Ferraz de Oliveira Nicholas

Showcasing top cooperative communicators of the year

Cooperative Communicators Association is showcasing the 2013 CCA Communications Contest Winners. This lively organization for professionals who communicate for cooperatives recognizes excellence through an annual contest.

You can learn who earned top honors this year in four divisions of the recognition program—writing, publication, photography, and programs/projects. Visit: http://www.communicators.coop/2013Contest.htm

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Fresh perspective on development “is urgently called for”

“Following over a half century of ‘technology transfer’ and ‘participation,’ the paradigm of agricultural modernization appears to have reached a limit.” With that introduction, Wageningen University faculty members Todd Crane, Stephen Sherwood and Cees Leeuwis recently suggested a next stage—Development 3.0. They explained:

• Development 1.0 led to the creation of the national agricultural research and extension centres, as well as the international agricultural research system.
• Development 2.0 grew with the rise of rural development non-governmental organizations, emphasizing people-centered approaches and “participatory development.”

In the face of urgent social and environmental challenges, they sense a welcomed change taking place. Development 3.0, they suggested, centers on a commonly neglected resource: the creativity embedded in daily practices, innovation and self-organization of families, communities, and other collectives.

You can read this brief report from AgriCultures at: http://www.agriculturesnetwork.org/magazines/global/from-desertification-to-vibrant-communities/development-3.0-development-practice-in-transition

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Insights about how farmers view tobacco biopharming

We have added to the ACDC collection a conference paper that reported results of a telephone survey among 145 tobacco farmers in five Southeastern U.S. states. Findings showed:

• The interviewed producers knew little about biopharming.
• Their responses were driven largely by information presented to them, “and, most importantly, by economic profits.”
• They appeared to have relatively less concern about the technology, compared with findings through research among consumers.
• It is “very important to provide producers with appropriate information on biopharming, its challenges and opportunities.”

You can read this 2013 conference paper via: http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/143064

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Three fresh ideas for teaching agricultural communications

Teachers of agricultural communications throughout the U.S. are maintaining their creative tradition. Here are three case reports we have added to the ACDC collection from the proceedings of a research session about agricultural communications:

• Mobile classrooms for teaching a visual communications curriculum that fits into the agricultural science courses of secondary schools in Arkansas.  View: ” Experiential learning ”
• Inviting online reactions from college students about educational and entertainment videos pertaining to modern dairy husbandry practices. View: ” Advertising agrarian unreality ”
• Using Second Life (3-D virtual world) in the agriculture classroom. View: ” Learning in a new land ”

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Congratulations to Nora Quebral

We join others in congratulating Dr. Nora Cruz-Quebral on receiving the 2013 Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Award from the University of the Philippines Alumni Association. The honor, to be awarded this month, recognizes her leadership and achievements in the field of development communication.

“The UPAA honors Dr. Quebral for her contributions to devcom education and practice that embodied the University’s heritage of service to the people, and improved the lives of people in countless communities she has served through the years.”

A pioneer in the discipline of development communication, Dr. Quebral was the first leader of the Department of Development Communication (now the College of Development Communication) at the University of the Philippines at Los Baños. As a current professor emeritus, she is chair of the Nora C. Quebral Development Communication Centre. You can learn more about her career at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nora_C._Quebral

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Reporting about science in quick-tempered times

“It is the editors who need educating in science,” read the title of an article by Carl W. Larsen. It caught our attention in a 1958 issue of Nieman Reports . We are adding his article to the ACDC collection, partly because of the following admonition that applies to agricultural as well as other kinds of science reporting. Also, the advice seems as timely today as it was a half century ago.

“In this quick-tempered period, we must demand that the quality of reporting and editorial opinion—especially on science—be of the highest order.”

Check with us at docctr@library.illinois.edu if you would like help in gaining access.

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There’s the link I was looking for! (Part Two about DOIs)

As discussed previously, a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) can be a wonderful tool for keeping track of digital scholarly resources. As enthusiastic believers in digital preservation, we here at the Center have begun including them in our citation database where possible.

An example of a document with a DOI in our BibLeaves search system is “The once and future georgic: agricultural practice, environmental knowledge, and the place of an ethic of experience” by Benjamin R. Cohen. The DOI for this document is 10.1007/s10450-008-9172-7

To retrieve this document:

Enter the following into an internet address bar: http://dx.doi.org/ + DOI. Therefore, your address bar will read: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10450-008-9172-7 NOTE: This may only work if you have institutional access to this article.

If you’d like to look at some of the articles the Center has identified with DOIs, simply search “DOI” in BibLeaves: http://bibleaves.library.illinois.edu/catalog?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=DOI&search_field=all_fields&results_view=true&commit=search

We hope this solution will help quell some frustrations and fears about the transitory nature of many URLs. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the center at docctr@library.illinois.edu . Or contact our resident DOI expert, librarian Stephanie Pitts-Noggle, at pittsno2@illinois.edu

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Communicator activities approaching

• June 17-21, 2013
  Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA) in London, UK. Information: http://www.icahdq.org
• July 22-24, 2013
  “Emerging priorities for scientific and agricultural information.” 14th World Congress of the International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists in Ithaca, New York. Information: http://www.iaald.org
• August 3-7, 2013
  “Just wing it!” Agricultural Media Summit sponsored by the American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA), Livestock Publications Council (LPC) and the Agri Council of American Business Media in Buffalo, New York. Also hosts the annual conference of the student organization, Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT). Information: http://www.agmediasummit.com
• August 26-28, 2013
  “Transformative change: chosen or unchosen—pathways to innovation, resilience and prosperity.” International conference of the Australasian-Pacific Extension Network (APEN) in Christchurch, New Zealand. Information: http://www.apen.org.au
• September 1-5, 2013
  Annual Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) in Buenos Aires and Rosario, Argentina. Information: http://www.ifajargentina.com

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How’s that again?

We close this issue of ACDC News with a few “amusing ambiguities” gathered by Prof. Ernest Barreto of George Mason University. These headlines caught our eye, of course, because they communicate about food and agriculture.

“Include your children when baking cookies”

“Lung cancer in women mushrooms”

“Enraged cow injures farmer with ax”

Please pass along others that catch your eye. Send them to us at docctr@library.illinois.edu

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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

Internet adding $2,000-plus annual gross farm income to small farms

“Small farms with access to the Internet earned approximately $2,200 to $2,700 more in gross farm income compared to small farms without access to the Internet.” That conclusion came from a research report we have added to the ACDC collection. A pair of agricultural economists at Louisiana State University presented their findings during February. Researchers used data from a nationwide U. S. Department of Agriculture survey of farm households in 2010. They defined a “small farm” as having a gross cash farm income of less than $250,000. Sixty-two percent of the small farm households had access to the Internet.

Researchers concluded that small farm businesses, through good management of off-farm and on-farm activities, can benefit from Internet service as it opens up options for gaining information and potentially reducing input costs and household expenses.

You can read this conference paper, “Assessing the impact of Internet access,” at: http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/143019

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$20 cows making media headlines in Australia

Thanks to Gordon Collie of AgriProse in Brisbane, Australia, for an alert about some newsy reporting by James Nason ( www.beefcentral.com ) that caught urban attention.

Gordon explains that the killer line in this recent story was about two unwanted cows in a yarding of 3,000 head. James reported that they actually sold for $20 each. In the story, he went on to quote the local selling agent as having heard on the radio that you need to sell 25 cattle at $20 a head to feed a family for two weeks.

