Ferraz de Oliveira Nicholas

Connections between “slow food” and “slow journalism”

Harold Gess explored them in a special issue of Ecquid Novi focused on journalism and climate change. He suggested that journalism is perhaps not well suited to reporting climate change as conventional reporting does not run to depth and the story loses its interest value. Exploring connections with the Slow Food Movement, he noted relationships between food and journalism, including several principles of slow food:

• Good – fresh, flavorsome
• Clean – no harm to the environment, animal welfare, health
• Fair – accessible prices, fair conditions and pay for small-scale producers

Perhaps, he said, it is time to look at the potentials of a “slow journalism” movement that involves building community, sustainability, resilience and adaptability. “To do this it is necessary to rethink it as a practice that seeks understanding of the local within the global and a view of the global from a local perspective and as a practice involved in community life rather than operating as an external observer.”

You can read the article, “Climate change and the possibility of slow journalism,” here , starting on page 54 of the posted issue.

Rural areas perhaps hardest hit by digital television transition

A 2015 article in Television and New Media analyzed the impact of the DTV transition of several years ago.  Researchers observed in “Restarting Static” that DTV poses special challenges in rural areas, including poor transmission (resulting from resolution favored over reception). Also, they noted: “Although rural affairs advocates looked forward to rural broadband via broadcast…such features have not been attempted.”  They found a theme that included an inadequate public information campaign and failure to explore the range of opportunities presented by the digital format.

You can read the abstract and learn of options for access through Sage Publications here . Or check with us at docctr@library.illinois.edu for help in gaining access.

Landowners’ willingness to grow biomass crops on former farmland

Researcher David Timmons examined what it would take to motivate landowners in western Massachusetts to grow biomass energy crops. Almost 90 percent of farmland in that area is no longer in commercial use. His survey revealed landowners were willing to accept an estimated median of $321 per hectare per year.

He observed that the amount is high by both regional and national standards, especially for what may in some cases be marginal farmland. Also, results suggested that “prices will clearly not be the only motivator of landowner participation in biomass energy crop production. Attention to landowner concerns and amenity needs may also be needed to bring inactive farmland into use.”

You can read “ Using former farmland for biomass crops ” in Agricultural and Resource Economics Review .

Best way to boost vegetable consumption? Change the product – or the consumer?

Changing the attributes of cauliflower and green beans has limited potential to increase demand, according to a 2015 study by two Australian researchers. Their study among 1,002 grocery buyers identified preference for these vegetables in the form they are offered at present: white, whole cauliflower at lowest cost and green beans, loose at lowest cost.

• Color, price and pack format were the most important factors influencing buying decisions for cauliflower and green beans.
• Participants were more interested in buying conventional products than products with modified properties.

• Communication of health claims had a very small or no positive effect on purchase interest.
• Children’s lack of interest in these vegetables limited the purchase intent.

“A better strategy might be to change the consumer, perhaps through exposing children to vegetables,” the authors concluded.

You can read the abstract and options for full-text retrieval of this article, “Towards greater vegetable consumption,” here . Or check with us at docctr@library.illinois.edu for help in gaining full-text access.

Country journalism and development journalism: close connections

What is described in Australia as country newspaper journalism shows significant differences from the mainstream Western tradition. So reported Kathryn Bowd in the journal, Asia Pacific Media Educator . Analysis revealed that country journalism has “evolved in ways which appear to have more in common with non-Western forms of journalism than with the journalism practiced in major Australian cities.” Here are some of the differences identified:

• Central role of local news, emphasizing events and issues which involve the readers and mark achievements of ordinary people. “Even advertising can be seen as a form of local information.”
• Close relationship between publication and readership, journalist and audience
• Greater sense of being answerable to an audience
• High level of job satisfaction, despite low pay and high stress levels
• Community-building role in which country newspapers serve as strong promoters of their towns or regions

The author describes elements of development journalism and suggests that they appear to have much in common with journalism practiced by country newspapers.

You can read this article, “How different is ‘different’?” here .

Communicator activities approaching

November 2, 2015

Deadline for submitting papers, extended abstracts and session proposals for the annual conference of the International Communication Association in Fukuoka, Japan, June 9-13, 2016.  Theme: “Communicating with power.”

Information: http://www.icahdq.org/cfp/

November 10-12, 2015

“Managing change innovation and action in an ever shrinking world.” Conference of the Australasia Pacific Extension Network (APEN) in Adelaide, South Australia.

Information: http://www.apen.org.au/Conference-2015

November 11-13, 2015

“Growing our future to harvest our success.” Annual convention of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) in Kansas City, Missouri USA.

Information: www.nafb.com/events/nafb-convention

Journalism? Advocacy?

A view on sorting career directions

We close this issue of ACDC News with a piece of career advice from Sudhirendar Sharma in a recent book, The Green Pen , about environmental journalism:

“I have learnt it the hard way: those who are passionate about environment must not pursue active journalism and those who stand to do objective journalism must stay away from being passionate about the environment.”

Best wishes and good searching

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions and ideas. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUC . And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Comm Documentation Center, Room 510, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801) or in electronic format sent to docctr@library.illinois.edu

U.S. weekly newspapers becoming more rural

We have added to the ACDC collection a 2014 article in Newspaper Research Journal indicating that between 1997 and 2009 the community weekly newspaper industry became more rural. This trend occurred as the percentage of weeklies in suburban areas declined. Among other findings:

• The proportion of weeklies that were group owned increased by about half. In 2009, nearly two-thirds (62.7%) were owned by groups.
• Average circulation dropped for central city weeklies but grew for suburban and rural weeklies.
• Fifty-seven percent of rural weeklies had websites, compared with 63% of all 994 weeklies in the study.
• Four percent of rural weeklies with websites allowed readers to post content, compared with 6.6% of all weeklies with websites.

Five new research and professional reports in JAC

The latest issue of the Journal of Applied Communications (Volume 99, Issue 2) features articles that involve topics such as agricultural blogs, Twitter conversations and online communication tools. You can read them here .

• “Tackling structure and format – the ‘great unknown’ in professional blogging” by Owen Roberts and Jim Evans
• “Agriculturists’ personal and business use of online communication tools” by Kelsey Shaw, Courtney Meyers, Erica Irlbeck, David Doerfert, Katie Abrams and Chris Morgan
• “The impact of local: Exploring availability and location on food buying decisions” by Laura M. Gorham, Joy N. Rumble and Jessica Holt
• “Exploring ways social media data inform public issues communication: an analysis of Twitter conversations during the 2012-2013 drought in Nebraska” by Adam Wagler and Karen J. Cannon
• “U.S. agricultural commodity organizations’ use of blogs as a communications tool” by Madeline L. Moore, Courtney Meyers, Erica Irlbeck and Scott Burris

Gap between what’s on the label and what’s in the food: a case example

Researchers at the University of Thessaly in Greece found a considerable gap when they analyzed 348 food products from local markets and super-market chains. Items included dairy products and industrially processed packaged food from meat, poultry and fish, with the items originating in varied countries. They were analyzed in seven groups: milk, food for pets, packaged yellow cheeses, packaged white cheeses, PDO cheeses, processed meats and frozen fish foodstuff. Mislabeled foods were found in all seven groups, with the largest gaps involving foods for pets (54%), frozen fish products (35%) and processed meats (34%).

