Rachel Riffe – Funk Library

March News and Research from the ACDC– Issue 23-03

Posted on March 10, 2023 by Rachel Riffe

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“A tale of two urgent food system challenges”

A 2022 article in Sustainability journal identifies important differences regarding how two issues are covered in the media and approached by stakeholders in the U.S.:
• Reducing high-meat diets
• Reducing wasted food

Researchers conducted a qualitative content analysis of 238 newspaper articles (2018-2020) to compare media framing and stakeholder involvement regarding those two issues. Findings prompted researchers to conclude that their results “can inform communication with consumers, journalists, and policymakers to more effectively translate evidence into solutions, especially at the organizational and policy levels.”

You can read the article by open access here.

Sustainability Insights 2022

The Packer has released results of the 2022 Sustainability Insights Survey, based on a poll of 664 U. S. food growers, consumers and retailers. The Survey invited:

• Consumer perspectives on climate change, sustainability and food waste
• Grower perspectives on sustainability, water issues and sustainable packaging
• Retailer perspectives on sustainability and simplifying the sustainable packaging message

You can read the 44-page report here,

Communication sins of professional farm managers and rural appraisers: a look back

We recently added to the ACDC collection an article in the 2002 issue of the Journal of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. Authors Harold D. Guither and Ray L. Brownfields identified “the most common weaknesses in communication situations…” They highlighted 12 “sins” and offered brief suggestions for farm managers, rural appraisers and consultants. Even after more than 20 years of dynamic changes in media and methods, the list reflects some familiar, enduring challenges and opportunities for those who communicate about agriculture.

“The paper shows us how social media’s ability to offer this regular and contextual information allows us to move beyond abstracted and decontextualized symbols of good farming toward recognizing the context-specific nature of the ‘rules of the game,’ and how a broader audience beyond the farming community may be beginning to play a role n (re)shaping the symbols and practices of good farming.”

The article seems not available online by open access, but please let us know if you are interested in reading it. We have the full text.

Strong link between temperature fluctuations and social conflicts

We have added to the ACDC collection a 2023 research report about climate change and its impact on various aspects of life, such as health, social life and economic activity.

The research team used a modeling framework to analyze global data during times of peace and conflict. They found significant evidence to suggest that unusually high temperatures were associated with social conflict. Examples included rebel attacks against government resources or acts of state repression, as well as government-civilian conflicts via citizen protests.

“The implications of the research underscore how vital international cooperation is for combating climate change.” You can read a summary of the report here.

Communicator events approaching
Here are event plans you may find helpful, with contact information you can use for details. We welcome suggestions or revisions for this calendar.

April 19-23, 2023
32nd Annual Conference of the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) in Boise, Idaho. Information: https://conference.sej.org

April 25-27, 2023
Annual meeting of the Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) in Portland, Maine. Information: https://www.toca.org/toca-annual-meeting

April 26-28, 2023
“Next2Now: Tap into the Future Today.” Conference of the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) in St. Louis, Missouri.
Information: https://www.nama.org/2023-agri-marketing-conference.html

April 26-29, 2023
Conference of the International Agricultural and Extension Education Association (IAEE) in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Information: https://aiaee.org/2023conference

June 4-6, 2023
“Putting the Spotlight on Communications.” 2023 Institute of the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) in Portland, Maine.
Information: https://www.communicators.coop/professional-development/cca-institute/

June 11-13, 2023
Conference of the Association for Communication Excellence (ACE) in Ashville, North Carolina. Information: https://aceweb.org/2023conference

June 13-15, 2023
Annual meeting of the Agricultural Relations Council (ARC) in Des Moines, Iowa. Information: https://agrelationscouncil.org

June 28-July 3, 2023
“New Frontiers in the West.” Annual Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ), in Calgary and Olds, Alberta, Canada.
Information: https://www.ifaj.org/events/annual-congress/

The first word out

We close this issue with a Norwegian proverb collected by Julie Jensen McDonald. It offers insight about tendencies in communicating:

“The word that lies nearest the heart
comes first to the lips.”

Best regards and wishes

The ACDC is a deep and open resource for you, so please feel free to invite our help as you search for information, local to global. You are welcomed to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUC. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique and valued international collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Comm Documentation Center, 510 ACES Library, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801) – or in electronic format sent to acdc@library.illinois.edu

February News and Research from the ACDC– Issue 23-02

Posted on February 23, 2023 by Rachel Riffe

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How use of Internet improves mental health in rural areas

Internet use effectively improved the mental health of middle-aged and elderly people in rural China, according to findings of an analysis reported in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Researchers Shishuai Fan and Yifan Yang used CHARLS panel data to examine this topic.

Findings indicated that reading news, watching videos and playing games online proved helpful. Chatting online and other Internet activities did not significantly improve mental health status.

You can read the article here.

“Water wars: …rural radio discourse on a river system in trouble”

We are adding to the ACDC collection a 2021 article in Environmental Communication about rural news coverage of changes in the health and politics of Australia’s largest river system (Murray-Darling) on the earth’s driest continent. Researchers “mapped the strategies and roles of “Country Hour” journalists and other social actors in legitimating the ‘productive use’ of the river system…”

This article is not available by open access. If you are affiliated with the University of Illinois, you can read the abstract and learn how to gain full-text access here. Or invite our help at acdc@library.illinois.edu.

On improving coverage of immigration

Drawing attention to real immigrant stories can go a long way when it comes to detracting from fear-mongering narratives. So suggested Allegra Hobbs in a 2022 issue of Nieman Reports from the Nieman Foundation for Journalism. “It’s time to ditch the question, ‘does this hurt Democrats or Republicans more?’”

