Month: January 2000

Tips on good neighboring.

A recent article in Midwest DairyBusiness magazine describes some techniques that Wisconsin dairy producers use to be good neighbors. These and other ideas emerged from a survey among producers early this year:

 The article emphasizes that good public relations is right conduct.

 Reference: Use title search (“Good behavior first, good PR second”) for the full citation.

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Focus on e-commerce and mandatory price reporting. 

USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum 2000, which took place in Washington, D.C., during February, included several communications-related presentations. They are now part of the ACDC collection. Examples:

Reference: Use title searches (above) for full citations. Presentations are posted on www.usda.gov/oce/waob/oc2000/speeches.htm

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Recent additions that feature campaigns.

Following are a few of the campaign-oriented documents that have gone into the ACDC collection during recent months.

• “Foundation E.A.R.T.H. drives first farmer-based campaign dedicated to advancement of biotechnology”
• “$100,000 vs $50-million – competing biotech PR campaigns: the little guy has the upper hand”
•  “The organic food industry: smearing the competition”
• “Activists create alternative news source for farmers” 

Reference: Use title searches to identify the full citations. 

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Sound familiar?

Those interested in agricultural communications education might hear a familiar ring in recent discussions about agribusiness education. Here are some of the questions being raised about the direction for agribusiness education during the next five years:

Reference: Use a title search (“The state of agribusiness teaching, research, and extension at the turn of the millennium”) for the full citation.

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Welcome to Rosie Subat

As new student assistant in the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center. A recent agricultural communications graduate, Rosie is beginning her graduate study in journalism at the University of Illinois, with an emphasis in photojournalism. She will help identify, gather and process information for the ACDC collection as well as provide information services for clients.

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Thanks for your encouragement and suggestions.

We appreciate hearing from you about “News and Announcements” and other resources and services of the Center. Here are some recent comments that have helped encourage us in our efforts to identify and share information about agriculture-related communications:

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New, handy view of historical information about ACT.

You can now use the Internet to see the kinds of information contained in the American Association of Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT) archives, which are maintained at the University of Illinois. Recently the University Archives staff posted this convenient finding aid online. Materials in the ACT archives cover a 32-year period, beginning in 1968 when students began to consider the need and potential for a national organization.

You can review the ACT Archives finding aid at www.library.uiuc.edu/ahx/act

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Professional meetings approaching.

Following are some conferences, workshops and other kinds of professional improvement events for agricultural communicators:

September 2, 2000
First session of the 44^th International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) conference at Royal Adelaide Showground, Adelaide, South Australia

September 28 – October 1, 2000
“CFWF 2000.” Conference of the Canadian Farm Writers Federation at Lethbridge, Alberta. Theme: “Farming on the green planet – the new age of stewardship.”
Information: cstanfie@fieldstone.ca

October 8 – 10, 2000
“Extension’s role in biotechnology education.” Symposium at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.
Information: www.biotech.iastate.edu/symposium_oct2000.html

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We look forward to seeing some of you

At the U.S. Agricultural Communicators Congress in Washington, D.C., later this month. An Academic Swap Meet on Monday, July 24, will provide an opportunity for us to demonstrate how to gather information from the Documentation Center through online searching.

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Best regards and good searching.

Please let us know if we can help you find information and/or if you can suggest documents that we might add to this collection.

“If I were the queen of labels.”

That’s the arresting title of an article by Jane M. Thomas in the May 2000 issue of Agrichemical and Environmental News from Washington State University. And her follow-up is just as engrossing as she buzzes bravely into the beehive of pesticide labeling policy. As coordinator of the Pesticide Notification Network, Thomas reviews hundreds of pesticide labels. Noting that the U.S. has no rules with regard to pesticide labels, she proceeds to outline a slate of new rules that she would establish if she were “queen of labels.” Into her light-touch treatment, she weaves thoughtful discussion and specific suggestions about how to address this serious, complex challenge in risk communications.

Reference: Use title search (above) for the full citation. Article is posted online at http://www2.tricity.wsu.edu/aenews/May00AENews/May00AENews.htm

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Using comics in development.

If you’d like to examine ways in which to fit drama and humor into information campaigns, you may be interested in this new reference from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland:

Comics with an attitude: a guide to the use of comics in development information

This 14-page reference describes the special capabilities of comics, summarizes techniques for using them effectively and offers case examples.
Reference: Use title search (above) for the full citation. Reference is posted online at http://global.finland.fi/comics/index.htm

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Invisible barrier.

A recent report from the Human Development Report Office of the United Nations Development Programme highlights problems in the use of new information technologies for development. The paper suggests that an invisible barrier has emerged – a barrier that, “true to its name, is like a world wide web, embracing the connected and silently, almost imperceptibly, excluding the rest.” It cites statistics that illustrate gaps among countries, in terms of Internet access and use. And it concludes that “market forces alone will not rectify the imbalance.”

Reference: Use title search (“New technologies and the global race for knowledge”) for the full citation.

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Jousting among food information sources.

Media personnel and others are being alerted to credibility issues as new food information centers appear online. A recent example in Canada involves a press release from a health-advocacy organization contending that a food information council in that country is “hiding the fact that it is sponsored by major food corporations.”

Reference: Use title search (“Canadian Food Information Council: wolf in sheep’s clothing”) for the full citation.

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And differing slants on results of those public attitude studies.