Researchers concluded, “These alarming findings, combined with those retrieved from the literature, raise significant concern in the monitoring methods employed for supervision worldwide.”

You can read the abstract and options for full-text retrieval of this article, “What do we think we eat?” here . Or check with us at docctr@library.illinois.edu for assistance in gaining full-text access.

Remembering an investigative agricultural journalist

Recently we received news about the passing of Richard Lehnert, former editor of the Michigan Farmer . He was recognized nationally for his direct, hard-hitting, independent agricultural reporting. You can read a review of his career in this Good Fruit Grower article .

Several reports of his investigative work, professional experiences and editorial philosophy are featured in the ACDC collection. For example, if you would like to read his 1991 article in Washington Journalism Review , “Bitter harvest for a farm magazine,” you can do so here .  Within the framework of a case experience, it chronicles his editorial approach and his thoughts about the fragility of editorial independence in agricultural journalism.

Female columnists moving beyond food, home, fashion and entertainment

A 2014 research report in Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly suggested that female authors are moving beyond topics traditionally linked to females. Politics was the topic most commonly addressed (34.0%) by women in columns appearing in 10 major U.S. daily newspapers. Other popular topics included business and economics (8.0%), health (5.8%) and sports (4.2%).

Authors observed that female columnists have broadened somewhat beyond stereotypically feminine topics.  They acknowledged that opinion pages traditional cover political issues, a tendency that might help to explain this finding.

You can read the article on the open web here .

Extension educators identify risks of using social media

A recent Journal of Extension article described barriers to use of social media in Extension offices. These top risks emerged from phone interviews and a survey among Extension educators in New York State:

• Perceived time investment in using social media
• Control of online presence
• Professional privacy
• Personal privacy
• What happens once information is posted on social media

You can read the research report and recommendations here .

Welcome to new ACDC graduate assistant

We are delighted to welcome Cailín Cullen, who joined the ACDC team on August 25 as part of the Funk Family Library in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Cailín is entering the Graduate School of Library and Information Science here at the University of Illinois.

She brings to the Center a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in English and history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master of Arts degree (with merit) in history from the University of Bristol, United Kingdom. During the past two years she has gained library experience through employment in the Phoenix Public Library (Arizona) and volunteer service in the Scottsdale Public Library.

Communicator activities approaching

September 22-24, 2015

“Reach new peaks.” Fall conference of the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) in Denver, Colorado USA.  Information: http://nama.org/fall-conference/home

September 24-27, 2015

Annual conference of the Canadian Farm Writers Federation (CFWF) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Information: http://www.saskfarmwriters.ca/2015/02/annual-conference-set-for-september-2015

October 1, 2015

Deadline for submitting full papers for the Agricultural Communications Section of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists conference to take place in San Antonio, Texas USA, February 7-8, 2016. Information: https://www.dropbox.com/s/owq8quumz6j7ih5/2016_saas_agcom_call_for_papers.pdf?dl=0

October 5-6, 2015

“#BestOf.” Professional development workshop of Cooperative Communicators Association in Destin, Florida USA.  Information: www.communicators.coop/pdw

October 8-12, 2014

“Hot topics.” An IFAJ pre-tour event in Cairns, Australia, hosted by the Australian Council of Agricultural Journalists. Participants will then fly to New Zealand via Sydney to attend the 2015 Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists in Hamilton. Information: http://www.acaj.org.au/Cairns

October 14-18, 2015

“Agribusiness – our life, our story.” Annual Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Information: http://www.congress2015.co.nz

November 10-12, 2015

“Managing change innovation and action in an ever shrinking world.” Conference of the Australasia Pacific Extension Network (APEN) in Adelaide, South Australia.

Information: http://www.apen.org.au/Conference-2015

November 11-13, 2015

“Growing our future to harvest our success.” Annual convention of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) in Kansas City, Missouri USA.

Information: www.nafb.com/events/nafb-convention

Agri-journalism puns

We close this issue of ACDC News with several puns from a collection assembled and shared with us by the late Hal Taylor, a long-time communicator with the U. S. Department of Agriculture:

• If you take a laptop computer for a run you could jog your memory.
• Thieves who steal corn from a garden could be charged with stalking.
• When fish are in schools they sometimes take debate.
• To write with a broken pencil is pointless.

Best wishes and good searching

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions and ideas. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUC . And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Comm Documentation Center, Room 510, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801) or in electronic format sent to docctr@library.illinois.edu

ACDC News

How agricultural producers view food exchange websites these days

Michael Vassalos and Kar Ho Lim recently updated insights about how producers of vegetables and livestock view food exchange websites and online marketplaces. Researchers gathered information from producers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Georgia. They used a choice experiment in conjunction with a latent class model formulation to analyze producers’ preferences and willingness to pay for the different features examined. Among the findings:

• 77% were not interested in registering in food exchange websites. “This finding is not surprising considering that only 14% of the farms in the U.S.A. conduct agricultural marketing activities over the internet.”
• Interested growers were willing to pay on average $55.69 per month if an online marketplace is offered on the website.
• Willingness to pay for advertising on social media averaged $20.43 per month.
• Producers were willing to pay more for the service if it is provided by a private for-profit host.

You can read “Are food exchange websites the next big thing in food marketing?” here .

“Extension must adopt mobile-friendly websites”

That is the title of an article published in the December 2014 issue of the Journal of Extension .  Authors J. Matthew Jones, David Doll and Owen Taylor found that visitors to the Almond Doctor Extension blog and AgFax.com are increasingly using smart phones and tablets rather than desktop computers.

“However, only 40% of Extension websites have mobile-friendly layouts, and websites that are frustrating to use on mobile devices may be a deterrent to Web traffic and use of services.”

You can read the article here .

New ways journalists can operate in politicized science debates

(and an endorsement for agricultural journalism education)

We have added to the ACDC collection a thoughtful new research report about this timely topic. The report pertained, in particular, to debates about food biotechnology, energy and climate change. Researchers Nesbet and Fahy identified three complementary approaches to “knowledge-based journalism:”

• The journalist as knowledge broker
• The journalist as dialog broker
• The journalist as policy broker

They also pointed to need for journalism schools to rethink their traditional trade school focus on interviewing and storytelling skills. They cited an approach that involves helping students develop “subject” knowledge in specialized domains (such as environmental science), as well as “process” knowledge of the factors influencing their work as journalists and impacts on audiences.

You can read this article in the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences here .

Where stakeholders in the Belgian food chain feel the most pressure

Recent research among food policy makers and other stakeholders in that chain revealed that economic, political and social pressures ranked as the top three pressure points on the food chain. Those pressures ranked higher than technological development, international trade, eating habits, environment and others.

Communications challenges were apparent throughout all “top three” pressure points.