You can read the article here.

How efforts to improve water quality influence urban-agricultural relationships

A 2021 article in Agriculture and Human Values revealed approaches to help diverse interests in water quality debates “move out of polarized positions to solve collective problems.” Authors examined relationships among farmers, other agricultural interests, urban residents, storm water managers, wastewater treatment personnel, government representatives, political coalitions and others.

You can read the article here.

Preserving deep history of a rural community

Thanks to Prof. Delmar Hatesohl for helping ACDC identify and preserve the 125-year history of another special rural U.S. community. Delmar is an emeritus faculty member in agricultural journalism, University of Missouri. He served as editor of this 114-page book published in 2002 (After 125 Years, Linn plans to Keep on Truckin’) and recently contributed a copy for the ACDC collection. It documents the history of Linn, a small rural community founded during 1877 in northeastern Kansas. It features a lively collection of photos and text introducing residents and activities across those first 125 years.

Check with ACDC staff members at acdc@library.illinois.edu if you wish to learn more about the book and how to gain access to it.

Unique new resources and ideas for research

We are most pleased to call your attention to some unique new resources and possibilities for agricultural journalism research. The University of Illinois Archives staff recently finished processing thousands of contributed documents featuring readership studies and opinion polls that involve three bellwether farm periodicals published by Farm Progress Companies. They included Prairie Farmer (serving Illinois and later Indiana), Wallaces Farmer (serving Iowa) and Wisconsin Agriculturist. We believe these materials hold excellent potential for those interested in conducting research for a class project, thesis, dissertation or professional understanding.

Donald R. Murphy, long-time editor of Wallaces Farmer, began to conduct readership studies among farm readers in Iowa during 1938. His findings across the years became the basis of a pioneering book, What Farmers Read and Like (1962). The recently contributed materials span 1952-2009. They can be used to update his analysis of content and advertising in these farm periodicals. A 14-page finding aid is available for online review.

You can review the collection content and detailed finding aid here. Also, check with ACDC associate Jim Evans (evansj@illinois.edu) if you have questions or would like to visit about
possibilities.

Communicator events approaching

Here are event plans you may find helpful, with contact information you can use for details. We welcome suggestions or revisions for this calendar.

April 19-23, 2023
32nd Annual Conference of the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) in Boise, Idaho. Information: https://conference.sej.org

April 25-27, 2023
Annual meeting of the Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) in Portland, Maine. Information: https://www.toca.org/toca-annual-meeting

April 26-29, 2023
Conference of the International Agricultural and Extension Education Association (IAEE) in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Information: https://aiaee.org/2023conference

June 4-6, 2023
“Putting the Spotlight on Communications.” 2023 Institute of the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) in Portland, Maine.
Information: CCA Institute | Cooperative Communicators Association

June 11-13, 2023
Conference of the Association for Communication Excellence (ACE) in Ashville, North Carolina. Information: https://aceweb.org/2023conference

June 13-15, 2023
Annual meeting of the Agricultural Relations Council (ARC) in Des Moines, Iowa. Information: https://agrelationscouncil.org

The best sermons

We close this issue of ACDC News with another piece of Old Farmer’s Advice (with thanks to Paul Hixson):

The best sermons are lived, not preached.

Best regards and wishes

ACDC is a deep and open resource for you, so please feel free to invite our help as you search for information, local to global. You are welcomed to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUC. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique and valued international collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Comm Documentation Center, 510 ACES Library, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801) – or in electronic format sent to acdc@library.illinois.edu

January News and Research from the ACDC– Issue 23-01

Posted on January 18, 2023 by Rachel Riffe

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Drovers Vol. 150, No. 1

Congratulations to the U.S.-based livestock magazine, Drovers, on reaching a spectacularly-rare 150th anniversary this month.

“We celebrate the dramatic changes that transformed our industry into a modern, reliable source of high-quality protein for consumers around the world,” explained Editor Greg Henderson in the January 2023 issue. Drovers Journal was recognized as the first U.S. periodical devoted to livestock market news. Founder Harvey L. Goodall first published it “on the bricks” in the Union Stock Yards, Chicago, Illinois, on January 11, 1873. The ACDC collection contains more than 100 Drovers articles (1975 to date) about communications related to livestock. We are pleased to add anniversary news items – and other articles during the years ahead.

“Generations of Drovers editors and publishers have successfully embraced the evolution of information gathering and dissemination from its slow, cumbersome beginnings with Goodall to our modern magazine and digital platforms,” Editor Henderson observed.

“Growing hesitancy” among rural parents about COVID-19 vaccine for their children

We are adding to the ACDC collection a 2022 article in PLOS ONE about attitudes and beliefs of parents in rural Colorado. Research team members used a brief online demographic survey and in-depth qualitative interviews. Findings prompted them to report: “The growing vaccine hesitancy among parents has serious implications for disease eradication and future viral outbreaks.”

You can read the research article by open access here.

“Six rural news outlets trying to bridge the information divide”

Writing in Nieman Reports, Celeste Katz Marston recently described six local newsrooms “helping audiences better understand places sometimes dismissed as ‘flyover country’.” She described them briefly:

• The Daily Yonder https://dailyyonder.com
• Southerly https://southerlymag.org
• The News Reporter https://nrcolumbus.com
• High Country News https://www.hcn.org
• Ohio Valley ReSource https://ohiovalleyresource.org
• Mountain State Spotlight https://mountainstatespotlight.org

You can read more about them at the URLs shown above.