News media also report many studies these days about public attitudes toward biotechnology and food safety. Such studies are based on a variety of survey methods, some more sound than others. And even the statistically rigorous studies are open to “selective spin” by interest groups that cite the results.

Take, for example, a survey during May 2000 among a probability sample of U.S. consumers. It is the most recent in a series of similar surveys related to food biotechnology. Advocates of GMO foods can view the results and conclude that consumer attitudes regarding food biotechnology are increasingly positive. This conclusion is based, for example, on findings that (compared with last fall) consumers seem somewhat more likely to buy produce that has been enhanced to taste better or fresher. However, critics of GMO foods can cite findings reported in the same study that (compared with a year ago) consumers seem less likely to buy such produce.

Reference: Use title search (“U.S. consumer attitudes toward food biotechnology”) for the full citation.

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Some other recent studies about public attitudes toward GM food:

• “Awareness of genetically modified foods wide but knowledge inch deep” (data from Canada, US)
• “Significant knowledge gap in debate over modified foods” (data from Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, UK, US)
• “Teenagers see monitored GM foods as part of future”
• “Biotech in trouble – part 2”
• “Australians want labels on genetically modified food: survey”

Reference: Use title searches to identify the full citations for these documents.

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Conferencing by Internet.

The Institute of Food Technologists reports that the first Internet conference in the field of food science and technology is taking place this year. The Internet conference is a major part of preparations for the 11^th World Congress in Food Science and Technology. It will take place in Seoul, Korea, during April 2001. Participants can submit papers and discuss their work with others by connecting to a conference website.

Reference: Use title search (“First-ever food science and technology Internet conference”) for the full citation. The conference website is posted at www.foodcy2001.or.kr

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“Thinkers” and “worker bees.”

A reader of ACDC News expresses concern about the role of professional communicators in universities today. “I think the universities took a wrong turn years ago when they moved to create a peck-order system which put faculty in the “thinker” role and practitioners in the “worker bee” category. It’s so counter to fundamental Land Grant philosophy and to the best interests of both the institution and the productivity and intellectual development of the faculty members and practitioners.”

Let us know if you have seen or heard recent discussion about this topic.

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Professional meetings approaching.

Following are some conferences, workshops and other kinds of professional improvement events for agricultural communicators:

July 29 – August 1, 2000
“If you remember the Summit, you’ll definitely remember the Alamo.” Agricultural Publications Summit at Adams Mark Hotel, San Antonio, Texas. Joint meeting of American Agricultural Editors’ Association, Agricultural Publishers Association and Livestock Publications Council.
Information: dianej@flash.net

September 2, 2000
First session of the 44^th International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) conference at Royal Adelaide Showground, Adelaide, South Australia

September 28 – October 1, 2000
“CFWF 2000.” Conference of the Canadian Farm Writers Federation at Lethbridge, Alberta. Theme: “Farming on the green planet – the new age of stewardship.”
Information: cstanfie@fieldstone.ca

October 8 – 10, 2000
“Extension’s role in biotechnology education.” Symposium at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.
Information: www.biotech.iastate.edu/symposium_oct2000.html

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Best regards and good searching.

Please let us know if we can help you find information and/or if you can suggest documents that we might add to this collection.

“Falsely optimistic.”

Many Americans are falsely optimistic about the quality of their diets, according to research reported in the January-April 2000 issue of FoodReview magazine. According to the authors, “In particular, we found that males, people between 30 and 49 years of age, Hispanics, wealthier individuals, and those with more formal schooling have a greater tendency to be falsely optimistic about the quality of their diets.”

They suggest that nutrition messages need to be redesigned to address this gap.

Reference: Use Title search (“Many Americans falsely optimistic about their diets”) for the full citation. Text of the article is available online at www.ers.usda.gov

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An interesting way to describe e-commerce today:

“…it’s too early to tell which firms will be able to drag themselves out of the current primordial soup of web ag offerings…” This comment appeared during May in an article by Jeff Cavanaugh of AgriNews Publications. He was writing about developments in agricultural e-commerce.

Reference: Use title search (“Shake-up in ag e-commerce coming”) for the full citation.

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When farmer cooperatives were trying to face their future 50 years ago

An agricultural economist offered this “ditty” while speaking at a farmers’ institute. He attributed the piece to Tom Paine:

Reference: Use title search (“Development of cooperatives”) for the full citation.

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Those who are pioneering in the use of the Internet 

And other new technologies for distance education might find useful insights and reminders in a journal article published 33 years ago. The article by John Ohliger is entitled “What happened to the Canadian Farm Radio Forum?”

This Forum gained worldwide acclaim for using a young electronic technology – radio – to deliver education to adults within the context of local discussion groups. The article describes three generalizations about the demise of the Forum in 1965, after about 25 years on the air. None of those generalizations centered on limitations of the delivery technology. Instead, the analysis pointed toward these kinds of determining factors: shifting priorities of the sponsoring organizations, inadequate funding for field operations, and principles of discussion group maintenance.

Reference: Use title or author search (above) for the full citation. Contact the Center if you are interested in the article, but don’t have local access to it.

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Origins of agricultural journalism education.

This month we had the pleasure of depositing into the ACDC collection an historic document that planted seed for today’s college curricula in agricultural journalism and agricultural communications.