• Financial/Economic – challenges in communicating with authorities, sectors and enterprises about issues and added value
• Political – challenges in lobbying, consulting with authorities and taking part in working groups
• Social – challenges in answering questions from consumers and policy makers, and in informing and sensitizing consumers and operators via media and other means

You can read the abstract and identify retrieval options for this article in Food Research International here . Or check with us at docctr@library.illinois.edu for help in gaining access.

What if the focus of promoting agricultural products were shifted?

A recent article in the Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics examined what might happen if public funds used for promoting horticultural products in export markets were shifted to domestic promotion. Simulation results showed that even modest decreases in export promotion expenditures coupled with a corresponding increase in domestic promotion efforts have the capacity to influence domestic market conditions, caloric intake and nutrient consumption.

Results indicated that such redirection would decrease producer welfare and increase consumer welfare. Decreasing export promotion coupled with increased domestic promotion for horticultural products would lead to a relatively small decrease in caloric consumption from non-horticultural products.  However, an increase in caloric consumption from horticultural products and corresponding increase in the intake of fiber and micronutrients may have positive dietary effects.

You can read the article, “Economic and nutritional implications from changes in U.S. agricultural promotion efforts,” here .

Voice-based citizen journalism in rural India

A recent issue of Information Technologies and International Development features an interactive voice forum for residents of rural communities in India.  Called DGNet Swara, the system enables callers to record messages of local interest. They also can listen to messages others have recorded. Increasing use of mobile phones opens new opportunities for this kind of interaction by voice. Messages are also posted on the Internet as a supplement to an existing discussion forum.

You can read “Emergent practices around CGNet Swara” here .

Thanks and best wishes, Kelsey

Congratulations to Kelsey Berryhill, graduate assistant in the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, who recently completed her Master of Science Degree in Library and Information Science here at the University of Illinois. Her appointment in the Center ended June 30. We have much for which to thank Kelsey, who has special interest in archiving and special collections. During the past 15 months she managed and enhanced the website, gathered resources, handled requests and updated operating procedures. She also spearheaded processing of the new Volume 1 Number 1 collection of agricultural periodicals. We are grateful for her dedication, skills and good spirit. In turn, we hope the ACDC experience has enriched her career development.

Communicator activities approaching

September 24-27, 2015
Annual conference of the Canadian Farm Writers Federation (CFWF) in Calgary, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Information: http://www.saskfarmwriters.ca/2015/02/annual-conference-set-for-september-2015

October 1, 2015
Deadline for submitting full papers for the Agricultural Communications Section of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists conference to take place in San Antonio, Texas, February 7-8, 2016.
Information: https://www.dropbox.com/s/owq8quumz6j7ih5/2016_saas_agcom_call_for_papers.pdf?dl=0

October 8-12, 2014
“Hot topics.” An IFAJ pre-tour event in Cairns, Australia, hosted by the Australian Council of Agricultural Journalists. Participants will then fly to New Zealand via Sydney to attend the 2015 Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists in Hamilton.
Information: http://www.acaj.org.au/Cairns

October 14-18, 2015
“Agribusiness – our life, our story.” Annual Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists in Hamilton, New Zealand.
Information: http://www.congress2015.co.nz

November 10-12, 2015
“Managing change innovation and action in an ever shrinking world.” Conference of the Australasia Pacific Extension Network (APEN) in Adelaide, South Australia.
Information: http://www.apen.org.au/Conference-2015

Ode to the internet

We close this issue of ACDC News with an observation from Thomas E. Patterson in a 2012 article, “Informing the news: the need for knowledge-based reporting:”

“The internet is at once a gold mine of solid content
and a hell hole of misinformation.”

Best wishes and good searching

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions and ideas. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUC. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Comm Documentation Center, Room 510, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801) or in electronic format sent to docctr@library.illinois.edu

Recent conference research reports

Here are samples of 13 research papers presented to the Agricultural Communications Section at the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists (SAAS) meeting in Atlanta, Georgia during January 31-February 1:

• “Consumer perceptions and knowledge and genetically modified organisms: A case study of the Belgian potato event” by Maggie Jo Hansen and Leslie D. Edgar.
• “Bringing the farm to the school: Connecting food service directors and agricultural producers through communication” by Shuyang Qu, Laura M. Gorham, Joy N. Rumble and Caroline G. Roper.
• “Use and trust of media options by Extension personnel” by Quisto Settle, Lauri Baker and Katie Rohling.
• “Reaching millennials: Implications for advertisers of competitive sporting events that use animals” by Jackie Hill, Mallory Mobly and Billy R. McKim.
• “Characteristics of U.S. agricultural communications undergraduate programs” by Jefferson D. Miller, Morgan M. Large, K. Jill Rucker, Kate Shoulders and Emily B. Buck.
• “Writing identity in an advanced agricultural communications media writing course” by Holli R. Leggette, Holly Jarvis and David Walther.

You can read these and other research papers presented at the 2015 meeting here .

What about those front-of-package visuals and claims on snack foods for kids?

Researchers Katie Abrams, Caitlin Evans, and Brittany R.L. Duff addressed that question in a study reported in the April issue of Appetite . They used a focus group study to explore how parents of preschool children make sense of front-of-package visual and verbal claims on packaged food products intended for their children. Highlights:

• Playful visuals appeal to children but parents associate them with junk food.
• Health claims, realistic graphics, and natural claims make products seem healthier.
• Fruit graphics meant to communicate flavors are instead perceived as ingredients.
• Parents may make unhealthy food choices as a result of front-of-package information.
• Parents accept misleading front-of-package claims when making quick food decisions.

Authors observed that the food industry needs better regulatory guidance on how to communicate flavors and ingredients on package fronts in this market segment.

You can read the abstract and retrieval options here or check with us at docctr@library.illinois.edu for help in gaining access.

Too cozy? Ethical concerns about health industry/journalist relationships

A 2015 article in the Journal of Medical Ethics examined concerns about how relationships between health journalists and manufacturers of food and medicines may distort health reporting. Researchers in this Australia-based project used interviews with journalists to explore attitudes about this matter and about protecting the public through greater transparency and external regulation. Findings highlighted several barriers to instituting such measures.

You can read the abstract and learn how to purchase the full article here or check with us at docctr@library.illinois.edu for help in gaining access.

Recognizing 100 years of farm publishing

A new digital exhibit on the ACDC website features the centennial issues of seven hardy agricultural periodicals in the U.S. Six of the seven continue to publish today. The first issues dating back to 1841, they include:

• Prairie Farmer (1841)
• Northwestern Miller (1873)
• Farm Journal (1877)
• American Fruit Grower (1880)
• The Farmer (1882)
• Progressive Farmer (1886)
• The Furrow (1895)

ACDC staff member Kelsey Berryhill organized this digital exhibit showing the covers of these rare centennial issues. They represent a special part of the new Volume One Number One Collection. You can view the exhibit, “A Century of Publishing: 100 ^th Anniversary Issues,” at our digital exhibits page.