Antidotes against ecological forgetfulness

We recently added to the ACDC collection an essay in High Country News about how we can be good future ecological ancestors. We tend to forget most of what we see and experience in the natural world around us, noted author Jason Mark.

“Each of us can become, in our own modest way, an environmental storyteller, passing down the oral histories of the places we inherited,” he observed (e.g., epic vistas, the feeling of wind in the face, the forest’s mossy scent, the cheep of chickadees, disappearing red-winged blackbirds). His prescription: “Be outside as much as you can. Bear witness. Make a record. Pass it on.”

You can read the brief essay here.

Troubled landscape about ethics in rural health care organizations

We are adding to the ACDC collection a 2011 article that reveals a troubled landscape in the realm of ethical dilemmas related to rural healthcare. A discussion in the American Medical Association Journal of Ethics painted this picture:
• Ethics committees are less prevalent in rural hospitals, they do not fulfill the typical role and they are seldom used.
• Health care personnel in rural areas do not see bioethics analysis as applicable to the problems they face.
• A lack of consensus about what constitutes ethical behavior leads to hesitancy and inaction.

You can read the discussion here.

Communicator events approaching soon

Here are plans you may find helpful, with contact information you can use for details. We welcome suggestions or revisions for this calendar.

February 5-6, 2023
National Agricultural Communications Symposium (NACS) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Information: https://piecenter.com/nacs-2

April 19-23, 2023
32nd Annual Conference of the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) in Boise, Idaho. Information: https://conference.sej.org

April 25-27, 2023
Annual meeting of the Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) in Portland, Maine. Information: https://www.toca.org/toca-annual-meeting

April 26-29, 2023
Conference of the International Agricultural and Extension Education Association (IAEE) in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Information: https://aiaee.org/2023conference

June 11-13, 2023
Conference of the Association for Communication Excellence (ACE) in Ashville, North Carolina. Information: https://aceweb.org/2023conference

June 13-15, 2023
Annual meeting of the Agricultural Relations Council (ARC) in Des Moines, Iowa. Information: https://agrelationscouncil.org

Oh, the complexities of life

We close this issue of ACDC News with a comforting piece of traditional Irish wisdom:

“Leave the flurry
To the masses;
Take your time
And shine your glasses.”

Best regards and wishes

December News and Research from the ACDC– Issue 22-12

Posted on December 15, 2022 by Rachel Riffe

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Hybrid food shopping: Transforming the food retail landscape

A recent survey by FMI Food Industry Association explored attitudes and behaviors of the hybrid shoppers – those who grocery shop both in-store and online.

Findings suggested that expanded hybrid shopping “presents retailers with a variety of exciting opportunities to better engage with consumers by improving and streamlining the overall shopping experience.”

You can read this summary by open access here.

The trouble with ‘quiet advocacy’ about climate change

“While journalists in small, rural communities are known to actively advocate on issues of the common good, there has been little investigation of local media advocacy on climate change in rural Australia.” So reported a research team in a 2022 issue of Media, Culture and Society. Interviews with journalists at selected rural and regional newspapers revealed reluctance to engage in overt advocacy practices and thought leadership on climate change in their communities. Findings also shed light on reasons and prompted suggestions.

You can read the abstract and learn how to gain full-text access here.

How to inoculate communities against extremism

“Amid rising political tensions, one strategy can inoculate communities against anti-government ideologies,” reporter Sarah Trent indicated in a recent issue of High Country News. She described a case example involving public land management in an eastern Oregon county. Inclusive collaboration was the key to overcoming initial distrust between conservation and agriculture communities in Harney County.

“Every opportunity we have to bring people together across our divisions, to understand one another, to work together, to see and cultivate community – those are important, and they’re especially important right now.”

You can read the article here.

New approaches to the rural grocery store

We recently added several U.S. case examples which author Emily Rappleye described in a 2021 article from Rural Business. They came from Rial Carver, program manager for the Rural Grocery Initiative and Kansas Healthy Food Initiative.

“The good news is a grocery store closure doesn’t have to be the end of the story” in the wellbeing of rural communities.

You can read the article here.

Constraints facing farm women in adapting to climate change

The International Journal of Economic Plants included a research article that identified three major constraints facing farm women of northern India in adapting to climate change. Researchers A. Pandey and P. Arya interviewed a random sample of 280 farm women in eight villages of the Bikaner district of Rajasthan.

Findings revealed three types of major constraints:
1. Inadequate knowledge of climate change, adaptation measures and access to weather forecasting technology
2. Lack of training programs about this challenge
3. Lack of knowledge about government policies/programs and poor extension services related to climate change

You can read the article here.

Communicator events approaching soon

Here are plans you may find helpful, with contact information you can use for details. We welcome suggestions or revisions for this calendar.

February 5-6, 2023
National Agricultural Communications Symposium (NACS) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Information: https://piecenter.com/nacs-2

April 19-23, 2023
32nd Annual Conference of the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) in Boise, Idaho. Information: https://conference.sej.org

April 25-27, 2023
Annual meeting of the Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) in Portland, Maine. Information: https://www.toca.org/toca-annual-meeting

April 26-29, 2023
Conference of the International Agricultural and Extension Education Association (IAEE) in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Information: https://aiaee.org/2023conference

June 11-13, 2023
Conference of the Association for Communication Excellence (ACE) in Ashville, North Carolina. Information: https://aceweb.org/2023conference

June 13-15, 2023
Annual meeting of the Agricultural Relations Council (ARC) in Des Moines, Iowa. Information: https://agrelationscouncil.org

Five year-end tips for living

We close this issue of ACDC News with some Old Farmer’s Advice:

Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, and enjoy the ride.

