ACDC Newsletter – Page 2 – Funk Library

August News and Research from the ACDC– Issue 23-08

Posted on August 16, 2023 by Precious Olalere

Click here for a printer-friendly PDF of this issue

Changing strategies for communicating about climate

A research team writing in Energy Research and Social Science (2023) reported: “Research shows that multinational oil and gas companies have recently made a strategic shift away from outright climate denial to more nuanced discourses of climate delay.” In this article, authors analyzed tweets published by four companies to observe how they are communicating on their global Twitter accounts about the renewable energy transition.

“This pattern of communication – linking renewables to natural gas and promoting natural gas as part of their corporate response to climate change – suggests an evolution of fossil fuel companies’ strategic efforts to delay the energy transition and obstruct climate action.”

You can read the article here.

“Farmer identity, ethical attitudes and environmental practices”

That title heads a 2014 journal article we are adding to the ACDC collection. Authors reporting in Ecological Economics surveyed Missouri farmers to examine the relationship between the identity of farmers and their attitudes toward ethical issues affecting the environment. They found that a conservation identity, in contrast with a productivist one, is closely correlated with attitudes toward ethical environmental issues. However, they found an important interaction effect with one’s view about the future.

You can read this article by open access here.

Ecovillage as an alternative way of rural life: three case studies in Hungary and Slovakia

A 2018 article in European Countryside analyzed the concept and features of ecovillages and discussed the possible impacts and effects of the ecovillage movement on sustainable rural development. In conclusion, researchers observed: “We think…ecovillages have the potential to be real role models for other villages because our doubtful society needs an already working proof that it is possible to live in a more nature-friendly way…”

You can read this article here.

Issues in government use of social media for public relations in Indonesia

“…government public relations communications through social media has not been fully able to bridge the digital divide, especially in rural areas.” So reported a research team in a JKAP (Jurnal Kebijakan dan Administrasi Publik) article we are adding to the ACDC collection. Authors identified three problems in that effort:

The pattern of communication involves opinion leaders
Most feedback occurs indirectly, while ideally it should be direct
The flow of information takes place in either one or two ways, in contrast with the ideal, which should be one step

You can read this journal article by open access here.

The future of artificial intelligence – A view from 40-plus years ago

Potentials of AI are commanding increased attention these days. The trend prompts us to mention a 1980 perspective from Claude W. Gifford. At that time, he was Acting Assistant Director for Publications and Special Programs in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Here’s how he put it in a letter to a fellow agricultural communicator:

“Fortunately for your work and mine, someone will still need to find the information and string it out in words that give a clear meaning. That is, unless they invent human beings who think in electronic impulses, and who simply connect the computer to their cranial electrode and feed the computer blips directly into their brain disks. Then the fun will have gone out of this business. Until then, let’s enjoy it.”

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.

September 10-13, 2023
Annual general meeting of the European Network of Agricultural Journalists (ENAJ) in St. Malo, France.
Information: https://enaj.eu

October 6-10, 2023
“Science Writers 2023.” Annual meeting of the National Association of Science Writers (NASW) in Boulder, Colorado.
Information: https://www.nasw.org/

November 14-16, 2023
“Find yourself in Tassie 2023.” Australasia Pacific Extension Network (APEN) international conference in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.
Information: https://apen.org.au/events/news

November 15-17, 2023
“Homecoming.” 80^th Annual Convention of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) in Kansas City, Missouri.
Information: https://nafb.com/events/nafb-convention

Sensing the truth

We close this issue of ACDC News with a communications insight in “Letters from a self-made merchant to his son” by George Horace Lorimer:

“When the tongue lies, the eyes tell the truth.”

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 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

July News and Research from the ACDC– Issue 23-07

Posted on July 11, 2023 by Precious Olalere

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Don’t call it “food waste”

“At least, don’t call it that when you’re talking about food that has to be discarded before it reaches the retail shelf or dining table. Instead, call it food loss.”

Independent food and agriculture consultant Lisa Johnson offered that advice in June to retail produce buyers, brokers and shippers at a Sustainable Produce Summit in California. She and other panelists offered solutions to food loss throughout all stages of the supply chain. They emphasized focusing on collaboration, innovation and technology.

You can read the summary article here.

How Brazilian citizens view farm animal production systems

This journal article in Animals explored the beliefs and attitudes of Brazilians not associated with livestock production. Overall, participants in the study expressed preference for more “natural” production systems. “They also expressed concerns with livestock production systems that limited the movement or expression of natural behaviours, particularly those associated with animal suffering or distress.”

Authors noted that Brazil’s current farm animal housing practices that are associated with restriction of movement “may not align with societal expectations.”

