IMPROVING AGRICULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS: RESEARCH AND EVALUATION IN PRACTICE AND PEDAGOGY

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: HATCH
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1001495
• Project Start Date: Nov 1, 2013
• Project End Date: Sep 30, 2018
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
(N/A)
FAYETTEVILLE,AR 72703

Performing Department
Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology

Non Technical Summary
Because consumers of agricultural information acquire a large portion of that information from the mass media, it is of great importance to the agricultural community that communicators understand how best to package and deliver their messages for various media and various audiences. This understanding, to be most useful in practice, should be based on knowledge resulting from valid, reliable research about how people receive, interpret, and apply information about agricultural issues and topics in various contexts. Additionally, because the fate of some agricultural innovations and initiatives lies in the agriculture industry's ability to publicize them in a way that wins the trust of the general public, the agricultural community should equip itself with well-qualified professionals in the discipline of agricultural communications. Therefore, research related to practical teaching and training in agricultural communications is necessary. The purpose of this project is to improve the communication abilities of organizations and individuals who desire to educate the public about their agricultural endeavors and who seek to improve and maintain the public image of agriculture.

Animal Health Component

50%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

25%

Applied

50%

Developmental

25%

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
903	6099	3030	100%

Knowledge Area
903 - Communication, Education, and Information Delivery;

Subject Of Investigation
6099 - People and communities, general/other;

Field Of Science
3030 - Information and communication;

Keywords

agricultural communications

content analysis

academic programs

experiential learning

Goals / Objectives
1. Characterize and evaluate agricultural communications efforts related to current issues in agriculture with a special focus on how best to communicate with two primary audiences: (1) consumers about issues related to food production and processing that might affect their purchasing and consumption habits and (2) producers about new production technologies that can make their farms more sustainable economically and environmentally. 2. Characterize, develop, and evaluate formal and non-formal educational efforts in agricultural communications, including curriculum and training needs in the discipline of agricultural communications, with a special emphasis on experiential teaching and learning.

Project Methods
Investigate current agricultural communications and media relations efforts This objective will be addressed through the following major activities: Content analysis research examining news articles and other communications efforts related to crisis and risk, new technologies, political issues, and economics in agriculture in U.S. newspapers and other mass media. Focus group research with consumers of news and other information related to crisis and risk, new technologies, political issues, and economics in agriculture. Journal articles and conference presentations to disseminate research findings to agricultural communications practitioners and academicians nationally and internationally. Investigate formal and non-formal educational needs related to agricultural communications This objective will be addressed through the following major activities: Surveys and qualitative methods, including focus group research and open-ended interviews, to continue identifying educational needs of students and professionals related to agricultural communications. Journal articles and conference presentations to disseminate research findings to agricultural communications practitioners and academicians nationally and internationally. Use of new knowledge about curriculum needs in the development of agricultural communications curriculum at all levels of instruction

Progress 11/01/13 to 09/30/18

Outputs
Target Audience: The audience for information resulting from this research program is (1) practicing communications professionals who communicate to the public about agricultural issues, technologies, and practices, and (2) faculty and administrators at higher education institutions who offer, or who are planning to offer, curriculum in agricultural communications or related disciplines. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The PI and six students received training on a new digital fabric latex printer, which was acquired with grants supporting research on experiential learning in the disciplines of agricultural communications and apparel merchandising and product development. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Academic journals and academic professional conferences have been the primary media for dissemination of research results. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Findings from a content analysis of the top 5 US protein companies' web pages on animal welfare and Twitter dialog on animal welfare indicated a need for improvements in strategic communications practices through these two media. Further research is necessary to investigate the best approaches to communicating with the public while protecting the brand and image of the protein companies and the industry as a whole. Findings from a survey of agricultural journalism professionals, college agriculture students, and college agriculture faculty in the UK indicated the need for college/university-level curriculum in agricutlural communications. Preferences for the kinds of courses, skills, and competencies were identified as well. Meetings between the PI and faculty/administrators at two UK institutions have been scheduled for this summer, where discussions about how to move forward with integrating agricultural journalism curriclum into UK's colleges/universitites of agriculture will take place.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Miller, J., & Apple, L. M. (2018, October). Digital printing technology in university experiential learning classes. Journal of Textile Science and Fashion Technology, 1(3), 1-2. Available online: https://irispublishers.com/jtsft/pdf/JTSFT.MS.ID.000515.pdf
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Miller, J. D., & Hillaire, P. (2018, May). Enhancing agricultural classroom and lab experiences: Concepts from Kolbs model of experiential learning. Peer-reviewed abstract and presentation at the Conference on Innovation in Agricultural Education, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, May 2-5, 2018.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Alexander, J., Rucker, K. J, Graham, D. L., Miller, J. D., & Apple, J. (2017). Perceptions of agricultural leadership academic programs of 1863 land-grant universities. Journal of Agricultural Education, 58(4), 65-82. https://doiorg/10.5032/jae.2017.04065
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Maples, S.*, Miller, J. D., & Norton, O.* (2018, February). Corporate Positions on Animal Welfare: A Content Analysis of Protein Companies' Web Pages. Research poster accepted for presentation at the Southern Agricultural Education Research Conference, Jacksonville, FL. Miller, J. D., & Norton, O. (2018, February). Animal welfare framing on Twitter. Research abstract and poster presented at the Southern Agricultural Education Research Conference, Jacksonville, FL.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Maples, S., Miller, J. D., & Norton, O. (2018, February). Corporate Positions on Animal Welfare: A Content Analysis of Protein Companies' Web Pages. Research abstract and poster presented at the Southern Agricultural Education Research Conference, Jacksonville, FL.

Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17

Outputs
Target Audience:The audience for information resulting from this research program is (1) practicing communications professionals who communicate to the public about agricutlural issues, technologies, and practices, and (2) faculty and administrators at higher education institutions who offer, or who are planning to offer, curriculum in agricultural communications or related disciplines. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Two journal article manuscripts focusing on protein companies' communications efforts related to animal welfare have been drafted, and the results of both studies will be shared in poster presentations at a national conference in February 2018. The manuscripts will be submitted to their respective targeted journals in 2018. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Research will focuse intensely on the UK agricultural communications academic discipline concept. Data collection is scheduled for February 2018, and results will be finalized by July 2018. Discussions with two UK institutions about the prospects of developing undergraduate programs in agricultural communications are underway and will continue throughout 2018.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1.1 The top five protein producing companies' web pages devoted to animal welfare were analyzed and evaluated for common persuasive frames and common topics. The predominant frame in the narrative was being recognized as an industry leader and animal care vs. profit. The most common topic was policy. The amount of narrative devoted by each company to animal welfare varied greatly, ranging from 1,045 words to 265 words. In a related project, narrative on Twitter involving consumers and protein companies was analyzed for comon frames, topics, and tone. Over a 6-month period, protein companies rarely initiated or participated in twitter conversation about animal welfare. Consumers' tweets in that time frame directed at or mentioning protein companies totaled 156 and focused on the industry leader, animal care vs. profit and zero tolerance for animal abuse frames. Cargill's audience produced the most positive tweets with 578, while Tyson Foods' audience produced 52 negatively toned tweets. Manuscripts from both research efforts are 2. In a new project, a protocol for surveying student, faculty, and employer's perceptions about the need for developing an academic discipline in agricultural communications in the United Kingdom is underway. Subjects for the study include students, faculty and administrators at two U.K. agriucltural colleges/universities and industry professionals who are members of the British Guild of Agricultural Journalists. Survey instruments have been developed that include costructs related to desired competencies of agricultural communications graduates and desired coursework in prospective undergraduate programs of study in the discipline.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2018 Citation: Alexander, J., Rucker, K. J, Graham, D. L., Miller, J. D., & Apple, J. (in press). Perceptions of agricultural leadership academic programs of 1863 land-grant universities. Journal of Agricultural Education.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2017 Citation: Brown, D. E.*, Popp, J., & Miller, J. D. (in review). Translating social capital and ICT use among smallholder farmers into evidence for food security policymaking. Journal of Applied Communications Research.
• Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Submitted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Norton, O. (2017). Animal welfare frames: How social media messages bridge the gap between the protein industry and consumers. (Master's thesis). University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:The audience for information resulting from this research program is (1) practicing communications professionals who communicate to the public about agricutlural issues, technologies, and practices, and (2) faculty and administrators at higher education institutions who offer, or who are planning to offer, curriculum in agricutlural communications or related disciplines. Changes/Problems:A key change is that work in East Africa has ceased, as the project focusing on commercial egg marketing in developing countries has moved to Haiti. The new research focus in Haiti will be on egg marketing messaging as well as on communicating the model for a sustainable egg farm in the form of a video documentary, which will be produced and edited by students. This project, which also includes human nutrition research to determine the value of eggs in children's diets, is funded by Tyson Foods and OneEgg Inc. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results of these projects have been and will continue to be disseminated in the form of peer-reviewed journal articles and regional and national conference papers and presentations. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?For the coming year, the focus of this research program will remain on Goal 2, as we characterize thecultures of the top five programs as identified by faculty participating in the most recent study of agricutlural communicaitons academic programs. This qualitative study will provide recommendations for improving student success and retention in agricutlural communications programs, and those faculty who apply the recommendations should see improvements in terms of professional readiness of their graduates and ultimately they should see the level of prestige of their academic programs rise. Additionally, a new study related to Goal 1 is underway, with methodology and subject selection under development. This study will evaluate the social media strategies of large protein producing companies in the US, comparing those strategies with the actual content of social media posts. This large-scale communication evaluation will result in a better understanding of how protein companies can improve social media communication efforts to educate consumers about issues isuch as animal welfare, acceptable production and processing practices, and environmental impacts.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Goal 1: A study on Jamaican farmers' motivations for farming resulted in a journal article introducig a taxonomy that will be used in communicating with Jamaican policymakers to help them understand the needs of various types of farmers ranging from subsistence farmers to entrepreneurs with relatively high levels of resources. Goal 2: Following a previous study characterizing the 48 US academic programs in agricultural communications, data collection has begun in a new study that will characterize the organizational cultures of the five most prestigious programs as identified in the previous study. The results should guide faculty and administrators in making academic, professional, and social improvements in their programs based on approaches that are successful in the top five programs.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Brown, D. E., Popp, J., & Miller, J. D. (2016). Understanding Jamaican smallholder farmers motives as evidence for bottom -up food security policymaking. International Journal of Agricultural Extension, 4(3), 159-172.

Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15

Outputs
Target Audience:The audience for information resulting from this research program is (1) practicing communications professionals who communicate to the public about agricutlural issues, technologies, and practices, and (2) faculty and administrators at higher education institutions who offer, or who are planning to offer,curriculum in agricutlural communications or related disciplines. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results of these projects were disseminated in the form of peer-reviewed journal articles and regional and nationalconference papers and presentations. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?For the coming year, the focus of this research program will remain on Goal 2.A new study is underway to characterize the cultures of the top five programs as identified by faculty participating in the most recent study of agricutlural communicaitons academic programs. This qualitative study will provide recommendations for improving student success and retention in agricutlural communications programs, and those faculty who apply the recommendations should see improvements in terms of professional readiness of their graduates.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Goal 1: A study on college students' perceptions of environmental sustatinabilitywas completed and the results published. The resultes demonstrated a clear disconnect between the subjects' self-described perceptions of the importance of sustainability efforts and their willingness to actually participate in these efforts. Recommendations included more efforts by campus administrations to encourage students to put their sustainability values into practice. Goal 2: A national study characterizing all post-secondary agricultural communications programs in the United States was completed and the results published. This study identified 48 existing programs, about 20 more than had been identified in previous studies. The accompanying characterizations of these programs has provided a foundation for more work on identifying the characteristics of quality agricutlural communications programs. This type of research serves as a guide for programs that are adding or modifying curriculum to improve the development of future agricultural communicators, and it also serves as a guide for faculty and administrators whoplan to add agricutural communications programs (majors, minors, concentrations, or emphases) in the near future.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Edgar, L. D., Johnson, D. M., & Miller, J. D. (2015). University of Arkansas students perceptions, interests, and behaviors related to sustainability: Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education, 44(1), 79-85. Miller, J. D., Large, M.*, Rucker, K. J., Shoulders, C., and Buck, E. (2015, February). Characteristics of U.S. Agricultural Communications Undergraduate Programs. Paper presented at the Agricultural Communications Section of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists, Atlanta, GA. Alexander, J.C.*, Rucker, K.J., Graham, D.L., Miller, J.D., & Apple, J. (In press). Perceptions of agricultural leadership academic programs at 1862 land-grant institutions. Paper accepted at the Southern Region of the American Association for Agricultural Education, San Antonio, TX, Feb. 5-9, 2016. Miller, J. D., Large, M.*, Rucker, K. J., Shoulders, C., and Buck, E. (2015, June). Characteristics of U.S. Agricultural Communications Undergraduate Programs. Paper presented at the Association for Communications Excellence Research Session, Charleston, SC. Wright, S.B.*, Rucker, K.J., Miller, J.D., & Goodwin, H.L. (2015). Desired leadership competencies among agricultural sales professionals: A delphi study. American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Conference, Athens, GA, June 16-19, 2015. Refereed poster with published abstract in proceedings. Wright, S.B.*, Rucker, K.J., Miller, J.D., & Goodwin, H.L. (2015). Self-perceived leadership competencies among agricultural sales students. American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Conference, Athens, GA, June 16-19, 2015. Refereed poster with published abstract in proceedings. Miller, J. D., Large, M. M.*, Rucker, K. J., Shoulders, K., & Buck, Emily B. (In press). Characteristics of U.S. agricultural communications undergraduate programs. Journal of Applied Communications. Jernigan, H.*, Edgar, L. D., Miller, J. D., & Cox, C. K. (2015). Communication technology training beyond the university campus: A case study of skill development in the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. NACTA Journal, 59(2).