Best regards and wishes

November News and Research from the ACDC – Issue 22-11

Posted on November 11, 2022 by Rachel Riffe

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Tips for navigating science in the media

“With every trending scientific topic and the social media conversation that follows, it’s increasingly difficult to sift fact from fiction.” So reported the International Food Information Council in an article we added recently to the ACDC collection. Author Marisa Paipongna offered five tips for doing so:
• Be careful with clickbait
• Study the studies
• Know the lingo
• Take a deeper dive
• Beware of bias

You can read it here.

New research in the second 2022 issue of Journal of Applied Communications

“Foreseen demands for up-and-coming science communicators and recommendations for science communication training programs”

“Reporting a rural reality: A case study of an agricultural newspaper’s series on the rural opioid epidemic”

“Reporting on vital agricultural news in Ireland: A comparison between mainstream print media and the farming press”

“A scarcity of biospheric values in local and regional reporting of water issues: Media coverage in the Floridan aquifer region”

“Conservation in the news: Comparing news coverage of nutrient reduction in agricultural and non-agricultural news outlets in Iowa”

You can read these articles by open access here.

Five-year trends of how farmers buy online

That title introduces a brief 2022 research summary we are adding to the ACDC collection. It is part of an annual survey project from Farm Journal. The email study (conducted since 2018) asked farmers to report about how they buy the crop inputs they need. For example:
• Do you currently buy any of your crop inputs online?
• (For those who don’t buy online) Why?
• For the 2022 crop, what products did you buy online?
• For the 2023 crop, what products do you plan to buy online?
• What factors are important when you consider buying crop inputs?

You can read the summary here.

Dairy farmers, their veterinarians and prudent use of antimicrobials

Antibiotics journal recently published an article about how values and risk perceptions shape attitudes of Canadian dairy farmers toward prudent use of antimicrobials. Authors noted how antimicrobial resistance (AMU) is an important challenge to public health. They used an online survey among dairy farmers in Ontario and Atlantic Canada to assess farmers’ personal values, decision-making process, attitudes toward AMU reduction, and awareness of AMU. Factor analysis identified four groups of factors related to knowledge, risk perception, and emotional states among respondents. A logistic regression model identified variables associated with the probability of disagreeing with the need to increase promotion of responsible AMU in the dairy industry.

Findings provided guidance for using promising approaches to encourage and achieve prudent AMU. Among them were recommendations to develop (with veterinarians) protocols that involve more input from farmers.

You can read the article by open access here.

Movement towards transparency on European farm subsidies

“Bursting the ‘Brussels bubble’” is the title of a 2013 article we identified recently in the journal, Ethical space: The International Journal of Communication Ethics. Author Alana Mann described efforts of Farmsubsidy.org. It is a network of journalists, researchers, activists, and data analysists working together to make the European Union subsidy system more transparent. They are “pressuring the governments of member states to reveal the ‘subsidy millionaires’ who are benefiting from a system designed to assist small farmers.”

“In a democratic public sphere, the role of civil society organizations can be enhanced through targeted cooperative communication projects supported by transnational media structures that inform the public extensively about political policy, decision-making and governance.”

You can read the article here.

How to keep young people in the farming sector

Non-monetary benefits are as important as monetary benefits, according to a 2022 research report in PLOS ONE by researchers Para Jansuwan and Kerstin K. Zander. Using path analysis, they investigated which physical and psychological factors affected decisions of young farmers in Thailand to pursue three types of farming. Types included: (1) full-time profit-oriented rice farming, (2) full-time multi-functional farming in innovative mixed or organic production systems, or (3) part-time farming where young farmers worked off-farm and farmed outside regular working hours.

Young farmers choosing to pursue multifunctional farming had higher incomes. They also applied sophisticated technologies more often and farmed more sustainably than those choosing the other types of farming.

You can read the article by open access here. It stirs thinking about how to encourage young people to consider living and working in rural communities, wherever.

Communicator events approaching soon

Uncertainties of the COVID-19 health issue continue to prompt flexible event planning. Here are plans of which we are aware, with contact information you can use for details.

November 16-18, 2022
“Providing Choice Information for Agriculture.” National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Information: https://nafb.com/events/nafb-convention

February 5-6, 2023
National Agricultural Communications Symposium (NACS) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Information: https://piecenter.com/nacs-2

April 19-23, 2023
32nd Annual Conference of the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) in Boise, Idaho. Information: https://conference.sej.org

April 25-27, 2023
Annual meeting of the Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) in Portland, Maine. Information: https://www.toca.org/toca-annual-meeting

April 26-29, 2023
Conference of the International Agricultural and Extension Education Association (IAEE) in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Information: https://aiaee.org/2023conference

At Thanksgiving

During this season of thanks for harvests, we close the November issue of ACDC News with a limerick posted by D. Wallace Peach:

A turkey who drank and gobbled
Indulged ‘til his red waddle bobbled.
He tried a straight strut
And he trotted well, but
In the end, that old turkey just wobbled.