John Clay, “The plough and the book.” An address upon the subject of agricultural journalism before the agricultural students of the Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa, May 30, 1905. 16 pp.

Clay argued that the plough and the book “must be more closely associated. We need it in our daily press. We can improve it in our agricultural papers. It is almost absent in our magazine literature…They tell us with great truth that they can find few practical writers of ability, that there is a dearth of experts in this line.” He proposed founding a Chair of Journalism at Iowa State. His remarks – now preserved on frayed, yellowed pages – helped spark the establishment of a pioneering program in agricultural journalism education.

Reference: Use author or title search (above) for full citation. Contact the Center if you are interested in the article, but do not have local access to it.

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More perspectives in the food biotech “dialogue.”

“…the biotech industry and its acolytes in government are flying blind and we are all unwitting passengers in their rickety airplane.” (For reference, use title search: “Biotech in trouble – Part II”)

“…organizations in the United States can enhance their considerations of science’s impact by a more systematic involvement of the public. Much of the development of techniques for public participation has occurred in Europe…” (For reference, use title search: “Benefits of increased public participation”)

“We should not only be asking what scientists know and do not know, but whether there are better alternatives, and whether citizens of the world have had a chance to choose among them.” (For reference, use title search: “The precautionary principle and biotechnology”)

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A useful review of ways in which to involve public in decision making

Appears on the following website: http://www.pip.org.uk/models.htm The site briefly describes citizen juries, opinion polls, standing panels, community issues groups, consensus conferences, electronic democracy, youth councils and other models for public involvement.

Reference: Use title search (“Models of public involvement”) for the full citation.

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Monitoring nuclear journals.

Would you believe that some agricultural communications literature appears in nuclear energy journals? Such journals aren’t a prime source of documents for ACDC. However, we find relevant documents in literature about consumer acceptance of food irradiation.

Reference: Use at title search (“Food irradiation: creating a controversy”) for the full citation.

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Professional meetings approaching.

Following are some conferences, workshops and other kinds of professional improvement events for agricultural communicators:

July 23-26, 2000
“Agriculture in the 21^st Century,” U.S. Agricultural Communicators Congress 2000 at the J. W. Marriott Hotel, Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the American Agricultural Editors’ Association, Agricultural Communicators In Education, Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow, Agricultural Relations Council and National Association of Farm Broadcasters.
Information: www.agriwashington.org/usacc

July 29 – August 1, 2000
“If you remember the Summit, you’ll definitely remember the Alamo.” Agricultural Publications Summit at Adams Mark Hotel, San Antonio, Texas. Joint meeting of American Agricultural Editors’ Association, Agricultural Publishers Association and Livestock Publications Council.
Information: dianej@flash.net

September 2, 2000
First session of the 44^th International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) conference at Royal Adelaide Showground, Adelaide, South Australia.

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Enterprise agricultural journalism. 

Want to see Iowa’s tall corn grow? A new CornCam is capturing the growth of a corn plot in eastern Iowa for Internet viewers. Iowa Farmer staff members developed this project and Garst Seed Company financed what is believed to be the first effort to photograph the growth cycle of corn on the Internet. CornCam takes frequent still photos, so viewers can watch plants develop throughout the season. The URL:www.IowaFarmer.com or www.garstseed.com.

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Best regards and good searching.

Please let us know if we can help you find information and/or if you can suggest documents that we might add to this collection.

A new agricultural communications textbook

Can help fill a major gap in classes, seminars and other discussions about this broadening, dynamic field of academic and professional interest. The book is:

Kristina Boone, Terry Meisenbach and Mark Tucker, Agricultural communications: changes and challenges. Iowa State University Press, Ames. 2000. 134 pp.

Existing classroom resources in the U.S. often deal with the “micro” dimensions of agriculture-related journalism and communications. Such dimensions involve writing, broadcasting, planning communications programs and applying other skills for effective communicating. In their new book, the authors encourage students and other readers to examine some broader aspects of agriculture-related communications. It addresses:

Reference: Information about the book is available online at www.isupress.edu

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U.S. consumers bought nine million extra gallons of milk in two days

As the result of an unusual promotion described in the February 2000 issue of American Demographicsmagazine. This 10 percent jump is huge in an industry that often is pleased with any increase in milk consumption.

The key? “A modest little magazine entitled The Best of Nickelodeon that appeared in stores across the country last October. Some 4.5 million copies of the custom magazine, packed with the usual assortment of games, puzzles, and articles – and nothing but ads for milk – also came wrapped with a belly band that read ‘Buy Two Gallons of Milk, Get This Magazine Free.’ Just do the math.” The National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board sponsored this experiment with custom publishing, which the author describes as one of the fastest-growing segments of the magazine industry.

Reference: Use title search (“Milk, the Magazine”) for the full citation.

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Agricultural advertising on the Internet –a good investment or not? 

Two advertising executives drew a standing-room-only crowd when they discussed this question at a seminar during the recent National Agri-Marketing Association meeting. And, in turn, they had more questions than answers in their response to this question.

Their review of Internet “reach,” cost per thousand, role of “banner” ads and other factors led them to suggest: “In our view, there are certainly situations where the Internet can play a role in the media plan, but it isn’t nor should it be automatic. It has to fit within your overall objectives.”

Reference: Use author search (Hogan) or title search (“Agricultural advertising on the Internet”) for the full citation. Check with the Center about access to the paper.