We are aware, of course, that centennial editions of some other agricultural periodicals exist. We would love to add them to this special collection.  Please contact Jim Evans at evansj@illinois.edu if you can help do so.

Agricultural journalist honored in Scotland

The late Joe Watson, former chair of the British Guild of Agricultural Journalists and agricultural editor at the Press & Journal , recently was honored with the prestigious Ambassador Award of National Farmers Union Scotland.

The award recognizes individuals who have played an influential role in communicating the work, challenges and value of Scottish farming and food to a wider audience, according to a news report by Peter Hill on the Guild website.

“Joe had an encyclopaedic knowledge of agricultural and food issues and all their complexities,” said the president of NFU Scotland.” His work was highly regarded as providing a balanced and informed view and was appreciated by both the farming community and the Press & Journal ’s wider readership.”

You can learn more about his honor and career at the British Guild of Agricultural Journalist site .

How a state Extension Service delivers internet television

We have added to the ACDC collection a recent report about how the AgriLife Extension Service at Texas A&M University has arranged programming for internet television. Videos from departments, programs, and specialists are gathered in 10 subject categories and distributed through the AgSmart Roku Channel. Video views totaled more than 72,000 between December 2012 and March 2014.

You can read the Journal of Extension article, “Delivering extension to the living room using internet TV,” on their website .

Communicator activities approaching

July 25-29, 2015
“Blaze your new trail.” Seventeenth Annual Ag Media Summit in Scottsdale, Arizona. Sponsored by Livestock Publications Council (LPC), American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA) and Agri Media Council of the American Business Media.  Also the annual meeting of Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT).
Information: http://agmediasummit.com/programs.php

September 24-27, 2015
Annual conference of the Canadian Farm Writers Federation (CFWF) in Calgary, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Information: http://www.saskfarmwriters.ca/2015/02/annual-conference-set-for-september-2015

October 14-18, 2015
“Agribusiness – our life, our story.” Annual Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists in Hamilton, New Zealand.
Information: http://www.congress2015.co.nz

November 10-12, 2015
“Managing change innovation and action in an ever shrinking world.” Conference of the Australasia Pacific Extension Network (APEN) in Adelaide, South Australia.
Information: http://www.apen.org.au/Conference-2015

Favorite newspaper names with a rural flavor

Recently we learned of a journalist who collects unique newspaper names.  Here are a few of publisher Ken Blum’s favorite names that capture a feeling of “rural.”

• The Big Pasture News , Grandfield, Oklahoma
• The Mountain Ear , Nederland, Colorado
• The De Queen Bee , De Queen, Arkansas
• The Wiregrass Farmer , Ashburn, Georgia
• The Gleaner , Henderson, Kentucky
• The Plainsman , Hugo, Colorado

You can see some of his other favorites here .

Please let us know of other newspaper or other periodical names with a rural flavor. Send them to docctr@library.illinois.edu

Best wishes and good searching

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions and ideas. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUC . And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Comm Documentation Center, Room 510, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801) or in electronic format sent to docctr@library.illinois.edu

New role needed for environmental and food safety journalism

Aspirations of objective reportage are outdated and ill-equipped to deal with many of the new risk stories which environmental and food safety journalism covers, according to a Journalism Studies article we added recently to the ACDC collection. Researcher Anita Howarth observed that these new disputes are about highly abstract, technical, futuristic risks. They confront a pre-occupation with objectivity, factual accuracy and impartiality – “the legacy of classic liberal assumptions about journalistic professionalism.”

The author proposed a participatory role in which media “become active participants, seeking to influence public policy change in their own right and to mobilize wider political participation.” She suggested, “Within the spaces of participatory media, emotion and reason become interwoven in debate rather than a duality; fear, anger, etc., can be seen as legitimate expressions of political engagement rather than dismissed for tainting the critical-rational space of debate.”

You can read the article, “Participatory politics, environmental journalism, and newspaper campaigns,” via the Burnel University Research Archive or Google Books .

 Social media: essential skill in the plant scientists’ toolkit

“Understanding social media, and having the knowledge and confidence to use it appropriately and effectively for professional purposes will become essential skills to be included in a scientist’s skills tool kit.”  Anne Osterrieder of Oxford Brookes University, UK, offered that counsel in a 2013 journal article we are adding to the ACDC collection. Her analysis included “do’s and don’ts of social media,” identifying suggestions, pitfalls, and online references. She also offered examples of social media use in the plant sciences.

You can read the article on Plant Methods’ website or through the National Center for Biotechnology Information .

Establishing a new Rural Journalism Hall of Fame exhibit

Congratulations to members of the Rural Press Club of Queensland (Australia) for spearheading a new Rural Journalism Hall of Fame exhibit.  It was officially commissioned in September at the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame in Longreach, Queensland.

The new exhibit traces the history of rural journalism in Queensland and showcases the contribution of three rural journalism legends in the club: Malcolm McCosker, Robin McConchie, and Rod Green.

You can read “Rural journalism exhibit commissioned” on Rural Press Club’s website .

Overview of nanotechnology in agro-food

A recent article in Food Research International examines the agro-food sector, one of the fastest growing fields in nano-research. It describes current nanotechnological applications in enhancing food production, processing, storage, and distribution; managing water quality; and controlling food quality with nano-sensors. It also highlights risk assessment and safety concerns with respect to nano agro-food research.

It calls for nanoeducation to “connect schools, colleges, research centers, small scale industries and consumers to understand the potential benefits as well as risk and safety aspects of nanotechnology.”

You can read the article, “Nanotechnology in agro-food,” here .

 How ethical is food blogging?

Food blogger Anne Green addressed that question in an Epicurean Epistles commentary we added recently to the ACDC collection. Here are several ethical dimensions she identified:

• Plagiarism and infringement of recipe copyright
• Restaurant reviewers trading cash for endorsements or favorable mentions
• Claiming expertise without professional accreditation

You can read this blog post here .

New report on farmer perspectives about climate change

A 2015 article in Environment and Behavior reported results of a statewide survey about how Iowa farmers perceive climate change. They reported the following pattern:

• Climate change is not occurring (4.6%)
• There is not sufficient evidence to know with certainty whether climate change is occurring (27.0%)
• Climate change is occurring and it is caused mostly by natural changes in the environment (23.0%)
• Climate change is occurring and it is caused equally by natural changes in the environment and human activities (35%)
• Climate change is occurring and it is caused mostly by human activities (10.4%)

Results showed substantial support for adaptive action focused on preparing for resilience in the face of increasingly variable weather. However, findings suggested that outreach focusing on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (mitigation) is unlikely to resonate for a majority of farmers. Authors suggested outreach strategies that focus on the dual goals of adaptive practices that reduce risks and GHG emissions.

You can read “Understanding farmer perspectives on climate change adaptation and mitigation” here .