Gordon continued: “Then we have some bright spark working out how many cows a farmer has to sell at $20 to feed his family!”

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Information that Italian consumers want and use on food labels

A 2012 article in the International Journal on Food System Dynamics described results of focus groups and a survey among consumers in Milan. Among the findings:

• Vitamins, energy, and fat content emerged as most important to these consumers.
• They also expressed high interest in the origin of the products, presence or absence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), environmental impact, animal welfare, and type of breeding.
• They said they want information that is simple and easy to read.
• They require the information to come from third parties that can certify and guarantee the truthfulness of claims.
• They welcome the possibility of personalized services, such as through smart labels for mobile phones.

You can read the journal article at: http://centmapress.ilb.uni-bonn.de/ojs/index.php/fsd/article/view/275/259

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180th birth anniversary of a pioneer rural journalist

April brought the 180 ^th birth anniversary of a pioneer rural journalist. We learned of it recently when we added to the ACDC collection a news article about observance of a birth anniversary recognizing Kangal Harinath. The occasion took place in his ancestral home in Kushtia, a district now in western Bangladesh.

Speakers at the birthday anniversary recognized Harinath (1833-1896) as a pioneer in rural journalism. He first wrote for a newspaper, Sangbad Prabhakar , in 1854. In 1860 he began publishing Grambarta Prokashika , which emerged as a leading weekly magazine. He was cited as “one of the few dedicated souls who through his writings relentlessly sought to alleviate the misery of the masses.”

You can read this article at: http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=243034

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Is development journalism out of date?

Researchers Jeffrey Wimmer and Susanne Wolf asked that question in a 2005 article in Munich Contributions to Science Communication . Their analysis provided an overview of journalism education offered by African universities at that time, with special focus on the concept and guidelines of development journalism. It reveals course offerings in development journalism at universities in 14 African nations.

Authors concluded: “Development journalism nowadays seems to have a firm position in African journalism education. This development does not take place on a big scale, but it definitely happens in niches.”

You can read this article at: http://epub.ub.uni-muenchen.de/archive/00000647

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Darn, where did that link go?

If you happen to use the internet frequently, you’re probably familiar with this exclamation. As we here at the ACDC have noted in earlier newsletters, information online can be tragically ephemeral and transitory. In a world that demands information in an instant, this difficulty can be an immense frustration.

Happily for us, however, the ACDC has begun adopting a potential solution to this problem: a DOI, or Digital Object Identifier, is a string of characters assigned to a digital object (such as a journal article) to serve as a persistent identifier. This means that no matter where the article moves on the internet, by inserting the character string after the DOI repository prefix, you will always be linked to the same object.

If you’d like to learn more about DOIs, we encourage you to consult these additional sources:

• The University of Illinois Library’s Overview of Database Linking: http://www.library.illinois.edu/rex/guides/linking/linking.html
• The DOI homepage: http://www.doi.org/
• The Wikipedia article on DOIs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_object_identifier

In our next issue, we will provide some examples of how you can use DOIs to help locate material in the ACDC collection and elsewhere on the internet.

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Communicator activities approaching

• June 1-5, 2013
  “Sound ideas: the stage is set.” Annual Institute of the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) in Nashville, Tennessee. Information: http://www.communicators.coop/2013institute.htm
• June 11-14, 2013
  “ACE-NETC Racing Ahead 2013.” Joint conference of the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE) and the National Extension Technology Conference (NETC) in Indianapolis, Indiana. Commemorates the 100th anniversary of ACE and features more than 100 professional breakout sessions. Information: http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/ace-netc
• June 17-21, 2013
  Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA) in London, UK. Information: http://www.icahdq.org
• July 22-24, 2013
  “Emerging priorities for scientific and agricultural information.” 14th World Congress of the International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists in Ithaca, New York. Information: http://www.iaald.org
• August 3-7, 2013
  “Just wing it!” Agricultural Media Summit sponsored by the American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA), Livestock Publications Council (LPC) and the Agri Council of American Business Media in Buffalo, New York. Also hosts the annual conference of the student organization, Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT). Information: http://www.agmediasummit.com
• August 26-28, 2013
  “Transformative change: chosen or unchosen—pathways to innovation, resilience and prosperity.” International conference of the Australasian-Pacific Extension Network (APEN) in Christchurch, New Zealand. Information: http://www.apen.org.au
• September 1-5, 2013
  Annual Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) in Buenos Aires and Rosario, Argentina. Information: http://www.ifajargentina.com

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Blessed are the meek

We close this issue of ACDC News with advice from a country editor, Donald A. Norberg. He shared his code of practice in a 1949 issue of Nieman Reports . He offered the following philosophy in his article, which we added recently to the ACDC collection:

“Community newspapers cannot just observe and report on the parade of humanity. They’ve got to march in it.” The meek, he argued, are the marchers…the builders.

Check with us at docctr@library.illinois.edu if you would like help in gaining access to this article, “Blessed are the meek.”

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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

Careers increasing in agricultural journalism

Anne Hart, Sacramento (California) Nutrition Examiner, sees her region “turning to agricultural journalism to communicate what’s happening locally with farming, the environment, and who’s getting grants.” She observed growing need for agricultural and environmental journalists in business, government, research, and the media—and emphasized the added breadth of agricultural journalism, including food, nutrition, and health.

“If you enjoy writing about the environment, plants, food, and genetics and either enjoy broadcast media or digital media combined with an interest in farming, there’s a field of journalism open called agricultural and environmental journalism.”

You can read her article at: http://www.examiner.com/article/careers-agricultural-journalism-increasing-locally-include-nutrition

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Communicating better: vital key to reducing global food waste

An estimated 30-50 percent of all food produced on the planet is lost before reaching a human stomach. That sobering statistic launched a January 2013 report we are adding to the ACDC collection from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (London, UK). Much of the 31-page report documented where, how, and why waste occurs in the global food system. And we note that all three recommendations in the report center in communications:

1. Put into place programs that transfer engineering knowledge, design know-how, and suitable technology to newly developing countries.
2. Incorporate waste minimization thinking into the transport infrastructure and storage facilities currently being planned, engineered and built.
3. Devise and implement policy that changes consumer expectations. “These should discourage retailers from wasteful practices that lead to the rejection of food on the basis of cosmetic characteristics, and losses in the home due to excessive purchasing by consumers.”

You can read this report, “Global food: waste not, want not,” at: http://www.imeche.org/docs/default-source/reports/Global_Food_Report.pdf?sfvrsn=0

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How farmers decide to enter agritourism

A national survey helped USDA researchers Faqir Singh Bagi and Richard J. Reeder identify factors affecting decisions of U.S. farmers to take part in agritourism. Their report in 2012 identified these factors as significant:

• Characteristics of the farm (e.g., percent of land not suitable for crop production, whether the land is enrolled in a conservation program, public access allowed for recreational uses to some part of the farm)
• Characteristics of the farm operator (e.g., age, education, access to the internet, use of farm management advice, amount of land owned, farm ownership structure)
• Area in which the farm is located (e.g., nearness to a city, Southern Plains region, and Rocky Mountain region)

You can read their article in Agricultural and Resource Economics Review at: http://purl.umn.edu/132529

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How well do mobile phones improve educational outcomes?