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You will find these new links on the “Useful Links” page of the ACDC web site:

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Media selection in the computer age. Duck soup?

Not really. Media consultant Erwin Ephron estimates that 20 years ago buyers of national television advertising needed to select from about 1,024 schedule combinations. By 1998 they faced more than 1.125 quadrillion schedule combinations from which to choose for a media plan.

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“Americans have positive image of the environmental movement.” 

That’s the title of a report from The Gallup Organization summarizing Gallup’s new Earth Day 2000 poll. “When presented with a list of eight important social movements active in recent decades and asked to rate them in terms of their impact on our nation’s policies, three-fourths of Americans (76%) rate the environmental movement as having had either ‘a great deal’ or ‘a moderate amount’ of success. This places it behind the civil rights and women’s rights movements, in a virtual tie with the abortion rights and gun-control movements.”

Reference: Results of the poll are available at: www.gallup.com/poll/releases

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Consumers unsure about the health advantage of organic foods.

A recent nationwide survey by the American Dietetic Association suggests that American consumers hold divided opinions about this matter. About one-half (52%) of the respondents said that organically grown fruits and vegetables, and naturally produced beef and pork, are healthier than “regular” products. By comparison, 90% said they believe that whole-grain breads and cereals are healthier than “regular” products.

Reference: Use title search (“Americans rate whole-grain, low-fat foods as healthiest”) for the full citation. News release posted on: www.eatright.org/pr/2000/010300h.html

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The great digital divide.

“Rural areas are currently lagging far behind urban areas in broadband availability,” according to a new report, Advanced telecommunications in Rural America: the challenge of bringing broadband service to all Americans. The U.S. Departments of Commerce and Agriculture prepared it in response to requests from federal legislators and administrators. According to one study, “while less than five percent of towns of 10,000 or less have cable modem service, more than 65 percent of all cities with populations over 250,000 have such service.”

Reference: Use title search (above) for the full citation. The report is posted online at www.usda.gov/rus/

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Staying abreast of today – and the past.

In the Documentation Center we work hard to identify and add current literature about the communications aspects of agriculture, food and related topics. Current literature holds high priority. We also place high priority on adding relevant documents from the past. During recent weeks, for example, we have added two dozen articles, reports and books published between 1922 and 1977. Will they help guide your communications decisions today? Maybe, or maybe not. In any case, we view them as nuggets in a gold field. All contain valuable perspective and context related to this field of interest.

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Professional meetings approaching.

Following are the approaching meetings of some. professional agricultural communicator organizations:

June 24-27, 2000
Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) Institute in Whitefish, Montana.
Information: http://www.CoopComm.com

June 28-July 2, 2000
South Region Meeting of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters at Sandestin Resort, Destin, Florida.
Information: Lee McCoy at 334/741-9672.

July 23-26, 2000
U.S. Agricultural Communicators Congress (USACC) in Washington, D.C. Involves professionals from Agricultural Communicators in Education (ACE), American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA), National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB), Agricultural Relations Council (ARC) and Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT).
Information: USACC2000@aol.com

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“It’s an information jungle out there.”

This heading on a poster caught our eye recently in the office of a University of Illinois library staff member. Indeed, it often seems that way. Those of us in the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center stand ready to help you hack your way through the information jungles that you may face from day to day. Having trouble finding some reference for which you are looking? Need a customized information search? Let us know.

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Best regards and good searching.

Please let us know if we can help you find information and/or if you can suggest documents that we might add to this collection.

“Don’t waste your time at trade shows” 

Is the title of a recent article in CCA News, the newsletter of Cooperative Communicators Association. Author Pamela Karg of Karg Communications, Baraboo, Wisconsin, offers seven tips for effective participation in trade shows.

Reference: Use title search (above) for full citation.

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A practical guide to development communication has been published by the Department for International Development, the UK government aid agency.

A. Burke, Communications and development: a practical guide. 1999

This guide explores the importance of communications in development and presents guidelines for implementing development communications programs. It features the use of various media, such as drama, television, radio, Internet, e-mail, public relations and networks.

Reference: Use title or author search for detailed citation. For online view of the full text, search on “communication” in the Eldis website: http://nt1.ids.ac.uk

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Public relations: battleground or meeting ground?

Use of the Internet in public issues such as food safety is sparking anew some active debate about the philosophy of public relations. Is it a “win-lose” war of minds as interest groups fight to prevail over each other? Is it a “win-win” process of shared insight and understanding?

You can see within the ACDC collection some recent documents that reflect this debate. Conduct a “subject” search online, using terms such as “communication theory,” “biotechnology” and “public relations.”

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Scientists as communicators.

Following are the titles of several documents that have been added recently to the ACDC collection about the communications challenges that face agricultural scientists these days, and their skills in handling them:

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Stealing agricultural information.

“This was brought home to me one day when I came upon a website, where, to my horror, I saw our Agri Marketing Services Guide.” Lynn Henderson, president of Doane Agricultural Services Corporation, reported this experience last October to the U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property. “The hard work of our staff, from establishing relationships with firms so they agree to participate in the sharing of data to the setting up of distribution networks, was bypassed by this fellow, who was looking to make advertising revenue off of our labors.” On behalf of the Agricultural Publishers Association, Henderson urged legislation to protect databases.

Reference: Search on title (“Testimony of the Agricultural Publishers Association before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property”) for full citation. Text is posted on http://www.house.gov/judiciary/106-hend.htm.