Communicator activities approaching

May 21-25, 2015
“Communication across the life span.” Sixty-fifth annual conference of the International Communication Association in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Information: http://convention2.allacademic.com/one/ica/ica15

May 30-June 2, 2015
“Fueling high performance.” Annual institute of the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Information: http://www.communicators.coop/15Institute/default.aspx

June 18-20, 2015
“Tally-Ho at the Alamo.” Annual seminar of American Horse Publications members in San Antonio, Texas.
Information: http://www.americanhorsepubs.org/programs/seminars/

June 23-25, 2015
“Rocky Mountain High – ARC” Annual conference of the Agricultural Relations Council in Denver, Colorado.
Information: http://www.agrelationscouncil.org/events/2015-arc-annual-meeting-denver-co

July 25-29, 2015
“Blaze your new trail.” Seventeenth Annual Ag Media Summit in Scottsdale, Arizona. Sponsored by Livestock Publications Council (LPC), American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA) and Agri Media Council of the American Business Media.  Also the annual meeting of Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT).
Information: http://agmediasummit.com/programs.php

September 24-27, 2015
Annual conference of the Canadian Farm Writers Federation (CFWF) in Calgary, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Information: http://www.saskfarmwriters.ca/2015/02/annual-conference-set-for-september-2015

October 14-18, 2015
“Agribusiness – our life, our story.” Annual Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists in Hamilton, New Zealand.
Information: http://www.congress2015.co.nz

November 10-12, 2015
“Managing change innovation and action in an ever shrinking world.” Conference of the Australasia Pacific Extension Network (APEN) in Adelaide, South Australia.
Information: http://www.apen.org.au/Conference-2015

Matters of the heart

We close this issue of ACDC News with a traditional Borneo saying that Extension Educator Deborah Rayburn Lester, shared with us:

“Where the heart is willing
it will find a thousand ways.
Where the heart is unwilling
it will find a thousand excuses.”

Best wishes and good searching

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions and ideas. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUC . And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Comm Documentation Center, Room 510, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801) or in electronic format sent to docctr@library.illinois.edu

Issue 15-04

Processing of a unique V1N1 collection completed. Whew!

We are pleased to announce that processing of a new Volume One Number One Collection of Agricultural Periodicals is completed. ACDC graduate assistant Amanda Marolf began the effort in 2013 and graduate assistant Kelsey Berryhill completed it. This major effort involved processing premier issues of 592 agricultural journals and farm papers. Most were published in the U.S. They span a 166-year period, from 1842 to 2008.

John Harvey, veteran agricultural journalist and communicator, contributed 372 of them in 2012, plus hundreds of special editions, catalogs, reports, rare serials and other items. Jim Evans here at the University of Illinois contributed 220 V1N1 issues last summer, plus selected anniversary issues and special editions. Altogether, their contributions total more than 1,800 items.

Would you like to get acquainted with this unique resource?

• View a new finding aid that lists all of the V1N1 items in one place.
• View our digital exhibits page for selected resources on a given theme. March’s exhibit featured women’s publications for Women’s History Month, and another exhibit is current in progress.
• Use the BibLeaves search system for title searches on specific V1N1 periodicals of interest to you.

The ACDC is excited to provide a home for this one-of-a-kind collection. It offers a great view of innovation, creativity, and change in agricultural publishing across the decades. Most Thursdays, the ACDC Twitter page ( @ACDCUIUC ) features an item for “Throwback Thursday,” so make sure to check that out as well. Please let us know if this V1N1 collection can help you or someone you know with a project or search. Our staff will be happy to help! Please contact us at docctr@library.illinois.edu with any questions or comments.

Departure of an innovative UK agricultural editor

Early this year we noted on the website of the British Guild of Agricultural Journalists an article about leadership changes at Farmers Weekly . They involve the departure of Jane King as editor and editorial director of Farmers Weekly Group. She led what was described as “a complete revitalisation and repositioning of the magazine” during her 10 years of editorship. We were among those who watched that dynamic, innovative process with interest. Best wishes to Jane and to new editor and editorial director Karl Schneider.

You can read the news article, “Leadership changes at Farmers Weekly,” on the British Guild of Agricultural Journalists website .

How small-market rural media are adapting to new media

A 2010 article added recently to the ACDC collection examined how small-market rural media were trying to survive under tough economic conditions, using new media as part of their strategy.  Researchers Cindy J. Price and Michael R. Brown interviewed managers of small market newspapers, television, and radio groups to explore three questions:

1. Are rural media managing their resources differently than before?
2. Are rural media transitioning to online media content?
3. What do rural media managers see for their organizations in the future?

Results showed that “most media are struggling, but also find that local media are in a good position to make their new media content viable for their local audiences.”

You can read the article in The Online Journal of Rural Research and Policy .

Using Flickr™ for deeper insights about managing natural resources

Researcher Sheila Barry used the photo-sharing website, Flickr™, to discover public values, interests, and perceptions about cattle grazing on public lands. Reporting recently in Environmental Management , she described use of this social media tool among recreationists in the San Francisco Bay Area of California.

She concluded that the shared photos and comments revealed views, interests, and concerns that seldom show up at public meetings, hearings, or through surveys. For example, positive views expressed users’ enjoyment of the pastoral scene, recognition of “happy cows,” reduced fire risk and enhanced wildflowers.  Negative views revealed some fear of cattle among the park users and concern about manure, especially among users with dogs. Findings identified ideas for improving public information efforts.

You can read the article here .

World’s first weather report?

Oriental Institute scholars Nadine Moeller and Robert Ritner may have identified the world’s oldest weather report.  A new translation of the inscription on a 3,500-year-old Egyptian calcite statue known as the Tempest Stela suggests that it is an account of a huge volcano explosion on Thera, now the Greek island Santorini.  The researchers’ article appeared in the April 2014 issue of the Journal of Near Eastern Studies . You can read the story via JSTOR .

Two influences of big data in the future of agriculture

A recent article we are adding to the ACDC collection described two examples of how big data, combining with genomics, are shaping agriculture (and academia).

• Crop scientist Matthew Hudson envisions locally optimized agriculture using big data that individual farmers have uploaded to the cloud, involving robotic planters and harvesters. “The result will be precision agriculture to optimize what genetic traits are grown on which farms, and maybe even in different parts of fields, as well as optimizing fertilizer and seeding rates at very high precision.”
• He also expects big data to spur new levels of collaboration between agriculture’s academic disciplines. “More and more, historically different academic disciplines will have to start collaborating to try to move with the potential of these new technologies.”

You can read the article, “Big data’s role in the future of agriculture,” in the University of Illinois’ College ACES Magazine on page 30.