Research findings reported in the International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning revealed a mixed answer to that question in rural and remote regions of developing countries. Analyses of mobile learning (mLearning) projects in six Asian countries showed:

• Mobile phones facilitated increased access to education
• Findings of the projects were mixed in regard to the extent to which mLearning promoted new learning
• Contradictory evidence also appeared in regard to the benefits of mLearning for those who have not succeeded in traditional educational settings

You can read this 2010 journal article at: http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/794/1487

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What consumers want on food labels that’s not available now

A research team at the University of Milano, Italy reported an unusual two-part consumer research project involving information on food labels. One part examined what label information gets top consideration (e.g., vitamins, energy, and fat).

Part 2 examined interest in information currently not available on food labels. On a Likert scale (7 highest; 1 lowest), consumers expressed greatest interest in information about animal welfare (6.0) and type of breeding (5.5). Next came:

• food miles (5.3)
• packaging material (5.1)
• food knowledge (4.3)
• carbon footprint (4.0)
• water saving during the production process (3.5).

You can read this article in the International Journal on Food System Dynamics at: http://centmapress.ilb.uni-bonn.de/ojs/index.php/fsd/article/view/275/259

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Congratulations to our associate, Stephanie Pitts-Noggle .

This month Stephanie will receive her master’s degree in library and information science here at the University of Illinois. She successfully carried out her study program while serving as ACDC academic coordinator and webmaster through a half-time graduate assistantship.

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Lots of communicator activities approaching

• May 7-9, 2013
  Annual meeting of the Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) in Portland, Oregon. Information: http://www.toca.org
• May 19-22, 2013
  “Building capacity through international agricultural and extension education.” Annual conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education in Fort Worth, Texas. Information: http://www.aiaee.org
• June 1-5, 2013
  “Sound ideas: the stage is set.” Annual Institute of the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) in Nashville, Tennessee. Information: http://www.communicators.coop/2013institute.htm
• June 11-14, 2013
  “ACE-NETC Racing Ahead 2013.” Joint conference of the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE) and the National Extension Technology Conference (NETC) in Indianapolis, Indiana. Commemorates the 100th anniversary of ACE and features more than 100 professional breakout sessions. Information: http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/ace-netc
• June 17-21, 2013
  Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA) in London, UK. Information: http://www.icahdq.org
• July 22-24, 2013
  “Emerging priorities for scientific and agricultural information.” 14th World Congress of the International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists in Ithaca, New York. Information: http://www.iaald.org
• August 3-7, 2013
  “Just wing it!” Agricultural Media Summit sponsored by the American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA), Livestock Publications Council (LPC) and the Agri Council of American Business Media in Buffalo, New York. Also hosts the annual conference of the student organization, Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT). Information: http://www.agmediasummit.com
• August 26-28, 2013
  “Transformative change: chosen or unchosen—pathways to innovation, resilience and prosperity.” International conference of the Australasian-Pacific Extension Network (APEN) in Christchurch, New Zealand. Information: http://www.apen.org.au
• September 1-5, 2013
  Annual Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) in Buenos Aires and Rosario, Argentina. Information: http://www.ifajargentina.com

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On good food labeling

We close this issue of ACDC News with an example from Tony Holkham in his book, Label writing and planning: a guide for good consumer communication. We added it recently to the ACDC collection. Holkham wondered how consumers interpret this food-related label:

“free range eggs” (“How do they get about?”)

He said this puzzling approach reminds him of comedienne Phyllis Diller’s take on this label, “Keep away from children.”

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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

A linguistic jungle – terms reporters used to describe GM (or whatever)

Writing in the Newspaper Research Journal , Linda Steiner and Nora Bird found a linguistic jungle while analyzing the terms journalists used when they reported about genetically modified food. Here are the terms identified, arranged according to frequency: genetic engineering, genetically engineered, genetically modified, GM, genetically modified organisms, GMO, biotechnology, biotech, transgenic, genetically altered, frankenfood(s), gene-altered, gene-modified, biopharming, genomics, bioengineered. On average, the reporters who were interviewed used 3.6 different terms.

You may see opportunities for education, information, and research to help clear this jungle and improve understanding.

You can read a pdf version of “Reporters see indifference on genetically modified food” at: http://libres.uncg.edu/ir/uncg/f/N_Bird_Reporters_2008.pdf

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Advice for agricultural journalists about sensitive reporting

Executive members of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) recently heard encouragement and advice about free-press issues. Writing in IFAJ News , Hans Siemes summarized remarks by Oliver Vujovic, general secretary of the South and East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO). Vujovic reported that his organization, active in 20 countries, had about 800 cases during the past year in which journalists were attacked or put under severe pressure.

He encouraged IFAJ to continue to embrace freedom of the press and suggested it help agricultural journalists who are under pressure. He offered several tips to help them protect themselves.

You can read the newsletter article at: http://www.ifaj.org/news-blogs/news-detail/article/2013/01/22/title/share-delica.html?no_cache=1&cHash=a787f26bf9c47539c1d1ed551e835c5e

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Get a snapshot of fast-flowing agricultural news and information

“We can’t read it all in ag” is the title of a December 20, 2012, report we entered recently into the ACDC collection. Through Truffle Labs, AgToday collects articles on a variety of topics related to agriculture. The topics involve activism, beef, bioenergy, corn, dairy, food, innovation, politics, poultry, science, soybeans, and swine.

More than 15,000 digital articles about those topics had been generated, worldwide, during the 14 months covered. You can follow the flow at: http://www.agtoday.info/channels

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Another view of the “food miles” concept

Recent research by Alfred Wong and Alan Hallsworth illustrates the complexities of communicating about food systems. They examined the carbon dioxide footprint of heated greenhouse operations, in comparison with emissions that arose during the transportation of food grown in a distant location. Their study focused on fresh tomatoes for Vancouver, British Columbia.

Findings suggested that carbon dioxide emitted per kilogram was about seven times greater for tomatoes grown in regional heated greenhouses and transported fewer than 160 km to Vancouver than for open-field tomatoes grown in northwestern Mexico and transported about 2,400 km to Vancouver. As expected, emissions were lowest for tomatoes grown in season and in open fields within 160 km of Vancouver.

You can read their 2012 article in the International Journal on Food System Dynamics at: http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/144849/2/Wong-ok-1.pdf

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Fitting communications within an innovative local agri-food business model.

Thanks to Dr. Mansour Farah, consultant in development, for alerting us to a case report about the Smart Community business model. This project is sponsored by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). It tests an innovative approach to strengthening rural communities. A key question: Can new local agri-food enterprises be developed in ways that sustain and support local community information centers?

Smart Community projects have been functioning in Iraq, Syria and Yemen since 2006. We are adding to the ACDC collection a 2009 report of the project in Iraq. Findings suggest that:

• The Smart Community model looks promising in that setting, with signs of early impact through successful training efforts and project management.
• Greatest challenges are apparent in official procedures, access to processing facilities for the local enterprises and access to computers and information technologies.
• Collaboration between local governments and various industries may determine the extent to which local agri-food industries can sustainably support community information centers.

You can read the report, “Smart Community Project for Iraq,” here .