Progress 11/01/13 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: The Audience for objective 1 (Characterize and evaluate agricultural communications efforts related to current issues in agriculture) includes practitioners in the discipline of agricultural communications. Examples are public relations professionals with commodity groups, government institutions, Land-Grant colleges and universities. The Audience for objective 2 (Characterize, develop, and evaluate formal and non-formal educational efforts in agricultural communications) includes faculty and administrators in colleges of agriculture. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Research on mass media efforts to communicate agriultural topics and issues to consumers as well as producers will continue. Research results on the characterization of U.S. agricultural communications academic programs will continue to be analyzed and dissemanted, mostly to Land Grant faculty and administrators.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1. Evaluation projects focused on a state commodity group's marketing communications campaign effort and an Animal Science academic program's recruiting and retention video. Results from the campaign analysis resulted in recommendations that the commodity group develop more focused and targeted messages to increase message saturation and to create deeper, more effective communication of the group's most important messages. Results from the video evaluation resulted in recommendations that such videos should be used in colleges of agriculture to help improve retention and that such videos may be especially effective with students whose academic advisors prefer a hands-off advising style. 2. Research on the characterization of U.S. agricultural communications programs resulted in the identification of 40 active programs in the U.S. The characterization included descriptions of degree types offered, how the programs are housed and named, numbers of students in programs, types of curriculum in programs, and faculty perceptions of the top programs in the country.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: McKenna, S.*, Miller, J. D., & Jack, N. (2014). Determining the usefulness of an an advising video for an animal science department. North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Journal, 58(2), 163-167.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Rushing, T.*, Miller, J. D., Edgar, L. D., & Cox, C. (2014). Finding the five Rs in exemplary agriculture publication capstone courses. Journal of Applied Communications, 98(2), 6-22.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2015 Citation: Jernigan, H.*, Edgar, L. D., Miller, J. D., & Cox, C. K. (In press). Communication technology training beyond the university campus: A case study of skill development in the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. NACTA Journal
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2014 Citation: Brown, D.*, Miller, J. D., & Popp, J. (In review). Understanding smallholder farmers motives as evidence for bottom-up food security policymaking. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2014 Citation: Edgar, L. D., Johnson, D. M., & Miller, J. D. (In review). College students perceptions, interests, and behaviors related to sustainability: A closer look at a large southern university. Natural Resources of Life Sciences Education.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Hughes, A.*, Edgar, L. D., Cox. C. K., & Miller, J. D. (2014, February). Utilizing interactive software to engage students in electronic learning environments. Agricultural Education Section of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists, Dallas, TX. (Reviewed poster with published abstract in proceedingsDistinguished innovative poster).
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Hughes, A.*, Johnson, T. L., Edgar, L. D., Cox, C. K., & Miller, J. D. (2014, February). Agricultural commodity messaging: A focus on assessment and evaluation. Agricultural Education Section of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists, Dallas, TX. (Reviewed poster with published abstract in proceedings).
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Johnson, T. L.*, Hughes, A., Edgar, L. D., Cox, C. K., & Miller, J. D. (2014, February). A Qualitative Assessment of a Large Southern Commodity Boards Youth Outreach Promotional Activities in a 2012 Public Relations Campaign. Agricultural Communications Section of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists, Dallas, TX. (Refereed paper).
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Large, M.*, Miller, J. D., Edgar, L. D., and Cox, C. K. (2014, February). Active Learning: A Collaborative Focus Group Activity in An Introductory Agricultural Communications Course. Agricultural Communications Section of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists, Dallas, TX. (Reviewed poster with published abstract in proceedings--2nd place outstanding innovative poster).
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2015 Citation: Baum, J. & Miller, J. D. (In press). The effects of consuming eggs on the physical development of students participating in a school feeding program in Uganda: A pilot study. Experimental Biology. (Research conference abstract).
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2015 Citation: Edgar, L. D., Johnson, D. M., Miller, J. D., & England, J.* (In press). Agricultural Education Section of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists, Atlanta, GA. (Refereed paper).
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2015 Citation: Miller, J. D., Large, M.*, Rucker, K. J., Shoulders, C., and Buck, E. (In press). Characteristics of U.S. Agricultural Communications Undergraduate Programs. Agricultural Communications Section of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists, Atlanta, GA. (Peer-reviewed paper accepted for presentation.)