Communicator activities approaching

April 26-28, 2015
Annual meeting of North American Agricultural Journalists (NAAJ) in Washington, D.C.
Information: http://www.naaj.net/meetings

April 27-May 1, 2015
Annual conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education (IAIEE) in Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Information: http://www.aiaee.org/index.php/upcoming

April 27-29, 2015
“Washington Watch” of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) in Washington, D. C.
Information: http://www.nafb.com/events/washington-watch

May 21-25, 2015
“Communication across the life span.” Sixty-fifth annual conference of the International Communication Association in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Information: http://convention2.allacademic.com/one/ica/ica15

June 23-25, 2015
“Rocky Mountain High – ARC” Annual conference of the Agricultural Relations Council in Denver, Colorado.
Information: http://www.agrelationscouncil.org/events/2015-arc-annual-meeting-denver-co

Figuring big profits in farming

Thanks to John Otte of Farm Progress for sharing a “high finance” thought that will close this issue of ACDC News.  Once seen in a farm magazine, the story goes something like this. John recalls:

“Farmer was rounding up old self feeder, corn cultivator sweeps, old woven wire fence, parts of an old side delivery hay rake. Took the truck load to the junk dealer. Got $13.87 cash. Which he ciphered was very close to $15,895 short of what he paid new for all of it.”

Best wishes and good searching

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions and ideas. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUC . And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Comm Documentation Center, Room 510, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801) or in electronic format sent to docctr@library.illinois.edu

Text mining and competitive analysis of social media in the food industry

A recent issue of the International Journal of Information Management featured use of text mining in competitive analysis of social media used by the three largest firms in the pizza industry.

Results led the researchers to observe, “As more and more businesses established a social media presence, it becomes necessary for companies to monitor their own social media presence as well as that of their competitors.”

They offered four recommendations for companies interested in monitoring social media and developing strategies for competitive analysis. You can view the article here .

 Sampling of new agricultural communications research in JAC

The Journal of Applied Communications serves as a major source you can use to keep up with current research in agricultural communications. Here are sample topics addressed in the final issue of 2014:

“Productive pinning: a quantitative content analysis determining the use of Pinterest by agricultural businesses and organizations” by Jessie Topp, Scott Stebner, Lana A. Barkman, and Lauri M. Baker.

“The critical target audience: communicating water conservation behaviors to critical thinking styles” by Laura M. Gorham, Alexa J. Lamm, and Joy N. Rumble.

“Exploring agriculturists’ use of social media for agricultural marketing” by Danielle White, Courtney Meyers, David Doerfert, and Erica Irlbeck.

“An examination of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists’ involvement in agriculture knowledge mobilization” by William Nelson, David Doerfert, Courtney Meyers, Matt Baker, Cindy Akers, Masaru Yamada, Teruaki Nanseki, and Owen Roberts.

“Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association members’ preferred sources of animal health information” by Patrick R. Allen, Traci L. Naile, Tom A Vestal, and Monty Dozier.

You can read these and other recent JAC articles on their website .

Ag comm students learning through field study

The Academic Interest Group of the Association for Communication Excellence (ACE) recently published a case report about a 2013 study-away experience for agricultural communications students.  Courtney Meyers, faculty member at Texas Tech University, reported how she and Shannon Arnold of Montana State University took 22 students to Washington, D.C. for a week.  They offered seven tips for organizing and carrying out a study away experience.

You can read the report on their WordPress site .

Who is tweeting what about nanotechnology?

A recent web metric analysis of more than 24,000 tweets on nanotechnology found individuals more active than the official channels/representatives of scientific institutions and organizations.  Researcher G. A. Veltri also found nanotechnology not so much an object of conversation on Twitter as a channel of diffusion for the new technology.

Most of the tweets involved news of nanotechnology events or applications for medical research and consumer goods. Veltri found little emphasis placed on resources to understand the science and technology involved and relatively little tweeting (15%) about concerns and opposition to nanotechnology.

You can read this article in the journal, Public Understanding of Science , here .

Saturday mail loss stings worst in small towns

Tonda Rush, CEO of the National Newspaper Association, makes a case for maintaining Saturday delivery of mail. In a recent commentary, Rush emphasizes the special importance of newspapers published and delivered on Saturday in small towns.

“The Postal Service says the public supports dropping Saturday delivery.  But whether the public is aware of the risks to the economy, particularly in small towns, is debatable.  For most, the mail is taken for granted, even in a world where texts and e-mails have long since overtaken mail’s immediacy.  Mail still supports more than $1 trillion in economic activity, according to a biennial study of the Envelope Manufacturers Association. And mailers pay for USPS, not the general public.”

You can read the commentary on the National Newspaper Association’s site .

Need a reference about food and drink?

If so, you may find just the information you need in The Diner’s Dictionary: Word Origins of Food and Drink . It was written by John Ayto and published by Oxford University Press (Second Edition, 2012).

From the term “Abernethy biscuit” to “zwieback,” the 405 pages feature a rich and global gastronomical stew of engaging descriptions and histories.

Helping you scout for information you can use

Your busy schedule may not permit you to review dozens of sources for information about the communications aspects of agriculture in all its dimensions.  You track sources in your special area of interest. Beyond that, you can rely on ACDC staff members to watch for other information that may serve you. For example, here are a few of the wide-ranging journals from which we have recently gathered information for the ACDC collection:

• Media, Culture and Society
• Public Understanding of Science
• Biological Conservation
• Beef Issues Quarterly
• Development in Practice
• Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics
• Appetite
• UN Chronicle
• Journal of African Media Studies
• Ryerson Review of Journalism
• College English

Communicator activities approaching

April 14-17, 2015
“Growing Greatness,” Agri-Marketing Conference, National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA), in Kansas City, Missouri.
Information: http://www.nama.org

April 26-28, 2015
Annual meeting of North American Agricultural Journalists (NAAJ) in Washington, D.C.
Information: http://www.naaj.net/meetings

April 27-May 1, 2015
Annual conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education (IAIEE) in Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Information: http://www.aiaee.org/index.php/upcoming

April 27-29, 2015
“Washington Watch” of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) in Washington, D. C.
Information: http://www.nafb.com/events/washington-watch

 Pet detective at work

We close this issue of ACDC News with another award-winning entry in the 2014 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. The English Department of San Jose State University sponsors this online competition in bad opening sentences to imaginary novels.  This agriculture-oriented entry from Howie McLennon of Ontario, Canada was named winner in the “Vile Puns” category:

“ Pet detective Drake Leghorn ducked reporters at the entrance to the small hobby farm and headed down to the tiny pond where a lone goose was frantically calling for her mate and he wondered why – when so many come to look upon the graceful mating pair – why would someone want to take a gander?”

You can read other honored entries in the 2014 contest at http://bulwer-lytton.com

Best wishes and good searching

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions and ideas. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUC . And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Comm Documentation Center, Room 510, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801) or in electronic format sent to docctr@library.illinois.edu

Six steps for maintaining agricultural journalism standards

Kevin Smith, chairman of the National Ethics Committee of the Society of Professional Journalists, offered six solutions for agricultural journalists when he spoke at an ethics session of the 2014 Agricultural Media Summit:

• Make sure the American Agricultural Editors’ Association Code of Ethics is distributed extensively in the agriculture community.
• Make sure journalists understand it and read it. … Talk about it. …Make it a living document that drives discussions. … The worst way to use a code is after the fact.
• Share it with advertisers, their marketing departments, and PR people. PR people have codes of ethics as well.  Show it to the publisher, ad director, study it. Discuss it.
• Look at what other journalism groups are saying.  Leverage their positions.
• Produce real life case studies.  Help one another out by sharing cases and how they were resolved. Create a repository for these cases, so others can access.  Don’t hide names, be honest.
• Resist temptations from news peddlers at every turn. Start with AAEA convention.  Make no promises, keep relationships professional. Explain roles of advertising and editorial often to advertisers and the public.