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Looking back at a productive year

You can get a capsule view of programming, services and progress in the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center during 2012. It’s posted on the ACDC website and you can review it at: http://www.library.illinois.edu/funkaces/acdc/progress.html

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Busy time for communicator activities

• May 7-9, 2013
  Annual meeting of the Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) in Portland, Oregon. Information: http://www.toca.org
• May 19-22, 2013
  “Building capacity through international agricultural and extension education.” Annual conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education in Fort Worth, Texas. Information: http://www.aiaee.org
• June 1-5, 2013
  “Sound ideas: the stage is set.” Annual Institute of the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) in Nashville, Tennessee. Information: http://www.communicators.coop/2013institute.htm
• June 11-14, 2013
  “ACE-NETC Racing Ahead 2013.” Joint conference of the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE) and the National Extension Technology Conference (NETC) in Indianapolis, Indiana. Commemorates the 100th anniversary of ACE and features more than 100 professional breakout sessions. Information: http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/ace-netc
• June 17-21, 2013
  Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA) in London, UK. Information: http://www.icahdq.org
• July 22-24, 2013
  “Emerging priorities for scientific and agricultural information.” 14th World Congress of the International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists in Ithaca, New York. Information: http://www.iaald.org
• August 3-7, 2013
  “Just wing it!” Agricultural Media Summit sponsored by the American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA), Livestock Publications Council (LPC) and the Agri Council of American Business Media in Buffalo, New York. Also hosts the annual conference of the student organization, Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT). Information: http://www.agmediasummit.com
• August 26-28, 2013
  “Transformative change: chosen or unchosen—pathways to innovation, resilience and prosperity.” International conference of the Australasian-Pacific Extension Network (APEN) in Christchurch, New Zealand. Information: http://www.apen.org.au
• September 1-5, 2013
  Annual Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) in Buenos Aires and Rosario, Argentina. Information: http://www.ifajargentina.com

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Is there a history?

We close this issue of ACDC News with a thought from a 2013 article by Elizabeth Station in The Core magazine (University of Chicago). A subhead in the article read:

If there’s not an archive,

is there a history?

The question resonates with us here in the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center. Our mission during the past 31 years has been to help create an archive—to help identify, gather, process, preserve, and make available the widely-scattered body of research, experience and thought about communications aspects of agriculture, globally. We hope this effort is helping create a history of—and future progress for—something vitally important to societies throughout the world.

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Best wishes and good searching.

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions and ideas. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. 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, 510 LIAC, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801) or in electronic format sent to docctr@library.illinois.edu

Agricultural data more important than ever

The U. S. agricultural data system is under threat, an Oklahoma State University extension specialist reported in a January feature we are adding to the ACDC collection. It is easy to take for granted the data provided by a variety of government agencies, Derrell Peel observed. However, such data are “often overlooked and much of the current data system is under consideration for reduction or elimination.”

“Failure to recognize the longer run benefits of a strong data system against the short run budget savings of cutting data programs has enormous implications, not only for producers but for society at large.” He argued that the public-good nature of agricultural market information has been documented for many years, as a way to make markets more efficient.

You can read his report at: http://www.cattletradercenter.com/news/industry-headlines/Agricultural-data-is-more-important-than-ever-186792051.html

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Food marketers among those making the “biggest branding mistakes”

Matt Haig’s second compendium of historic branding errors includes a grocery cart full of food brands and marketers. Here are examples cited in his recent edition of Brand failures: the truth about the 100 biggest branding mistakes of all time :

• Classic failures (including McDonald’s Arch Deluxe)
• Idea failures (including Kellogg’s Cereal Mates, Crystal Pepsi, and Maxwell House ready-to-drink coffee)
• Extension failures (including Chiquita’s “exotic juices” and Frito-Lay Lemonade)
• PR failures (including the McLibel trial and Snow Brand milk products in Japan)
• Culture failures (including Gerber in Africa, Kellogg’s in India, Quaker Oats Snapple)
• People failures (including Guiltless Gourmet)
• Tired brands (including Ovaltine malt drink)

Check with us at docctr@library.illinois.edu if you would like help in gaining access to information in this book.

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Telling the “local story” of produce can be a double-edged sword

Connecting food producers and consumers through the “local story” gets strong attention these days. Attention often focuses on direct marketing or local retail efforts. How does the story of fresh, locally-grown food get communicated within longer supply chains, such as schools, colleges, hospitals, senior meal sites, and correctional facilities? University of Vermont researchers addressed that question through interviews among those involved in institutional procurement of fresh fruits and vegetables.

“We find that providing more of the farmers’ ‘story’ is a double-edged sword,” the researchers concluded. They found it valuable in connecting the consumer and farmer, but costly in terms of time, effort, and money. Findings suggested that the connection is especially costly for producers in the supply chain.

You can read this Journal of Food Distribution Research article at: http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/handle/139456

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Cloud computing: hope for rural development

Authors of a 2012 article in the Wayamba Journal of Animal Science suggested that cloud technology and innovations have opened up a new era of information dissemination and connectivity to rural areas. They discussed these potential applications in rural India:

• E-agriculture commerce services
• Animal health care and delivery services
• Tele-medicine
• Microfinance institutions
• Disaster management
• E-education/E-learning
• Rural cyber youth entrepreneurs
• Rural governance

They also identified challenges such as network access, cost of data transfer, user control over remote servers (confidentiality, integrity, availability of user’s data), and language barriers.

You can read this article at: http://www.wayambajournal.com/documents/1331186993.pdf

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New IFAJ steps for supporting and protecting agricultural journalists

The International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) organization is moving forward in a strategy developed last August to reach out to journalists in new countries and new ways. President Markus Rediger, writing in the January issue of IFAJ News , emphasized the importance of free flow of information in serving societies.

“We want to stick to it in our process of becoming a more worldwide organization and reaching out to journalists in new countries,” he explained. His report identified new and ongoing contacts in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

You can read his president’s report at: http://www.ifaj.org/news-blogs/ifaj-newsletter/ifaj-news-january-2013.html#c4973

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“Unpacking the HSUS gravy train”

That is the title of a report and commentary added recently to the ACDC collection. It was posted during late November by the HumaneWatch organization, Washington, D.C. It provides financial information from the Internal Revenue Service Form 990, as submitted by the Humane Society of the United States for calendar year 2011.

You can read the report at: http://humanewatch.org/index.php/site/post/unpacking-the-hsus-gravy-train_2012_edition

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Lots of communicator activities approaching

• May 7-9, 2013
  Annual meeting of the Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) in Portland, Oregon. Information: http://www.toca.org
• May 19-22, 2013
  “Building capacity through international agricultural and extension education.” Annual conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education in Fort Worth, Texas. Information: http://www.aiaee.org
• June 1-5, 2013
  “Sound ideas: the stage is set.” Annual Institute of the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) in Nashville, Tennessee. Information: http://www.communicators.coop/2013institute.htm
• June 11-14, 2013
  “ACE-NETC Racing Ahead 2013.” Joint conference of the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE) and the National Extension Technology Conference (NETC) in Indianapolis, Indiana. Commemorates the 100th anniversary of ACE and features more than 100 professional breakout sessions. Information: http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/ace-netc
• June 17-21, 2013
  Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA) in London, UK. Information: http://www.icahdq.org
• July 22-24, 2013
  “Emerging priorities for scientific and agricultural information.” 14th World Congress of the International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists in Ithaca, New York. Information: http://www.iaald.org
• August 3-7, 2013
  “Just wing it!” Agricultural Media Summit sponsored by the American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA), Livestock Publications Council (LPC) and the Agri Council of American Business Media in Buffalo, New York. Also hosts the annual conference of the student organization, Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT). Information: http://www.agmediasummit.com
• August 26-28, 2013
  “Transformative change: chosen or unchosen—pathways to innovation, resilience and prosperity.” International conference of the Australasian-Pacific Extension Network (APEN) in Christchurch, New Zealand. Information: http://www.apen.org.au
• September 1-5, 2013
  Annual Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) in Buenos Aires and Rosario, Argentina. Information: http://www.ifajargentina.com

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Writing tips from 86 years ago

We close this issue of ACDC News with a poem in a 1927 issue of ACE , newsletter of the American Association of Agricultural College Editors. It was attributed to John B. Opdycke, author of The English of Commerce . Although it pertains to letter writing, it also offers insights and tips that serve agricultural journalists and communicators.