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Farm broadcaster interviewed on CBS “60 Minutes” – for speaking out.

Illinois farm broadcaster Rod Thorson’s story about pressure from a farm organization appears in “Amber waves of gain,” a report by Vicki Monks. The report charged Farm Bureau with abusing its farmer-based membership in order to profit in various agribusiness ventures, at the expense of family farmers and the environment. The “60 Minutes” crew explored this story, which included Thorson’s experience of being fired by his station because of complaints from the Farm Bureau about his stance on the controversial issue of large-scale livestock operations. He favored regulating such facilities. “If the large farms were allowed to continue, there wouldn’t be a market left for the small, family farms.”

Reference: Use title search (“Illinois broadcaster receives national spotlight on CBS”) for the full citation of one of the news accounts.

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Moving beyond “shouting match” approaches to GMO dialogue.

The format of a recent international conference illustrates a constructive communications approach that seems rare in current debates about biotechnology. Sixty participants from a diverse group of US and European firms, agencies and organizations met for two days last October to search for solutions in the GMO debate. Here’s how the format operated:

Reference: Use a title search (“Search for solutions in the EU-US GMO debate”) or author search (Hill or Battle) for full citation. Contact Lowell Hill at l-hill3@uiuc.edu about a copy of the proceedings.

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“Soft” reporting about the GMO issue?

An observer in Australia writes, “From a rural media perspective….I’ve been finding the reporting extraordinarily soft. The mainstream media in Australia are asking a few tough questions (while struggling with the detail and complexity of the issue), yet the rural media are only asking very easy questions of GMO proponents.”

Do you know of research being conducted about this matter? If so, please let us know.

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Professional meetings approaching.

Here are the approaching meetings of several U.S. professional agricultural communicator organizations:

May 21-24, 2000
“Fast chips and hot salsa.” National Extension Technology Conference (NETC) in College Station, Texas.
Information: http://netc2000.tamu.edu

June 1-4, 2000
West Region meeting of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Information: Don Wick at wick@wcco.com

June 24-27, 2000
Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) Institute in Whitefish, Montana.
Information: http://www.CoopComm.com

June 28-July 2, 2000
South Region Meeting of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters at Sandestin Resort, Destin, Florida.
Information: Lee McCoy at 334/741-9672.

July 23-26, 2000
U.S. Agricultural Communicators Congress (USACC) in Washington, D.C. Involves professionals from Agricultural Communicators in Education (ACE), American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA), National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB), Agricultural Relations Council (ARC) and Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT).
Information: USACC2000@aol.com

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Best regards and good searching.

Please let us know if we can help you find information and/or if you can suggest documents that we might add to this collection.

Summaries from the 1999 Rural Telecommunications Congress came into the ACDC collection recently.

The Congress took place last October in Aspen, Colorado. It provided opportunities for rural community leaders to learn about telecommunications as a tool for development in rural areas. We have deposited the following summaries of discussions about progress and current issues in the use of telecommunications:

• “Economic development and community building roundtable at Rural TeleCon ’99”
• “Educational issues roundtable at Rural TeleCon ’99”
• “Community networking roundtable at Rural TeleCon ’99”

Reference: Search on titles to get full citations for local searches. The Congress report can be viewed online at http://ruraltelecon.org/rtc99

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On scientists as communicators.

Discussions about biotechnology recently prompted a plant sciences administrator in a Canadian university to observe:

“Scientists often are not good communicators. They want to tell you too much. So it doesn’t make a good sound bite. But when you have people.in Montreal dancing around with corn cobs on their heads and little kids dressed as butterflies, it’s a nice image and you can get a nice sound bite out of that.” (Reference: “Scientist wants to replace GMO fiction with facts”)

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“We do what we need to do.” 

On a similar point about media relations (if a different agricultural issue), the head of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said recently:

“You can’t beat the messenger for the way the message is delivered. We do what we need to do.” (Reference: “How to win friends and alienate people”)

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Earning public confidence in university research.

Recently a columnist in Prairie Farmer magazine noted a research report sent to media from Purdue University. The title: “Transgenic fish could threaten wild populations.” Noting that the release sounded like something from a biotech critic, the writer got this reply from Chris Sigurdson, interim head of the Agricultural Communications Department at Purdue:

“Many people look to the university as an unbiased source. We talk about both the good and the bad. For people to trust us, we have to show that we’re not just researching benefits, but also risks. This story doesn’t say biotechnology is bad. It simply says there is a problem, and we need to deal with it.”

Reference: Search on title (“Pay attention to this fish story”) for the full citation.

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Manitobans place most trust in farmers and their university scientists 

When it comes to getting accurate information on food safety. A survey during February by Prairie Research Associates invited a random sample of residents to indicate how much trust they place (5=complete trust to 1=no trust at all) in information from five sources. Respondents expressed greatest trust in farmers (3.75) and University of Manitoba scientists (3.60), least trust in U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2.65) and food company representatives (2.37).

Reference: Search on title (“Manitobans and their concerns about food”) for full citation. Contact Greg Mason at admin@pra.ca for more information.

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New farm-city web site.

The National Farm-City Council offers a new website to highlight its efforts to “promote understanding and increase cooperation between rural and urban residents.” The site, under construction, will also feature activities of farm-city organizations at local and state levels, plus materials that can be used in such activities. The URL is www.farmcity.org

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“Shroud of secrecy” regarding meat irradiation.

