide real world experiences for youth.

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What Makes A Small Farm Successful? A Review Of Success Factors, Needs, And Challenges, Katie Tritsch, Ken Mix, Michelle L. Edwards, Manuel Piña Jr. Jun 2021

What Makes A Small Farm Successful? A Review Of Success Factors, Needs, And Challenges, Katie Tritsch, Ken Mix, Michelle L. Edwards, Manuel Piña Jr.

Journal of Extension

Small-scale farmers face unique challenges. In this review, we conceptualize small farm success by aggregating and categorizing results from recent (post-2000) literature on small farm success factors and producer needs assessments. Our findings suggest that small farm success is multifaceted and not limited to profitability. We find that small farms have a diverse range of needs, though little has been done to rank their importance. We conclude that future research would benefit from increased methodological transparency and a systematic approach to needs evaluation. We consider the role of Extension professionals regarding the continued success of small farms.

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Diagnostic Walkabouts: Seventeen Years Of Specialized Training For Horticultural Professionals, Timothy J. Malinich, Jacqueline Kowalski, Charles Behnke Mar 2021

Diagnostic Walkabouts: Seventeen Years Of Specialized Training For Horticultural Professionals, Timothy J. Malinich, Jacqueline Kowalski, Charles Behnke

Journal of Extension

A diagnostic walkabout (DW) is an in-field diagnostic training program for professionals in the green industry (greenhouse, landscape, nursery, and turf businesses). DWs have been scheduled annually since 2002 and are easily replicable, fee-based programs that provide cost recovery. DWs also serve as a mentoring program for new Extension educators. Four generations of Extension Educators have participated. Recently, the annual program has been sponsored by state and regional trade associations. What began as an educational outreach program has become a bridge spanning Extension, trade associations, businesses, and generations of Extension educators.

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