Write your letter somewhat better

Than all other things you do;

Write it neatly and discreetly,

Keep it brief, yet ample, too;

Write it brightly, but politely,

Make it human through and through

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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

Big benefits from a commodity promotion effort

Results of a recent test-market experiment suggest that Tasmanian mushroom producers can benefit considerably through a revised marketing strategy developed by the Australian Mushroom Growers Association. Researchers Julian Alston and Joanna Parks reported that producers could expect a benefit-cost ratio of more than 11:1. This strategy involves using messages based on scientific findings about the nutrition and health benefits of regularly incorporating mushrooms into meals.

You can read their 2012 conference paper and perhaps get some useful ideas at: http://purl.umn.edu/124359

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How cooperatives can communicate more effectively with members

Needs and ideas emerged from a recent survey among managers of agricultural, farm credit, and utility cooperatives in the central U.S. Reporting at a conference last month, a team of Oklahoma State University researchers identified need for agricultural cooperatives to incorporate more diverse and effective communications strategies.

The answer to effective communications for the respective cooperatives does not require an extensive portfolio of communications, they suggested. What is needed, they said, are tactics that reach multiple audiences (especially including younger members), convey consistent key messages, are timely, and have a sense of quality and usability.

You can read this 2013 conference paper via: http://purl.umn.edu/143027

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Welcome, Amanda Marolf

We are delighted to welcome Amanda Marolf as a new associate in the Center. A graduate student in the Library and Information Science program, Amanda joined us March 11 on a part-time basis. She plans to help complete the processing of our unique collection of Volume 1 Number 1 issues of agricultural magazines and papers. Veteran agricultural communicator John Harvey contributed nearly 500 of them recently. They date back to the 1870s, so the processing involves considerable preservation effort.

An anthropology graduate from North Central College, Amanda brings to the Center useful skills, including document conservation. Her experience includes an internship at the Field Museum in Chicago, with a special eye on cultural contributions of the Museum. She has done extensive research of the Tuareg people of Niger, as well as the culture of India. Our ACDC collection includes more than 2,300 documents about rural communications in those two countries.

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Thanks for historic documents

Thirty-one historic documents are being processed into the ACDC collection, thanks to the kindness of Eldon Fredericks, emeritus faculty member from Purdue University. Most of them are part of the National Project in Agricultural Communications during the 1950s and early 1960s. These materials include NPAC newsletters, teaching guides and handouts, as well as a book about establishing agricultural universities in India and an Extension review of research about local leadership.

Credit also goes to the late Ralph Reeder, pioneering leader of the Purdue agricultural information staff. He saved these samples of resources used for communications training of Extension staff members throughout Indiana.

NPAC was coordinated by what is now the Association for Communication Excellence (ACE) and funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. It contributed greatly to advancement of professional development, teaching and research in this field throughout the U. S. We are grateful to Professor Fredericks. Please let us know if you have agricultural communications resources for which ACDC might serve as a home.

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We are still searching—on your behalf and off the beaten path

Here are a few examples of journals in which we have identified agricultural communications information recently for the ACDC collection. This is such a widely-scattered body of literature. We often are surprised at where we find it. And we hope our efforts save your time and open new doors of understanding for you.

• Ejournalist
• Media Psychology
• Potato Grower
• Text and Talk
• Language and Communication
• Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication
• Cyberpsychology and Behavior
• Crime Media Culture
• Development in Practice
• European Journal of Communication

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Many communicator activities approaching

• March 14, 2013
  National annual meeting of the British Guild of Agricultural Journalists in London, UK. Information: http://www.gaj.org.uk/dates-deadlines
• April 7-9, 2013
  Annual meeting of the North American Agricultural Journalists (NAAJ) in Washington, D.C. Information: http://www.naaj.net/meetings
• May 7-9, 2013
  Annual meeting of the Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) in Portland, Oregon. Information: http://www.toca.org
• May 19-22, 2013
  “Building capacity through international agricultural and extension education.” Annual conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education in Fort Worth, Texas. Information: http://www.aiaee.org
• June 1-5, 2013
  “Sound ideas: the stage is set.” Annual Institute of the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) in Nashville, Tennessee. Information: http://www.communicators.coop/2013institute.htm
• June 17-21, 2013
  Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA) in London, UK. Information: http://www.icahdq.org
• July 22-24, 2013
  “Emerging priorities for scientific and agricultural information.” 14th World Congress of the International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists in Ithaca, New York. Information: http://www.iaald.org
• August 26-28, 2013
  “Transformative change: chosen or unchosen—pathways to innovation, resilience and prosperity.” International conference of the Australasian-Pacific Extension Network (APEN) in Christchurch, New Zealand. Information: http://www.apen.org.au
• September 1-5, 2013
  Annual Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) in Buenos Aires and Rosario, Argentina. Information: http://www.ifajargentina.com

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New angles on rural wisdom

We close this issue of ACDC News with insights from youngsters. Thanks to Steve Shenton for alerting us to internet examples about how some first graders interpreted classic proverbs. Here is what happened when the youngsters were given the first part of several proverbs that have rural or communications themes:

• Don’t change horses…(until they stop running)
• You can lead a horse to water, but…(how?)
• You can’t teach an old dog new…(math)
• .The pen is mightier than the…(pigs)
• No news is…(impossible)

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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 mailto:docctr@library.illinois.edu

“All good print magazines go to digital heaven…or do they?”

That is the title of a commentary we added recently to the ACDC collection. Writing in Folio magazine, author Samir Husni questioned whether a shift from print form to digital-only “is really a heaven-sent opportunity.” Or is it, instead, “a gentle nudge by the minions of magazine hell to push it into its final resting place?”

One example he cited involved Gourmet magazine as “another headstone in the ‘ink-on-paper cemetery'” when Condé Nast ceased printing it in 2009 in favor of an app for iPad called Gourmet Live.

You can read this commentary at: http://www.foliomag.com/2013/all-good-print-magazines-go-digital-heaven-or-do-they#.UR1JnGeH_To

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CASTing an eye on media cheap shots

Thanks to Ted Hutchcroft for contributing recently to the ACDC collection a decades-old speech that seems ageless. The title is “Responding to media cheap shots: Observations on the CAST experience.” At the time (1983), he was vice-president of the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST), based at Iowa State University, Ames.