Best regards and wishes

October News and Research from the ACDC – Issue 22-10

Posted on October 18, 2022 by Rachel Riffe

Click here for a printer-friendly PDF of this issue

“Collaboration, not fighting, is what the rural West is really about”

This perspective on rural communicating in the contemporary American West came to our attention recently. University of Oregon faculty member Steven Beda shared it in a 2018 commentary published by The Conversation news service. He explained that he studies the rural Northwest and has “spent a fair amount of time talking with loggers, miners, fishermen and ranchers…”

This is the sentiment he reported hearing often: “Whatever hardships contemporary rural life may pose – and there are many – it’s their love of the land and desire to protect it that keeps them put.” He acknowledged that many ranchers, loggers, and miners have problems with federal bureaucrats and environmental organizations. But “most rural people are committed to bringing about a more amicable future.”

You can read the commentary here.

How free press in nations fits with environment-friendly policy

An international analysis recently addressed this relationship. Researchers Inma Martinez-Zarzoso and Jennifer Phillips investigated it with a sample of OECD and BRHCS countries, plus a global sample of 82 countries. They used data across the period 1994-2015.

Results indicated that lack of press freedom is negatively correlated with stringency of environmental policies.

You can read this 2020 research report in Environment and Development Economics via Cambridge University Press here.

Acceptance of cultured meat in 10 countries

The journal, Appetite, recently published an article that described results of research about acceptance of cultured meat in 10 countries (Australia, China, England, France, Germany, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and the United States). Swiss researchers Michael Siegrist and Christina Hartmann found that trust in the food industry, food neophobia, and food disgust sensitivity influenced the acceptance in almost all countries. However, one-way analysis of variance identified significant differences across countries. For example:

• The lowest level of acceptance was observed in France
• Acceptance was also relatively low in Germany and the United States
• Relatively high levels of acceptance were observed in Mexico, South Africa, England and Spain

You can read the article by open access here.

When authoritarian regimes crack down on media coverage of rural social movements

We recently added an article in the Journal of Peasant Studies which explored an ongoing transformation of authoritarian populism that has reduced the space for rural collective action. Authors interviewed Cambodian journalists who lost their jobs regarding a crackdown on the press, civil society, and opposition in the lead-up to the 2018 national election.

Researchers noted from their findings that “democratization is not a predetermined linear pathway, but a process of shifting of openings and closings that can just as easily slide deeper into authoritarianism.”

You can read the article by open access here.

Labeling to help reduce excess intake of energy, sugars, salt, and saturated fat

We have added to the ACDC collection a 2021 article about proposals being advanced in Europe for front-of-pack labeling to help consumers side-step obesity and related non-communicable diseases. It appeared in the journal, Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, and was written by the Scientific Board of the Italian Society of Human Nutrition.

Authors examined strengths and weaknesses of two proposals for adding a front-of-page label to the mandatory nutrition information on the back of the package. Both would be intended to “fight malnutrition by excess.”

You can read the article here.

Communicator events approaching

Uncertainties of the COVID-19 health issue continue to prompt flexible event planning. Here are plans of which we are aware, with contact information you can use for details.

October 21-25, 2022
“ScienceWriters 2022.” Meeting of the National Association of Science Writers (NASW) in Memphis, Tennessee.
Information: https://www.nasw.org/events/sciencewriters-2022-memphis/

November 2-3, 2022
“Level Up: Investing in Yourself and your Career.” Fall virtual conference of the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE). Two afternoon zoom sessions feature some leading experts in navigating the job market in the digital age, developing your personal brand, and improving your executive presence.
Information: https://aceweb.org

Happiness to you

We close this issue of ACDC News with an Irish blessing:

May brooks and trees and singing hills
Join in the chorus, too –
And every gentle wind that blows
Send happiness to you.

Best regards and wishes

September News and Research from the ACDC – Issue 22-09

Posted on September 20, 2022 by Rachel Riffe

Click here for a printer-friendly PDF of this issue

Addressing fraudulent pesticides in the agrifood sector

We are adding to the ACDC collection a 2022 article in Agronomy journal about farmer perceptions of fraudulent pesticides in Egypt. Factorial analysis of data from 394 farmers revealed several critical drivers related to buying fraudulent pesticides: beliefs, health and environmental risks, recognition of quality, price, and policies. Findings led the researchers to recommend these actions:
• Reinforce the extant pesticide laws and administration of regulations
• Increase public awareness of the consequences of fraudulent pesticide use
• Improve recognition behavior by detecting fraudulent pesticides with digital technologies among all stakeholders

We note that the pesticide issue extends well beyond one country. You can read the article by open access here.

“Down and Dirty” – A branding campaign among country-lifestyle teens in Virginia

A campaign to assess attitudes and inform teens in Virginia about the risks of chewing tobacco showed results in an article we identified recently in Health Education and Behavior. Youths who “live and breathe country lifestyles” got special attention in this campaign, which involved traditional, digital, and social media. A total of 1,264 13- to 18-year-olds were recruited as participants.

Three waves of attitude assessment during the campaign revealed greater odds of strong attitudes against chew during Waves 2 and 3, compared with Wave 1. Results also indicated that odds of chew use were lower for these high-risk, country-engaged teens at later points of the campaign.

You can read the article by open access here.

Exploring disconnects between cooperatives and their members

Agricultural cooperatives must invest in a mixed strategy of communication channels to reach all profiles and preferences of their members. That advice came from the report of a literature review published earlier this year in the International Journal on Food System Dynamics. Authors searched for empirical articles in five international databases. Findings suggested that “agricultural cooperatives are slow to incorporate more diverse and effective means of communication to reach their varied audiences. … Inconsistent and ineffective communication between agricultural cooperatives and their members can create a disconnect ….”