In a commentary posted on “The Meating Place,” Dan Murphy urges meat marketers to “step up to the plate and respond to media requests” about this complex topic. He notes that whereas positive publicity has accompanied USDA regulations permitting irradiation of red meat, “there has been a concurrent trend that is decidedly negative: the shroud of secrecy that the meat industry’s leading companies have attempted to drape over the launch of irradiated meat products.”

Details: Search on title (“Commentary: if irradiation is so great, why the top-secret approach?”) for the full citation.

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More perspectives in the GMO “dialogue.“

“For Europeans, it’s not at the level of a rational discussion anymore. It’s become a battle of doctrines, of religious beliefs, of inanities.” (From a food firm spokesperson. Reference: “New genes and seeds: protesters in Europe grow more passionate”)

“We need to win the war of words, as well as the science war if the public is to be persuaded to accept GMOs.” (From a scientist urging use of positive terms – such as biotechnology-enhanced” – to replace negative ones such as “genetically engineered.” Reference: “Scientist defends biotech crops, says ‘buzz words’ key to anti-lobbyist”)

“Some leading scientists say that it has not been proven that GE foods are harmful. This is a dishonest, seriously misleading and irrelevant argument. What is relevant is that it has not been proven that GE foods are harmless. For example, DDT caused extensive damage worldwide because it was released although it was not proven that it was harmless. Leading scientists are the prime cooperation targets for biotech companies, and cannot be trusted uncritically in this issue.” (Reference: “Arguments for GE food withdrawal”)

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Professional meetings approaching.

Here are the approaching meetings of several U.S. professional agricultural communicator organizations:

May 6-8, 2000
East Region Meeting of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters in Washington, D.C.
Information: nafb-east@excite.com

May 10-11, 2000
“Communicating science: taking the risk.” A super workshop on risk communication for scientists, communicators, and administrators. Sponsored by Agricultural Communicators in Education (ACE) and Extension Service (CSREES) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Information:http://www.aceweb.org/superworkshop2000/superworkshop.html

May 18-20, 2000
“T2K.” Texas 2000, the American Horse Publications annual meeting and seminar in Irving, Texas. The event will also feature a 30th-anniversary celebration.
Information: http://www.americanhorsepubs.org

May 21-24, 2000
“Fast chips and hot salsa.” National Extension Technology Conference (NETC) in College Station, Texas.
Information: http://netc2000.tamu.edu

June 1-4, 2000
West Region meeting of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Information: Don Wick at wick@wcco.com

June 24-27, 2000
Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) Institute in Whitefish, Montana.
Information: http://www.CoopComm.com

June 28-July 2, 2000
South Region Meeting of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters at Sandestin Resort, Destin, Florida.
Information: Lee McCoy at 334/741-9672.

July 23-26, 2000
U.S. Agricultural Communicators Congress (USACC) in Washington, D.C. Involves professionals from Agricultural Communicators in Education (ACE), American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA), National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB), Agricultural Relations Council (ARC) and Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT).
Information: USACC2000@aol.com

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Do you know someone who might like to receive “News and Announcements”?

If so, please refer the person to us at docctr@library.uiuc.edu – or inform us so that we can get in touch with the person about sending future issues, without charge.

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Best regards and good searching.

Please let us know if we can help you find information and/or if you can suggest documents that we might add to this collection.

Internet marketing for farmers.

That is the title of an informative resource offered by the King County staff of Washington State University Cooperative Extension. It is directed toward use in small-scale farming operations. Main sections include:

Reference: Search on title (Internet marketing for farmers) for the full citation. The document is posted online at: http://king.wsu.edu/Ag/internetmarketing.htm

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The ARC website is available again.

You can view the Agricultural Relations Council site at a new home: http://nama.org/arc The “Useful Links” page of the ACDC web site provides direct contact with it.

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You will also find two new links

On the “Useful Links” page. They include the Agricultural Publishers Association and a teaching/practice resource, Agricultural Communications Case Studies.

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More perspectives in the biotech “dialogue:”

“Eat margarine and go blind. It’s hard to believe that even lawyers and senators peddled such drivel (decades ago). But, then again, we do have some heavyweights in our current political arena who are raising some equally-tenuous fears about genetically-modified foods.” (Reference: “Debate over margarine still spreads a nasty echo”)

“The architects of heaven always end up designing a hell.” (Reference: “Beware the appliance of science.”)

“In both the short- and longer-term, education of the public and of opinion leaders is…. essential, if we are to avoid making public policy in a way that resembles uncannily the 17^thCentury Salem witch trials.” (Reference: “Biotech offers [baby] food for thought.”)

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Seven “attitudinal sins” of researchers and research administrators.

A science interpretive writer, Walter von Wartburg, recently described seven “attitudinal sins, the things researchers and research administrators should not do” in dealing with public issues.

Wartburg spoke, along with four other writers, during a panel discussion, “Communicating about biotechnology and addressing public concerns,” last October at an international conference in Washington, D.C. The conference, “Agricultural biotechnology and the poor,” was convened by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.

Reference: Search by author (Persley) or title (Communicating about…) to see the full citation. The proceedings are at: http://www.cgiar.org/biotech/rep0100/contents.htm

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Contributing to agricultural communications research – after retirement.