In his speech to the Agricultural Relations Council, he identified several features of media cheap shots. For example:

• Basically, it is a form of misinformation that is disseminated to gain an advantage for the source. It can appear in any media format and come from anywhere.
• The subject usually is not aware the cheap shot has been fired.
• It discredits the opponent, often including a charge or an accusation.
• The message may appear to be based on a reliable source; it may even be a quotation from the opponent.
• It “does not make extensive use of the truth.”
• Often the impact of the message is by innuendo rather than as a direct charge.
• It often contains an element of surprise, either in the message or the timing.
• It often has entertainment value, thus titillating readers, viewers, and listeners.
• The element of conflict in a cheap shot appeals to the media gatekeepers.
• It has an element of “hit-and-run.”
• If a cheap shot is an elbow in the ribs, the hatchet job is a punch below the belt.

He cited examples of cheap shots aimed at CAST and explained how the organization responded to them.

You can read this speech here .

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Really a game changer in fighting childhood obesity?

The Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) organization raised that question in the “Fear and Favor Review” it published recently. This review highlights influences behind U.S. news reported during 2012.

One cited example involved a network telecast reporting that Disney “decided to do something historic to help fight childhood obesity.” The firm had announced it would stop running ads for junk food on its kids TV networks and radio programs. Citing information in Bloomberg News, FAIR noted that the ads represented less than one-tenth of one percent of Disney’s total advertising sales.

You can read the full review at: http://fair.org/slider/fair-report-13th-annual-fear-favor-review

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Representing 100,000 grassroots telecentres.

The Telecentre.org Foundation, based in the Philippines, provides information for resources about agricultural and rural communications. It represents a global network of 300 organizations, 100,000 grassroots telecentres worldwide, and more than 200,000 individuals with direct stakes in the telecentre movement.

You can learn about programs and services of the Foundation at: http://www.telecentre.org

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Signs of a busy 2012 in the North American agribusiness job market

The fifth annual Agribusiness Job Report from AgCareers.com revealed 2012 trends pointing to “a positive outlook for the agriculture industry.” Here are some of the reported findings from job and candidate postings in the U.S. and Canada:

• The total number of job postings approached 44,000, up 477 from 2011.
• Posted jobs were from a wide variety of career types.
• The number of applications processed through the site increased by 43 percent.
• The largest number of jobs and applicants involved the Midwest region of the U.S.
• Numbers of internship opportunities increased 17 percent from a year earlier.

You can read the summary report and gain access to the full U.S. and Canada reports at: http://www.agcareers.com/newsletters/AgCareers.comReleases2012JobAnalysisReport.htm

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Thanks for a Volume 1 Number 1 issue

We extend thanks to Robert Brown for contributing a copy of the premiere issue of Reminisce magazine. It joins the unique V1N1 Collection here in the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center. Reiman Publications introduced Reminisce during 1991 “with the help of the largest staff ever assembled for one magazine—numbering well into the thousands.” Bob’s father had saved the issue.

Written by readers and relying completely on subscription income, Reminisce came to life with topics such as living during the “dirty thirties,” favorite retirement places, memorable meals, hobo symbols, and unique family gatherings.

Check with us at docctr@library.illinois.edu if you want to learn more about this pioneer issue of a magazine with rural roots—or if you wish to consider contributing a V1N1 issue.

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Many communicator activities approaching

• March 14, 2013
  National annual meeting of the British Guild of Agricultural Journalists in London, UK. Information: http://www.gaj.org.uk/dates-deadlines
• April 7-9, 2013
  Annual meeting of the North American Agricultural Journalists (NAAJ) in Washington, D.C. Information: http://www.naaj.net/meetings
• April 17-18, 2013
  “Forging New Frontiers.” Annual conference of the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) in Kansas City, Missouri. Information: http://www.nama.org
• May 7-9, 2013
  Annual meeting of the Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) in Portland, Oregon. Information: http://www.toca.org
• May 19-22, 2013
  “Building capacity through international agricultural and extension education.” Annual conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education in Fort Worth, Texas. Information: http://www.aiaee.org
• June 1-5, 2013
  “Sound ideas: the stage is set.” Annual Institute of the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) in Nashville, Tennessee. Information: http://www.communicators.coop/2013institute.htm
• June 17-21, 2013
  Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA) in London, UK. Information: http://www.icahdq.org
• July 22-24, 2013
  “Emerging priorities for scientific and agricultural information.” 14th World Congress of the International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists in Ithaca, New York. Information: http://www.iaald.org
• August 26-28, 2013
  “Transformative change: chosen or unchosen—pathways to innovation, resilience and prosperity.” International conference of the Australasian-Pacific Extension Network (APEN) in Christchurch, New Zealand. Information: http://www.apen.org.au
• September 1-5, 2013
  Annual Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) in Buenos Aires and Rosario, Argentina. Information: http://www.ifajargentina.com

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Hitting the road—a multi-media formula for finding the local news

We close this issue of ACDC News with an early suggestion for using multi-media approaches. It was directed in the 1920s to U. S. county agents, who often weren’t yet channeling agricultural information through their local newspapers, but relying mainly on personal contacts with farm families.

“Write and get printed in your county paper at least one sentence of real news for every five miles your Lizzie travels throughout the year.”

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Best wishes and good searching.

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions and ideas. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. 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, 510 LIAC, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801) or in electronic format sent to docctr@library.illinois.edu

Four common assumptions about foods and feeds with GM ingredients

A January report from the Food Standards Agency (UK government food agency) identified need to inform consumers about four assumptions that arise from labeling of foods and feeds with genetically modified ingredients. The report suggests that these assumptions—identified through consumer research—need to be addressed:

• Foods with GM ingredients are poorer quality—for example, made of cheaper ingredients, signifying lower interest in animal welfare or non-standard feed practices.
• GM foods have had extra chemicals “added” or “injected” in some way—for example, the use of chemical additives or hormones.
• GM animal feed intentionally or unintentionally alters animals in some ways—for example, accelerated growth patterns, fattening, or deformity.
• Foods claiming to be absent of GMs are of higher than standard quality with associated health, nutrition, and/or taste benefits.

You can read more about information needs—and what UK consumers are thinking these days about GM food and labeling—at: http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/publication/gm-labelling-report.pdf . See research findings about information needs on pages 125-126.

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Concerns about safeguarding “digital afterlives”

“Virtually no law regulates what happens to a person’s online existence after his or her death,” according to Prof. Jason Mazzone, an expert in intellectual property law. “This is true even though individuals have privacy and copyright interests in materials they post to social networking sites.”

His paper, “Facebook’s afterlife,” was published recently in the North Carolina Law Review . “It’s really pretty astonishing that there is no way for individual users to say, ‘When I die, this is what happens to my account.'”

You can read the article via the Social Science Research Network at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2142594

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Communications—a key to coexistence among diverse ag production systems.

We are adding to the ACDC collection a new committee report to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It offered advice about how to bolster or facilitate coexistence among different agricultural production systems—conventional, organic, identity preserved, and genetically engineered.

One of the three recommendations called for a broad-based, comprehensive education and outreach initiative among agricultural stakeholders to strengthen understanding of coexistence.

That is a huge communications agenda.

And who are the stakeholders? Technology providers, seed companies, commodity and farmers’ organizations, agricultural trade and marketing companies and organizations, education and extension services, public organizations, and state and local governments were among the stakeholders identified for attention.