You can read the article here.

Freedom within a cage

A 2021 article in BMJ Global Health examined how patriarchal gender norms limit women’s use of mobile phones in rural central India. Authors noted that India has one of the highest gender gaps in mobile phone access in the world. Their study focused on a sample of young married women in rural Madhya Pradesh. Findings revealed that phone use among these women was rarely constrained by overt gatekeeping. However, it was limited in ways such as:
• Narrow range of socially acceptable uses for women, compared with men
• Dependence on men for phone ownership
• Lower proximity to phones
• Poorer functionality of women’s phones
• Limited digital skills
• Constraints in time available to use phones.

You can read the article by open access here.

Case study of farmers as drivers of innovation

“Farmers are often overlooked and undervalued as sources of information, but can be powerful drivers of ingenuity and development.” A team of researchers at the University of Western Australia led with this observation in a 2022 research report published in Prometheus.

As a case example, team members evaluated historical developments in the Australian subterranean clover seed production industry. They identified lessons for agricultural innovation in the future and concluded: “Harnessing the creative power of farmers has potential to accelerate agricultural innovation and contribute to solving the considerable challenges facing global agriculture.”

You can read the case study here.

Welcome to our new ACDC associate

We are delighted to welcome Precious Olalere as new graduate assistant in the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center. She joined us during mid-August with a part-time appointment as she undertakes her graduate studies in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois.

Precious earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Ilorin, a federal government-owned university in western Nigeria. She brings research and analytic software experience from Scholars Academy and the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) Library.

Communicator events approaching

Uncertainties of the COVID-19 health issue continue to prompt flexible event planning. Here are plans of which we are aware, with contact information you can use for details.

September 21-22, 2022
Professional Development Workshop sponsored by the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Information: https://communicators.coop/professional-development/workshops/

September 22, 2022
“Usage of satellite imagery in agricultural journalism.” Online workshop via Zoom, European Network of Agricultural Journalists (ENAJ). Presenter Jan Labohý is chief executive officer of World from Space.
Information: https://enaj.eu/usage-of-satellite-imagery-in-agricultural-journalism/

October 10-12, 2022
“Cultivating. Connecting.” Fall conference of the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Information: https://nama.org/2022-fall-conference.html

October 13, 2022
Annual Harvest Service and Lunch, British Guild of Agricultural Journalists, in London, England. Information: https://www.gaj.org.uk/harvest-service-and-lunch

October 21-25, 2022
“ScienceWriters 2022.” Meeting of the National Association of Science Writers
(NASW) in Memphis, Tennessee.
Information: https://www.nasw.org/events/sciencewriters-2022-memphis/

November 16-18, 2022
“Providing Choice Information for Agriculture,” National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Information: https://nafb.com/events/nafb-convention

When you gain lots of influence

We close this issue of ACDC News with a piece of Old Farmer’s Advice which associate Paul Hixson shared with us:

“If you get to thinking you’re a person of some influence, try ordering somebody else’s dog around.”

Best regards and wishes

ACDC is an open resource for you, so please feel free to invite our help as you search for information. You are welcomed to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUC. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique and valued international collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Comm Documentation Center, 510 ACES Library, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801) – or in electronic format sent to acdc@library.illinois.edu

August News and Research from the ACDC – Issue 22-08

Posted on August 16, 2022 by Rachel Riffe

Click here for a printer-friendly PDF of this issue

How free press in nations fits with environment-friendly policy

An international analysis recently addressed this relationship. Researchers Inma Martinez-Zarzoso and Jennifer Phillips investigated it with a global sampling of countries. They used data across the period 1994-2015.

Results indicated that lack of press freedom is negatively correlated with stringency of environmental policies.

You can read this 2020 research report in Environment and Development Economics by open access via Cambridge University Press here.

“The dangers of big data extend to farming”

We are adding a 2022 article of that title to the ACDC collection. Author Kelly Bronson of the University of Ottawa, Canada, noted in a June issue of The Conversation that scholars and activists have spent years exposing dangerous effects of big data practices on individual privacy and civil liberties.

However, she suggested, agricultural data are likely to have far-reaching detrimental environmental and social impacts. She cited examples and proposed that, beyond data analysis and infrastructure, digital democracy calls for a fundamental redistribution of decision-making power from a small number of corporate stakeholders to a wider group of citizens who can help answer questions such as: What kind of food system do we want? Which farming techniques and technologies will help us get there?

You can read this article here.

Disconnect between what consumers say about fresh produce – and what they eat

Findings of a March 2022 national survey by Dole Food Company indicated that almost half of adult Americans mostly ignore the benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables, despite a widespread acceptance as essential to the health of their families. For example:

• 73% agreed that fruits and vegetables are a healthy choice for their families
• 68% said they think fruits and vegetables taste great
• 51% said they associate eating more produce with positively impacting the environment

However, almost half (48%) said they think the general public is still ignorant about the health and environmental impacts of fresh produce.

You can read a brief summary about the survey here.

Smallholder farmers in Pakistan at the frontlines of COVID-19

An analysis from the early period of COVID-19 sheds light on how these farmers viewed COVID-19, how it challenged them, and what they thought about government lockdown strategies. Researcher Muhammad Ammad Khan conducted research among 384 smallholder farmers in Punjab province. Results revealed:
• The vast majority of respondents were highly aware of the disease
• They had positive attitudes toward the government lockdown strategy
• Some were facing great challenges in access to farm inputs, unavailability of farm laborers, high prices, and selling their farm produce

You can read the 2022 article in the Journal of Rural and Community Development here.