You can read the AAEA Code of Ethic for members here.

You can read AAEA Ethics Case Studies and the AAEA Affiliate Code of Ethics here.

“Rethinking the United Nations for the networked world”

That is the title of a report about new approaches being planned for the United Nations, which observes its 70 ^th anniversary in 2015.  These approaches will change critical aspects of how the UN responds to complex global challenges to peace, prosperity, and sustainable development.

Effective communications is prominent among these driving forces for change:

• An increasingly vast array of transnational networks consisting of non-governmental organizations, foundations, academics, corporations and private citizens.
• A global communications platform that radically drops transaction and collaboration costs, enabling non-state actors to self-organize and cooperate to address global problems.

You can read the 47-page report here .

German consumers are less aware of nanotechnology – and media coverage of it is falling

A comparison by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment revealed that consumers became generally less aware of the term nanotechnology during the five-year period, 2008-2012. This trend occurred as the range of potential uses for nanotechnology in foods expanded rapidly.

“The number of articles in the German media mentioning nanotech has fallen steadily since 2007, however, from an average of 806 articles a year from 2000-2007 to just 496 in 2012.”

You can read this FoodNavigator.com news report here .

The Viking in the Wheat Field – adventure in “big picture” agri-reporting

Susan Dworkin’s skill in gathering complex agri-science information and revealing it understandably to non-scientists shines brightly in this book we added recently to the ACDC collection.

It features Bent Skovmand, a Danish scientist who headed the wheat gene bank of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) from 1988-2003. He preserved, multiplied and categorized one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of wheat genetic resources. After he left CIMMYT he became director of the Nordic Gene Bank, now called Nordgen, which manages the so-called Doomsday Vault where millions of essential crop seeds have been deposited in case of catastrophe.

Skovmand understood that the struggle to preserve the world’s harvest had to have a public. “The power to communicate the impact of plant genetic resources activities is essential,” he insisted.

Reference: Susan Dworkin (2009) The Viking in the Wheat Field . New York: Walker & Company.

You can read a sample review of it here .

You can find a copy at a library near you via WorldCat .

New professional development fund for agricultural journalists and communicators in Canada

Congratulations to the Canadian Farm Writers Federation (CFWF) for establishing a fund to support professional development of agricultural journalists and communicators in the organization. Applications for the first (2015) awards were due by December 31. Recipients will use awards to strengthen their attributes, abilities and skills as agricultural journalists/communicators. They will do so through research, educational programs, conferences, workshops, exchanges and other activities.

We in ACDC look forward to serving this effort by helping applicants identify topics of interest and supporting research components of projects selected.

Words to banish during 2015

Nearly one-half of the words being called for banishment during 2015 may hold special interest for those involved in food, reporting, and communications.  They are in the 2015 List of Banished Words, assembled at Lake Superior State University in Michigan through feedback from word watchers.  This annual list features words and phrases that “should be banished from the Queen’s English for mis-use, over-use and general uselessness.” Among the words to be banished during 2015:

Foodie

Hack

Takeaway

Friend-raising

Skillset

You can review the complete list and comments from contributors here .

Communicator activities approaching

What it takes to make change in a society

We close this issue of ACDC News with an insight expressed by Solange Lusiku Nsimine, editor and publisher of Le Souverain newspaper in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She received the 2014 Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women’s Media Foundation.

“At the top it takes willpower, [but] at the base it takes courage.”

Best wishes and good searching

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions and ideas. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUC . And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Comm Documentation Center, Room 510, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801) or in electronic format sent to docctr@library.illinois.edu

Welcome to the first 2015 issue of ACDC News

We hope you will enjoy and find value in a new year of research, updates and perspectives from the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center based at the University of Illinois.

You have more resources than ever to find and use.  The ACDC collection now totals 41,000 documents from around the world.  BibLeaves, our hard-working online search system, makes your searching easy and powerful. And ACDC staff members enjoy helping you, your associates or students find information you need about all kinds of human communicating related to agriculture (broadly defined) – nearly anywhere – and from latest to earliest.

Thanks for your interest and encouragement

Special thanks to those who contributed news, documents, thoughts and suggestions last year.  As readers and users, you are the most important partners in developing this unique resource to strengthen agriculture-related journalism and communications, wherever you live and work.  We welcome the opportunity to serve and cooperate with you during 2015.

At the same time, we do not wish to impose on your time and interests.  Please let us know at docctr@library.illinois.edu if you prefer not to be informed of new issues of ACDC News.

2015, here we come – with a first sample of research, news, views, ideas and events.

New survey on food decisions and consumer trust

“Cracking the code on food issues: Insights from moms, millennials and foodies” is the title of a new report from the Center for Food Integrity. Findings were based on an online survey completed in September among 2,005 respondents who reflect the general U.S. consumer population. The survey identified trusted sources and information-seeking patterns as a guide for communicating effectively with consumers about food

You can read the full 2014 CFI Consumer Trust Research Report here .

“Can we call it smart data instead of big data?”

Charlie O’Brien, senior vice-president of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, offered that framing suggestion in a recent issue of the AEM periodical, Ag Executive Advisor . He observed that “big data” conjures up an immense mountain of bits and bytes coming from the farm to increase production. “It also may invoke thoughts of Big Brother, with fears of who may get their hands on some of this data.”

“Wouldn’t ‘smart data’ be a more appropriate term?” he asked. “The data, by design, is used for decision-making. … So let’s build the electronic bridges between the data clouds and build the right security measures so that farmers are comfortable releasing their data for select uses.  And let’s build the right standards around the data formats…”

You can read this commentary in the December 2014 issue here.

New resources about Africa Lead II

Thanks to Kathy Alison of Training Resources Group for alerting us to new resources about Africa Lead II, the USAID’s primary capacity-building program in sub Saharan Africa. It is working to help realize goals of Feed the Future by “building the capacity of champions, institutions and stakeholders to develop, lead and manage the structures needed for African-led agriculture transformation.”

The program has a new website and new quarterly newsletter. They provide program reports (by country), result stories, “Champion’s Corner” videos, and other resources.

You can learn more about these resources for African-based agricultural development here .

Australian students produce animation for rural development in Timor-Leste

Animation is a key ingredient in a current project to help crop growers in Timor-Leste try new maize varieties developed by Seeds of Life and the Ministry of Agriculture. Final-year students at Charles Sturt University in Australia are preparing the animations that feature 12 key agronomic messages. They are working under the direction of Chris McGillion, a senior lecturer in journalism at the University.

You can read a brief report from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research here .

Caution about staffing for social media

At a recent conference in France, business consultant Mike Greene explored two sides of a personnel dilemma facing food companies in their use of social media.