You can read the report, “Enhancing coexistence,” at: http://www.usda.gov/documents/ac21_report-enhancing-coexistence.pdf

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Africa’s first farmer video-audio website

A new website permits sharing of agricultural training videos between research and development agencies, extension service providers and agribusinesses, as well as farmers and their organizations. Access Agriculture, a newly-inaugurated non-governmental, not-for-profit organization based in Nairobi, Kenya, provides this platform through initial program funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

Dr. Paul Van Mele, chairman of Access Agriculture, explained recently at the inauguration:

“The reason why the majority if farmers do not believe, accept, or act upon information passed on to them is because they prefer practical demos shown and explained by fellow farmers facing similar challenges, irrespective of where they come from.”

• Training programs in video format are streamed in international and local languages for clarity and easy comprehension.
• Content focuses on improved food security, natural resource management and market development.
• Organizations that wish to place their training videos on the website are encouraged to contact Access Agriculture.

You can learn more at: http://www.accessagriculture.org

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Would you expect anything rural in Television’s Top 100?

Wesley Hyatt’s new book that identifies the 100 most-watched American telecasts between 1960 and 2010, prompts us to ask this question.

1. What share (percent) of those most-watched broadcasts would you expect to feature rural settings, people, or activities?
2. What specific television programs with rural flavor would you expect to find in that Top 100 list?

Please send your responses to us at docctr@library.illinois.edu . We will provide answers and announce winners in your next issue of ACDC News.

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Many communicator activities approaching.

• February 28, 2013
  Annual meeting of the Agricultural Relations Council (ARC) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Information: http://www.agrelationscouncil.org
• March 14, 2013
  National annual meeting of the British Guild of Agricultural Journalists in London, UK. Information: http://www.gaj.org.uk/dates-deadlines
• April 7-9, 2013
  Annual meeting of the North American Agricultural Journalists (NAAJ) in Washington, D.C. Information: http://www.naaj.net/meetings
• April 17-18, 2013
  “Forging New Frontiers.” Annual conference of the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) in Kansas City, Missouri. Information: http://www.nama.org
• May 7-9, 2013
  Annual meeting of the Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) in Portland, Oregon. Information: http://www.toca.org
• May 19-22, 2013
  “Building capacity through international agricultural and extension education.” Annual conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education in Fort Worth, Texas. Information: http://www.aiaee.org
• June 1-5, 2013
  “Sound ideas: the stage is set.” Annual Institute of the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) in Nashville, Tennessee. Information: http://www.communicators.coop/2013institute.htm
• June 17-21, 2013
  Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA) in London, UK. Information: http://www.icahdq.org
• July 22-24, 2013
  “Emerging priorities for scientific and agricultural information.” 14th World Congress of the International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists in Ithaca, New York. Information: http://www.iaald.org
• August 26-28, 2013
  “Transformative change: chosen or unchosen – pathways to innovation, resilience and prosperity.” International conference of the Australasian-Pacific Extension Network (APEN) in Christchurch, New Zealand. Information: http://www.apen.org.au
• September 1-5, 2013
  Annual Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) in Buenos Aires and Rosario, Argentina. Information: http://www.ifajargentina.com

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A reminder from 2012 NAFB President Tom Steever.

We end this issue of ACDC News with a thought from Tom Steever of Brownfield Ag News. He expressed it during a “passing of the gavel” occasion as he ended his service as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB):

Remember the listeners we serve and who need us

Are those who nurture the world and who feed us.

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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, 510 LIAC, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801) or in electronic format sent to docctr@library.illinois.edu

Welcome to the first 2013 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 more than 38,000 documents from around the world. BibLeaves, a new online search system, makes your searching easier and more powerful. And ACDC staff members enjoy helping you search and find the information you need about all kinds of communications related to agriculture (broadly defined) – anywhere – and from latest to earliest .

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Thanks for your interest and encouragement.

And 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 for strengthening agriculture-related journalism and communications, globally. We welcome the opportunity to work with you during 2013.

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Top 10 food trend predictions for 2013.

Writing in Supermarket News , Phil Lempert recently identified these 10 major trends to watch in the food industry during the year ahead:

1. Snacking and mini-meals
2. Men in the supermarket and kitchen
3. Evolution of frozen foods
4. The impact of Millennials
5. Smart home, smartphone
6. Breakfast becomes the most important meal of the day
7. The story behind our food
8. The economy—new proteins
9. Sustainability—we stop wasting food
10. The Boomer reality of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease

You can read his report at: http://supermarketnews.com/center-store/2012-food-trends-watch

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What a good agricultural journalist does in reporting news.

It is not the job of a farm news broadcaster or agricultural journalist to be an “advocate” in reporting news, said Cyndi Young-Puyear in a recent column we have added to the ACDC collection. She is farm director and agricultural operations manager for Brownfield Network, largest agricultural radio network in the U.S. She noted that the topic of journalistic integrity has come up recently in conversations among her peers.

The reason, she explained, is that an outspoken few have listened, read and/or viewed the work of an agricultural journalist, deemed it unfavorable to agriculture, and thrown some mud at the reporter’s name. She argued that:

• Balanced reporting doesn’t merit condemnation.
• Agricultural news reporters serve agriculture best when they cover the entire news story.

Check with us at docctr@library.illinois.edu if you wish to read her column in Illinois AgriNews. Also, please send us your thoughts about the role of agricultural journalists today and alert us to documents we should be sure to have about this topic in the ACDC collection.

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Food and water are currently the top global agricultural issues, as seen by international agricultural journalists.

A Delphi survey during 2011 among executive members of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists revealed more than 50 finalist global issues. Three of the seven issues cited most often related to food. Three involved water:

• Producing enough food to feed a growing population
• Water quantity
• Food safety
• Water management
• Food security
• Water quality
• Development of new production methods

Researchers Laura Kubitz, Ricky Telg, Tracy Irani and Owen Roberts also identified domestic agricultural issues in the 20 countries represented in this survey. In addition, findings revealed information sources used by agricultural journalists. They also contained suggestions about ways to educate journalists about global and domestic agricultural issues.

You can read a topline report of this survey at: http://www.centerpie.com/?p=3651

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“I am still confused about what development should look like.”

That said, Lakshmi Eassey followed with this thought after spending time with a family in the village of Madava, India:

“…instead of focusing on what rural India should be learning and doing, perhaps we should focus instead on what it can teach us.”

Thousands of documents in the ACDC collection support the soundness of that grassroots listening-and-sharing approach to agricultural and rural progress – in any nation.

You can read the blog posted by Eassey at:

http://projectgroundswell.com/2010/09/14/debunking-development-in-rural-india

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Effectiveness of indigenous media for rural marketing today.

A recent article in Canadian Social Sciences examined the extent to which small and medium businesses are using indigenous communications strategies for rural marketing in Nigeria. They found businesses actively using local proverbs and songs, local languages, drums and town criers in their advertising. Businesses promoted sales at local dances and shows. They carried out personal selling at village squares and local festivals.

Researcher Chris Chukwueah concluded that indigenous media are indispensable tools for promoting business and marketing practices in Nigerian rural communities. He suggested they can work well with modern information tools.

What benefits and potentials do you see indigenous media offering elsewhere? In what forms and combinations? What indigenous media are you using, or might you use, in your rural communications programming? Send your examples and thoughts to us at docctr@library.illinois.edu .