How 18 million Americans could move into rural areas – without leaving home

“About 45 million Americans – 14% of the nation’s inhabitants – are currently classified as living in rural areas. That number could jump to 64 million – an increase of nearly 40% – without anyone moving into a new home.” So reported Devon Brenner and Jesse Longhurst in a 2021 report from The Conversation news service. They were referring to a government proposal to move everyone who lives in places with 50,000 to 100,000 from urban to rural life.

“Making the proposed change would mean 144 areas with populations between 50,000 and 100,000, and the 251 counties they occupy, would no longer be classified as ‘metropolitan,’ but rather as ‘micropolitan’ – and therefore effectively rural.”

In this brief article, authors described some possible social and economic implications of the proposal.

You can read it here.

Communicator events approaching

Uncertainties of the COVID-19 health issue continue to prompt flexible event planning. Here are plans of which we are aware, with contact information you can use for details.

September 18-21, 2022
Annual conference of the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Conference in St. Petersburg, Florida. Information: https://ifwtwa.org/2022-ifwtwa-conference

October 10-12, 2022
“Cultivating. Connecting.” Fall conference of the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Information: https://nama.org/2022-fall-conference.html

October 13, 2022
Annual Harvest Service and Lunch, British Guild of Agricultural Journalists, in London, England. Information: https://www.gaj.org.uk/harvest-service-and-lunch

October 21-25, 2022
“ScienceWriters 2022.” Meeting of the National Association of Science Writers
(NASW) in Memphis, Tennessee.
Information: https://www.nasw.org/events/sciencewriters-2022-memphis/

November 16-18, 2022
National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB). Annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Information: https://nafb.com/events/nafb-convention

“He can fix it”

We close this issue of ACDC News with a perspective from ever-alert associate John Otte. He called attention recently to something he heard from an acquaintance about special creativity found in many local rural communities.

This acquaintance recalled growing up where the proprietor of a fix-it shop maintained he could fix anything – except the crack of dawn and a broken heart.

Best regards and wishes

ACDC is a resource for you, so please feel free to invite our help as you search for information. You are welcomed to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUCDocNews22-08. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique and valued international collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Comm Documentation Center, 510 ACES Library, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801) – or in electronic format sent to acdc@library.illinois.edu

July News and Research from the ACDC – Issue 22-07

Posted on July 12, 2022 by Rachel Riffe

Click here for a printer-friendly PDF of this issue

Rural youths in India turn into citizen journalists

“At a time when the International Human Rights Day was being celebrated with much excitement across the world, a silent story of change was being scripted in the community hall” of a small town in northern India. So began a recent article in The Hans India. It explained how rural youths were telling government officials about challenges plaguing their villages. As citizen journalists, they discussed issues such as child marriage, problems of dowry, gender discrimination, wearing Ghoonghat Pratha, suffering from hunger, and casteism.

The district collector commended students for advancing the important role of media as a pillar of democracy and for helping build nationhood.

You can read the article online here.

A call: Let’s expand constructive efforts to address destructive social conflicts

Recently we added to the ACDC collection a 13-page road map to address the “destructive-conflict-as-usual way in which the U.S. and so many other societies now commonly address complex, large-scale, intractable conflicts…”

It was written in 2019 by Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess of the Conflict Information Consortium, University of Colorado. They argue that such conflicts represent the single greatest threat to humanity and the planet. They drafted this statement to describe the challenge and invite suggestions for a broad collaborative effort to manage conflict in constructive rather than destructive ways.

You can read the statement here.

“There’s a lot the Postal Service can do”

A new document in ACDC features a 202l interview with Lisa Graves, political activist and senior fellow of the Center for Media and Democracy. She emphasized the unique, valuable role of the U.S. Postal Service and identified several ways in which it might be more fully engaged in public service. Among the ideas she suggested:

A hub for internet access
A charging station for electric cars
An informal gathering place in local communities
Banking services for underbanked communities

You can read this interview here.

How consumers view climate change these days

“Concern about climate change is real for consumers surveyed recently by The Packer,” a news enterprise serving the food industry. Among the respondents, 87% rated addressing climate change as important (25%), very important (24%) or extremely important (38%) to their overall sustainability priorities.

Here are the top five reasons they cited:

Combat climate change
Improve human health
Reduce food waste
It’s the responsible thing to do
Reduce air pollution

You can read a summary of the survey findings here.

A lingering environmental case study of not listening

“The people of Flint are still suffering,” read the headline of a January 2022 article we have added in ACDC. The article features an interview with investigative reporter Jordan Chariton of the independent news network Status Coup News. This conversation involves a controversial decision in 2014 to switch the source of drinking water in Flint, Michigan – and follow-up disputes about continuing effects of heavy metal poisoning on residents.

Reporter Chariton said “…there’s been a lot of …’we hear you and we’re going to do everything for you.’ But if you talk to the people of Flint, they are still screaming for help.” He also observed that “the local media of Michigan has essentially continued this narrative that the water is fine now, and let’s move on.”

You can read the interview here.

Communicator events approaching

Uncertainties of the COVID-19 health issue continue to prompt flexible event planning. Here are plans of which we are aware, with contact information you can use for details.

July 16-20, 2022

“On point.” Agricultural Media Summit in Raleigh, North Carolina. Sponsored by the American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA), Connectiv Agri-Media Committee, and Livestock Publications Council (LPC).