The recent passing of John C. Baker reminds us of a special way in which dedicated professionals can contribute to what is known about agriculture-related communicating.

After John retired in 1970 he researched and wrote a 342-page book, Farm Broadcasting: The First Sixty Years (Iowa State University Press, Ames. 1981). He had been among the early U.S. farm broadcasters, starting as an extension broadcaster at Purdue University in 1930. Through his post-retirement effort, he contributed the first book dealing with radio and television programs for farmers, nationwide.

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Some recent inquiries.

Here are some kinds of questions to which Center staff members have responded recently:

Let us know if we can help you gather information for communications projects that are on your agenda.

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One way to put it.

Here’s how an unfortunate motorist described a traffic accident: “Coming home, I drove into the wrong house and collided with a tree I didn’t have.”

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Professional meetings approaching.

Here are the approaching meetings of several U.S. professional agricultural communicator organizations:

May 6-8, 2000
East Region Meeting of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters in Washington, D.C.
Information: nafb-east@excite.com

May 10-11, 2000
“Communicating science: taking the risk.” A superworkshop on risk communication for scientists, communicators and administrators. Sponsored by Agricultural Communicators in Education (ACE) and Extension Service (CSREES) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Information:http://www.aceweb.org/superworkshop2000/superworkshop.html

May 18-20, 2000
“T2K.” Texas 2000, the American Horse Publications annual meeting and seminar in Irving, Texas. The event will also feature a 30^th anniversary celebration.
Information: http://www.americanhorsepubs.org

May 21-24, 2000
“Fast chips and hot salsa.” National Extension Technology Conference (NETC) in College Station, Texas.
Information: http://netc2000.tamu.edu

June 1-4, 2000
West Region meeting of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Information: Don Wick at wick@wcco.com

June 24-27, 2000
Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) Institute in Whitefish, Montana.
Information: http://www.CoopComm.com

July 23-26, 2000
U.S. Agricultural Communicators Congress (USACC) in Washington, D.C. Involves professionals from Agricultural Communicators in Education (ACE), American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA), National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB), Agricultural Relations Council (ARC) and Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT).
Information: USACC2000@aol.com

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Best regards and good searching.

Please let us know if we can help you find information and/or if you can suggest documents that we might add to this collection.

What do daily newspaper editors and reporters want from agricultural news sources these days?

They want ready access to “unbiased, non-judgmental, accurate analysis and interpretation of complex issues.” These desires emerged in the research completed recently by Sharon B. Stringer at Pennsylvania State University. Her doctoral dissertation, “An evaluation of sources of agricultural news,” (December 1999) involved a survey among 76 editors and reporters in Pennsylvania.

“Editors and reporters did not agree on the importance of their gatekeeping tasks relative to agricultural news sources. However, they did agree that agricultural news sources are important in helping them to inform the public as quickly as possible, provide problem analysis and interpretation of complex issues, and ensure that all sides of a story are presented.”

Details: Search on author (Stringer) or title (above) for the full citation. The text is available online at: http://etda.libraries.psu.edu/theses/available/etd-0112100-085353/

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Consumers and editors: differing views about the importance of food safety. 

A“significant gap” exists in the views held by U.S. consumers and newspaper editors regarding the importance of food safety. The CMF&Z 1999 Food Safety Study revealed that 83 percent of a probability sample of consumers rated food safety as “very important,” compared with 53 percent of the newspaper food editors interviewed. In the eyes of consumers, food safety is one of the most important issues associated with personal and environmental safety. It ranks high, along with drinking water safety (86 percent), crime prevention (83 percent) and health and nutrition (81 percent).

This CMF&Z study, conducted annually since 1993, also:

Details: Search by author (CMF&Z) to get the full citation and document number. Contact us about availability of the report, and of previous ones in the series.

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Other lively views in the GMO “dialogue.”

“Look, if you want us to eat this stuff it’s not enough to tell us it won’t kill us!” (from a biotech critic)

“Maybe the pro-biotechnology side needs not more facts, but more passion.” (from a Canadian seed marketer)

“It is hardly surprising that so many researchers fail to see that no scientific issue is only a scientific issue.” (from a writer in an England newspaper)

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How to locate documents about biotech-related communications

In the ACDC collection. As you know, the wording keeps changing in this dynamic subject area: genetic engineering, biotechnology, GMO, GIO, GE, etc. So when you search the ACDC collection online you might search on several subject terms. Terms such as “biotechnology” and “genetic engineering” may produce the best response for you. We are not entering “GMO,” “GIO” or “GE” as subject terms, although our search system identifies them when they appear in the titles of documents.

At a broader level, you might also use subject terms such as “risk communication” and “food safety” to identify documents related to the communications aspects of biotechnology.

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New IFAJ web site.

The web site of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists can be reached at a new URL: http://www.uoguelph.ca/research/ifaj

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Ah, the election rhetoric

(as reported by Farmer’s Digest). The candidate, known for his anti-agricultural stand, flashed a bright smile at the audience in a packed hall.

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Professional meetings approaching.