• Managers tend to be older and are not naturally with social media, so they stick to the media they know.
• However, food companies “should not just hire the first young person to show a bit of skill with social media.” Using it doesn’t make an expert. “…there are rules that work, and ways that work, and the right mix of video and imagery and content is really important to get successful social media.”

You can read a news report of his remarks and view a brief video interview here .

Distinguished service award to ACDC leader

Congratulations to Prof. Lura Joseph, manager of the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center.  She recently was awarded the Mary B. Ansari Distinguished Service Award by the Geoscience Information Society (GSIS). The award recognizes significant contributions in the field of geoscience information.

Throughout her career, Lura’s professional activity and research reflect an understanding and concern for bibliography, library collections, and geoscience information. This is in particular regard to geologic field trip guidebooks. She has been the chair and guiding force of the GSIS Guidebook Committee for many years, as well as a principal contributor to the American Geosciences Institute’s Geologic Guidebooks of North America Database. In addition, she has authored several book chapters, written numerous book reviews, and made presentations at conferences, institutes, and workshops around the country. In addition to serving as ACDC Manager, Lura also is a Content Access and Research Services Librarian here at the University of Illinois.

Communicator activities approaching

Check this dishonored food-and-diet writing

We close this issue of ACDC News with a recent example of remarkable food and diet writing.  It received “Dishonorable Mention” in the 2014 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, sponsored by the English Department at San Jose State University.  The international competition honors bad opening sentences to imaginary novels. So we share the entry submitted by Phillip Davies of Cardiff, U.K.:

“Finally after ninety-seven long days adrift Captain Pertwee was rescued, mercifully ending his miserable diet of rainwater and strips of sun dried Haddock which was actually far ghastlier than it sounded what with George Haddock being his former first mate.”

You can read other honored (and dishonored) entries in the 2014 contest at http://bulwer-lytton.com

Best wishes and good searching

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions and ideas. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUC . And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Comm Documentation Center, Room 510, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801) or in electronic format sent to docctr@library.illinois.edu

Season’s greetings

All of us in the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center send special greetings and best wishes to you during this holiday season. We also hope you enjoy and find value in some of the research and professional insights coming into the ACDC collection as 2014 winds down.

Understanding the appeal of farmers’ markets

Findings reported recently in the International Food and Agribusiness Management Review shed light on who attends farmers’ markets and why. Here are a few highlights of research involving nearly 1,500 attendees at 16 farmers’ markets in Nevada and Utah:

• Consumers attended primarily to buy fresh produce, followed by social interaction.
• Those wanting mainly to buy fresh produce tended to be married females at higher income levels, persons with strong diet or health concerns, and those who are supportive of local farming and agriculture open space.
• Participants were not strongly motivated to buy ready-to-eat foods, packaged foods, arts and crafts.
• Those attending for social interaction tended to be unmarried males or larger families attending events.

You can read the research paper at: http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/167905

Lessons from a PR disaster with Mary the Elephant

Have you heard of anyone hanging an elephant? If not, you may share our surprise and interest in an article we discovered recently by John Brummette in a 2012 issue of Public Relations Review . This case study highlights perils of the press agentry model of public relations, mixed with elements of animal welfare, crisis communications, and community trauma.

The story traces back to 1916 when the Carolina, Clinchfield, and Ohio Railroad Company “performed its civic duty by assisting an angry public in hanging a murderer in Erwin, Tennessee. The murderer, a two-ton circus elephant named Mary, was convicted, sentenced, and hanged from a railroad derrick for causing the death of her trainer in a horrific public spectacle.” This fascinating, instructive story holds enduring lessons from the infancy of the public relations profession.

You can read the abstract at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0363811111001949

Check with us at docctr@library.illinois.edu if we can help you gain access.

How changes in U.S. phone networking affect rural areas

We have added to the ACDC collection a brief report from Public Knowledge.org about possible effects of the move from traditional (TDM-based) technology to Internet Protocols (IP). The report identifies four risks facing rural areas and people:

• Universal service rules that have helped rural Americans obtain broadband phone service may no longer apply.
• Fixed wireless services can have significant restrictions and limitations compared to the landline service.
• Next-generation networks may not necessarily provide internet access.
• In the transition to IP, carriers’ use of least-cost routing systems has led to an increase in incomplete calls to and from rural areas.

You can read this item at https://www.publicknowledge.org/documents/rural-communities-and-the-phone-network-transition

Science – more than a catalog of facts to be memorized

A bright green truck, “The Think Tank,” is helping put a new face on science for promising high school students with under-represented backgrounds. Tyler Alterman and Daniel Casasanto of the University of Chicago co-founded this project. The “Think Tank” visits local Chicago schools to address “a disconnect between how science is presented in schools and how it’s practiced.” It engages students in the nuts-and-bolts of neuroscience – how the mind works – and fosters curiosity for research.

Coordinators also plan to take the “Think Tank” to festivals, museums, and large public events “to get the general public excited about our current understanding of the brain.”

You can read a report of this new education project in the May-June issue of the University of Chicago Magazine at: http://mag.uchicago.edu/science-medicine/vehicle-change

Cautions about using IT to build global markets

A new book by researcher Anita Chan sheds revealing light on the complexities and impacts of digital media in rural communities. It is Networking Peripheries: Technological Future and the Myth of Digital Universalism (MIT Press). At one level, it features a case analysis of government efforts in Peru to optimize global market potential for the traditional, handmade ceramics of artisans in the rural town of Chulucanas. Troubling effects on the artisans and community illustrate risks in viewing information technologies as simply new and direct means to economic and social development. Instead, outcomes illustrate a dynamic interplay of good intentions and unintended results.

At another level, it highlights the cultural complexities and political life of digital media at the “peripheries,” well beyond the recognized “centers” of IT innovation. At a third and more basic level, it follows in the tradition of concern about Western-centric framing of “innovation,” “science” and “development.”

An abstract from the publisher is at: http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/networking-peripheries

You can read the table of contents at: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/bkabstractplus.jsp?reload=true&bkn=6757879

Comparing the online networks of dog and cat owners

Researcher Jennifer Golbeck found many differences when she investigated the behavior of dog and cat owners in pet-oriented social networks. For example:

• Cat owners tend to make their pets’ profiles have many more friends than do dog owners.
• Dog owners tend to use the features of the sites that let them share pictures and express their connection with their pets.
• Cat owners are much more prolific users of the community-oriented features of the sites.
• Rural dog owners have about the same average number of friends as have urban dog owners (about 39).
• However, rural cat owners have nearly twice the average number of friends (98) as have urban cat owners (51).

You can read the article in First Monday journal at: http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2859/2765

International communicator activity approaching

April 27-May 1, 2015Annual conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education (AIAEE) in Wageningen, The Netherlands.Information: http://www.aiaee.org/index.php/upcoming

How’s that again?

Hearty holiday appetites – and seasonal concerns about winter weather – prompt us to close this issue of ACDC News with several ponderisms, including a couple about food and nature:

• I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes.

• All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.

• How is it that one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

Best wishes and good searching

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