Information: https://agmediasummit.com

July 20-24, 2022

International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors. Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. Information: https://iswne.org/annual_conferences

September 21-22, 2022

Professional Development Workshop sponsored by the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Information: https://www.communicators.coop/professional-development/workshops/

October 10-12, 2022

National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA). Fall conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Information: https://web.nama.org/events/2022-fall-conference-402/details

November 16-18, 2022

National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB). Annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Information: https://nafb.com/events/nafb-convention

Dealing with life

We close this issue of ACDC News with a piece of advice about observing and dealing with life. It comes from Jerry Apps in his 1998 book, Rural Wisdom.

“Remember to listen for the whispers and look in the shadows.”

Best regards and wishes

ACDC is a resource for you, so please feel free to invite our help as you search for information. You are welcomed to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUC. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique and valued international collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Comm Documentation Center, 510 ACES Library, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801) – or in electronic format sent to acdc@library.illinois.edu

ACDC News – Issue 22-06

Posted on June 27, 2022 by Rachel Riffe

Click here for a printer-friendly pdf of this issue.

“Media need to treat every day as Earth Day”

The climate crisis is an emergency that demands urgent, sustained attention and action – not a fleeting mention once a month, according to a recent article by Julie Hollar. She was writing on the website of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), a media watchdog group based in New York City.

“Any further delay in concerted anticipatory global action on adaptation and mitigation will miss a brief and rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a livable and sustainable future for all.”

You can read the thought piece here.

First of the 2022 articles in JAC

Four new research articles appear in the first 2022 issue of the Journal of Applied Communications. You can read them online, along with four papers delivered at the most recent conference of the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE).

“Persuasive effects of metaphors regarding gene-editing in agriculture” by Nellie Hill, Courtney Meyers, Nan Li, David L. Doerfert, and Venugopal Mendu
“Characteristics and motivational factors of American equine journalists” by Zoe B. Bowden, Ricky W. Telg, and Lisa K. Lundy
“Influence of message theme on consumer perceptions of lab grown meat” by Kellie Kubacak, Courtney Meyers, Hannah L. Ford, Nan Li, and Lindsay Kennedy
“Labs and landscapes virtual reality: Student-created forest conservation tours for informal public engagement” by Whitney Stone, Jamie Loizzo, Jacqueline Aenlle, and Peyton Beattie

You can read the articles here.

Potential of social network analysis: A case study involving organic food

We recently added a research report about the potential value of social network analysis in understanding consumer perceptions of organic food. An international team of researchers compared the results of 14 studies carried out by using standard research methods with those based on 344,233 posts by 73,380 Instagram users.

Both approaches identified four key areas as factors important to consumers buying organic food: (1) health consciousness, (2) ecological motives, (3) taste, and (4) hedonism.

You can read the journal article by open access for individual use here.

Recognizing a new collection

Sincere thanks to retired communicator Chris Scherer for alerting us to his collection of professional books. Copies of some are already in the University of Illinois Library. However, more than half involve communications related to agriculture and we had not been aware of them. So we are reviewing the books we don’t have and preparing citations for the ACDC database and search system. As a result, online visitors will soon be able to identify and gain access to detailed agricultural communications information otherwise difficult to find.

Books in the new Chris Scherer Collection feature excellent information for professional journalists and communicators as well as researchers, students and others. Subjects range across writing, layout and design, trends in advertising and public relations, and the history of women in journalism.

Check with ACDC Associate Jim Evans if you would like to learn more about this collection – or if you have agricultural journalism and communications materials for which you might like to find a home.

Record-high worry about hunger

“One year after the coronavirus pandemic upended Americans’ lives and caused an economic crisis, worry about hunger and homelessness in the country eclipsed concerns about 13 other national issues for the first time. The 55% of U.S. adults who say they personally worry ‘a great deal’ about these consequences of poverty marks an eight-percentage-point increase since last year and the highest in 20 years of measurement.”

We recently added this Gallup news item to the ACDC collection. You can read further details about recent results of annual Gallup Poll research here.

Communicator events approaching

Uncertainties of the COVID-19 health issue continue to prompt flexible event planning. Here are plans of which we are aware, with contact information you can use for details.

June 21-23, 2022

Agricultural Relations Council (ARC). Annual meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Information: https://agrelationscouncil.org

June 27-July 3, 2022

“Smarter farming and food production for green and sustainable growth.” 2022 World Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) in Vingsted, Denmark. Hosted by the Danish Food and Agricultural Journalists.

Information: https://ifaj2020.dk

July 16-20, 2022

Information: https://agmediasummit.co

July 20-24, 2022

International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors. Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. Information: https://iswne.org/annual_conferences

September 21-22, 2022

Professional Development Workshop sponsored by the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Information: communicators.coop/professional-development/workshops/

October 10-12, 2022

National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA). Fall conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Information: https://web.nama.org/events/2022-fall-conference-402/details

November 16-18, 2022

National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB). Annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Information: https://nafb.com/events/nafb-convention

From misery freed

We close this issue of ACDC News with an epitaph by Oliver Goldsmith:

“Here lies poor Ned Purdon, from misery freed,

Who long was a bookseller’s hack.

He led such a damnable life in this world

I don’t think he’ll wish to come back.”

Offering information and best regards

ACDC is a resource for you, so please feel free to invite our help as you search for information. You are welcome to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUC. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique and valued international collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Comm Documentation Center, 510 ACES Library, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801) – or in electronic format sent to acdc@library.illinois.edu