You may get other ideas from this journal article at:

http://cscanada.net/index.php/css/article/view/j.css.1923669720100606.025/1229

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Communicator activities approaching.

• January 18, 2013
  Deadline for proposals for professional development sessions to be presented at the 2013 ACE/NETC conference in Indianapolis, Indiana USA, June 11-14, 2013. This joint international conference involves the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE) and the National Extension Technology Conference (NETC). See conference information at: https://www.aceweb.org/professional-development/133-2013-annual-conference.html For proposal information: https://kstatedce.wufoo.com/forms/2013-acenetc-proposal-submission
• January 21, 2013
  Deadline for research papers to be considered for presentation at the 2013 ACE/NETC conference. These will be presented during a session of the ACE Research Special Interest Group. For information, contact Prof. Karen Cannon at kcannon2@unl.edu .
• February 28, 2013
  Annual meeting of the Agricultural Relations Council (ARC) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma USA. Information: http://www.agrelationscouncil.org
• April 17-18, 2013
  “Forging New Frontiers.” Annual conference of the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) in Kansas City, Missouri USA. Information: http://www.nama.org
• June 1-5, 2013
  “Sound ideas.” Annual Institute of the Cooperative Communicators Association in Nashville, Tennessee USA. Information: http://www.communicators.coop
• July 13-14, 2013
  InfoAg 2013 Conference (leading event in precision agriculture) in Springfield, Illinois USA. Information: http://www.infoag.org

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And encouraging word on shaking the world.

We close this issue of ACDC News with a thought from Mahatma Gandhi. It came to our attention recently while visiting the website of a university in India.

“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”

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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, 510 LIAC, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801) or in electronic format sent to docctr@library.illinois.edu

Specialized journalists – “increasingly rare and precious”

“There are generalists galore,” explained Meredith Artley, vice-president and managing editor of CNN Digital, writing recently in the Nieman Journalism Lab. “A broad curiosity about the world is a good prerequisite for landing a job in journalism, but the resumes that show specialized interest and experience in a beat or topic are increasingly rare and precious.”

This comes as good news for journalists who know how to cover agriculture, as well as those who can cover health, foreign affairs, science, education, religion and other specialized areas.

You can read Artley’s other comments about “what we look for when we hire young journalists” at: http://www.niemanlab.org/2012/09/meredith-artley-heres-what-we-look-for-when-we-hire-young-journalists-j-school-grads-or-not

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Tapping rural veterinary information on the open Web.

A recent article in the Online Journal of Rural Research and Policy traces how practicing rural veterinarians have gained access to a breadth of literature found only in veterinary medical libraries until a few years ago. Author Bob L. Larson of Kansas State University describes how to gather veterinary information from PubMed, AGRICOLA, CABI and other online sources.

You can read the journal article at: http://ojrrp.org/journals/ojrrp/article/view/262/121

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Impact of public reporting about health inspections.

Support for public reporting of health-related inspections appeared in a 2012 PLoS Medicine article we are adding to the ACDC collection. An eight-year study in Ontario, Canada, revealed that mandatory public reporting of inspection results by hospitals was associated with a reduction of nearly 27 percent in hospital rates of Clostridium difficile infection. Authors suggested that public reporting may have “elevated this infection to greater prominence on hospital quality improvement agendas.”

This study was believed to be the first population-based, rigorous evaluation of a public reporting system for hospital-acquired infection using an independent data source. We have seen no similar studies involving impacts of public reporting about restaurant inspections and food-related disease outbreaks. Please send, or alert us to, reports you may have seen about this important aspect of communications in the food sector of agriculture. They can reach us at: docctr@library.illinois.edu .

You can access the journal article at: http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1001268

doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001268

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Examining frankenwords

We have heard them. We have used them. Frankenstorm. Frankenweenie. Frankenstrut. And, of course, “perhaps the most serious and widely used frankenword…is surely frankenfood.”

Writing in The Chronicle of Higher Education , Geoffrey Pullum examined the unusual nature of what he described as frankenwords. “They do not connote the more general property of being made by grafting the etymologically genuine parts with independent meanings,” he explained, “but by bolting together pieces ripped from living words ignoring the morphological joints.”

You can read his article at: http://chronicle.com/blogs/linguafranca/2012/10/31/frankenwords/?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en

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How to measure superstition in rural settings.

We are adding to the ACDC collection a Journal of Social Sciences article that describes a scale to measure superstition in a rural setting. Researchers used it among maize farmers in four villages of Bangladesh. They noted the discriminatory power and reliability of the scale and concluded it might be used in other countries whose social systems and level of development are comparable.

You can read the article at: http://www.biomedsearch.com/article/scale-to-measure-superstition/168740448.html

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A people-centered look at African seed enterprises

Thanks to Dr. Paul Van Mele of Agro-Insight (Ghent, Belgium) for informing us that a 2011 book, African Seed Enterprises: Sowing the Seeds of Food Security , recently came into the public domain. He explains that the book provides examples of successful seed enterprises in nine African countries.

Communication is a dimension often overlooked in assessing small and medium-sized seed enterprises, he explains. “The book describes the diversity of communication strategies used, which is a key indicator reflecting the creativity of African entrepreneurs to engage with their clients.” Knowledge about seed, contacts, cooperation and professional organizations (including farmer groups) are among those communication strategies cited for creating new seed enterprises and sustaining them.

You can download all chapters of the book at: http://agroinsight.com/books.php

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His career as agricultural journalist “could have been less.”

Indeed. You can learn more about Alfred van Dijk—a legendary source of understatement—in a new professional development feature on the website of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ). A widely acclaimed and respected agricultural journalist in The Netherlands, Albert passed away this year at the age of 79. He served as chairman of the Dutch Association of Agriculture and Horticulture Journalism (NVLJ) from 1978 to 1992.

You can learn some keys to his agricultural writing skills, as well as highlights of his remarkable career, by visiting http://www.ifaj.org . The feature about him is posted on the IFAJ home page. Special thanks to authors Aad Vernooij and Ton Schönwetter, as well as Hans Siemes for translation services.

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Communicator activities approaching

• January 18, 2013
  Deadline for proposals for professional development sessions to be presented at the 2013 ACE/NETC conference in Indianapolis, Indiana USA, June 11-14, 2013. This joint international conference involves the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE) and the National Extension Technology Conference (NETC). See conference information at: http://www.aceweb.org/conference.html For proposal information: https://kstatedce.wufoo.com/forms/2013-acenetc-proposal-submission
• January 21, 2013
  Deadline for research papers to be considered for presentation at the 2013 ACE/NETC conference. These will be presented during a session of the ACE Research Special Interest Group. For information, contact Prof. Karen Cannon at kcannon2@unl.edu .
• April 17-19, 2013
  “Forging New Frontiers 2013.” Annual Agri-Marketing Conference sponsored by the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) in Kansas City, Missouri USA. Information: http://www.nama.org

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Just following directions.

We close this issue of ACDC News with a final selection from The Entomologists’ Joke Book , published in 1937.

A Philadelphia man called up the bird store the other day and said, “Have 30,000 cockroaches sent up to me at once.”

“What in heaven’s name do you want with 30,000 cockroaches?”

“Well,” replied the householder, “I am moving today and my lease says I must leave the premises here in exactly the same condition in which I found them.”

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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, 510 LIAC, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801) or in electronic format sent to docctr@library.illinois.edu