Here are the approaching meetings of two U.S. professional agricultural communicator organizations:

May 10-11, 2000
“Communicating science: taking the risk.” A super workshop on risk communication for scientists, communicators, and administrators. Sponsored by Agricultural Communicators in Education (ACE) and Extension Service (CSREES) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Information:http://www.aceweb.org/superworkshop2000/superworkshop.html

May 18-20, 2000
“T2K.” Texas 2000, the American Horse Publications annual meeting and seminar in Irving, Texas. The event will also feature a 30th-anniversary celebration.
Information: http://www.americanhorsepubs.org

May 21-24, 2000
“Fast chips and hot salsa.” National Extension Technology Conference (NETC) in College Station, Texas.
Information: http://netc2000.tamu.edu

June 1-4, 2000
West Region meeting of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Information: Don Wick at wick@wcco.com

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Best regards and good searching.

Please let us know if we can help you find information and/or if you can suggest documents that we might add to this collection.

Agricultural communications programs expanding – and scouting for strength.

Enrollments have grown during the past five years in eight of the nine agricultural communications programs offered by universities in the 13-state southern U.S. region. Professors Randy Weckman and Deborah Witham, University of Kentucky, and Ricky Telg, University of Florida reported this finding and others last month.

At the same time, responses from faculty members who work with those programs identified needs for increased support (funding, space, personnel), accreditation and greater understanding about what ag communications is as a field. Two-thirds of the respondents indicated that a national agricultural communications accreditation process would benefit their programs.

The paper can be viewed online at: http://agnews.tamu.edu/saas/

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Thanks to Ted Hutchcroft for adding generously to his ACDC contributions.

His three additions to the Center last month include one rare and privately printed book, a master’s thesis and a doctoral dissertation. They include:

• William E. Ogilvie, Pioneer agricultural journalists: brief biographical sketches of some of the early editors in the field of agricultural journalism. Arthur G. Leonard: Chicago. 1927.
• Theodore Hutchcroft, The agricultural television package service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture – after five years. Master’s thesis, American University, Washington, D.C. 1959.
• Theodore Hutchcroft, The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology: an innovation in public affairs education. Doctoral dissertation, Iowa State University, Ames. 1978.

These probably are not available to you locally, so check with us if you would like to discuss access.

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Tips on promoting one’s communications business.

“Practical and (almost) easy self-promotion and marketing” is the title of a presentation made by Sharlet R. Teigen at the recent National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB) meeting in Kansas City, Missouri. She is principal of S. R. Brown Marketing Communications, Camp Crook, South Dakota. Her presentation covered a wide range of ideas, from image planning to publicity methods.

Details: Use title search (above) for full citation. Contact us if you would like a copy.

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Getting breaking news to media: no longer “one size fits all.”

In the current issue of the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) newsletter, a director of corporate relations for a major rural cooperative emphasizes how news services are no longer the size of a business envelope. Lani Jordan of Cenex Harvest States Cooperatives outlines the pros and cons of these options: U.S. mail, fax, e-mail, web sites and distribution services. She reports: “…we’ve found that by using a combination of tools, we’re able to get our releases to the right place at the right time and get the media coverage we want.”

Details: Use author search (Jordan) or title search (Weighing the options for news release distribution) for full citation. Inquire if interested in getting access to the article.

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New planning resource for crisis communication.

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has an informative new crisis response and communication planning manual and workbook. S.E. Grant and D. Powell, University of Guelph, prepared these resources for the Ministry (June 1999, revised January 2000).

The manual (18 pages) describes stages of crisis management, principles of planning and elements of a crisis communication/response plan. It also outlines steps and techniques for crisis communication, including guidelines for testing the plan. The workbook (30 pages) covers aspects such as the crisis audit, identification and location of resources, crisis response team membership and responsibilities, contact lists, scenario modules, crisis documentation and crisis recovery.

Details: Use author search (Grant or Powell) or title search (Crisis response and communication planning manual and workbook) for full citation. Contact the Ministry (lou_donofrio@omafra.gov.on.ca) or us about access to the documents.

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Signs of confusion among consumers about GMO.

Sixty percent of consumers in a recent Canadian survey “believed that a crop sprayed with chemicals or hormonal agents constituted genetically engineered foods.” The same survey, conducted in Quebec and Ontario, also “found that consumers believed irradiated food was also genetically modified.”

Details: Use author search (Lyons) or title search (Labels could confuse GMO issue) for full citation. Contact us about access to the document.

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Big gaps exist between U.S. consumers and farmers 

In their opinions about the impact of agriculture on the environment. Evidence appeared in 1999 Gap Research conducted by Roper Starch Worldwide Inc. on behalf of the Philip Morris family of companies and The American Farm Bureau Federation. Results indicated that consumers are more than twice as likely as farmers to think that agricultural chemicals in the water supply present a major problem. For example, 68 percent of consumers in the survey viewed pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers entering ground water as a major problem, compared with 29 percent of farmers surveyed.

Details: Use author search (Roper Starch) or title search (1999 gap research: consumer and farmer opinions about food and agriculture) for the full citation. Contact us about access to the document.

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Professional meetings approaching.

Here are the approaching meetings of two U.S. professional agricultural communicator organizations:

April 12-14, 2000
“All that jazz.” National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) conference and trade show. Site: Kansas City, Missouri.
Information: agrimktg@nama.org

May 21-24, 2000
“Fast chips and hot salsa.” National Extension Technology Conference (NETC) in College Station, Texas.
Information: http://netc2000.tamu.edu

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Best regards and good searching.

Please let us know if we can help you find information and/or if you can suggest documents that we might add to this collection.