You can read this article here. The article title is: “Brazilian citizens’ opinions and attitudes about farm animal production systems”.

Why business reporters should take a second look at water quality reports in communities they serve

We are adding to the ACDC collection a 2021 article by Madeline Ackley. She said “Reports show that millions of Americans have been exposed to PFAS, a potentially cancer-causing family of chemicals.” She observed that previous studies have “dramatically underestimated” the scope of the problem.

The article also briefly describes water quality reports (required by law) and mentioned four tips to help journalists report about water quality in their local communities.

You can read this article here.

Learning first-hand about editorial independence

“Mentor puts employment on the line for ‘rookie’ writer.” This headline appeared in a recent issue of the Agricultural Communicators Network newsletter. Author Frank Lessiter shared one of his college-level experiences in relationships among agricultural reporters, publishers and advertisers. It involved a research article he wrote about storage structures for high-moisture corn. The editor shared it in draft form with the manufacturer and got a thumbs-down response, prompting the editorial board to address a thorny issue of editorial independence.

You can read the article here and learn how the magazine handled this dilemma.

Public perceptions of food waste and climate quality

A 2023 national Harris Poll survey of consumers on behalf of Flashfood revealed a sincere desire by U.S. adults to reduce food waste in the current climate challenge. For example:

Nearly 9 in 10 American adults (88%) said managing food waste is important to them
77% said they are concerned about the environmental impact of food waste (e.g., on land, water, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity)
75% said they believe that reducing food waste is important for solving climate change

You can read the research summary here by open access. It contains a link to the full report.

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.

September 10-13, 2023
Annual general meeting of the European Network of Agricultural Journalists (ENAJ) in St. Malo, France.
Information:https://enaj.eu

November 15-17, 2023
80^th Annual Convention of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) in Kansas City, Missouri.
Information:https://nafb.com/events/nafb-convention

Advice about leadership

We close this July issue of ACDC News with a career tip about being a boss. It comes from Letters from a self-made merchant to his son.

“A boss with a case of big head will fill an office full of sore heads”

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

June News and Research from the ACDC– Issue 23-06

Posted on June 12, 2023 by Precious Olalere

Click here for a printer-friendly PDF of this issue

Where journalism “matters so much” in climate change

Harvard University faculty member Daniel Schrag recently emphasized honest messaging as a key role of journalism in facing challenges in climate change. He spoke to Nieman Fellows early this year about how the media can help citizens understand the limitations of climate optimism and adapt in realistic ways.

“I think we’re going to be innovative in agriculture and we’ll be innovative in architecture. We’re going to be innovative in all sorts of things not because we’re brilliant but because we’re up against it.”

You can read a summary of his remarks in Nieman Reports here.

Celebrating rural libraries

We are adding to the ACDC collection some feedback which Rural Assembly received during April when it invited views about the impact of libraries on people’s lives. Here are some of the themes shared about local libraries:

A refuge
Rooted in history
A family affair
A social hub
Battling misinformation
Freedom (of being surrounded by books and having access to them)

You can read the article here.

Community radio promotes local development across Africa

We are adding to ACDC a 2023 report featuring a new radio station in Senegal’s Bassari Country. Run by and for the listening community served, it broadcasts in six local languages.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has supported and promoted community radio stations such as this for more than 50 years, globally. Local stations facilitate social interaction, fit well with oral traditions and support democratic processes within societies.

“What makes a community radio so powerful is its potential as a tool to reach out to people with little or no access to information.”

You can read the report here.

New smart shelf retail tags help “make products come to life”

A recent article in The Packer described how new smart shelf tags are helping an organic and specialty food distributor in North America instantly provide extra digital content about items via hyper dynamic QR codes. Consumers can instantly gain information about nutrition and allergen content, promotional offers, traceability, testimonials, and videos and images.

“Retailers never have to source, manage or update content, and the tags include automatically- printed codes.”

You can read the article here.

“Rescuing and reviving rural journalism”

Research findings reported in a 2023 issue of Journalism Practice identified a “clear disconnect” between U.S. rural newspaper publishers and their readers about possible funding models. Researchers Teri Finneman, Patrick Ferrucci and Nick Mathews surveyed rural newspaper publishers and rural residents to better understand their attitudes toward funding local news.

“Overall, our study found readers are most supportive of events, print subscriptions, e-newsletters, memberships, and donations. … As a whole, the reader results stand in direct contrast to not only publishers’ perceptions of what readers would support, but also publishers’ willingness to enact mechanisms to diversify revenue streams.”

This article is not available by open access. You can read the abstract and learn how to gain full-text access here. Or invite our help at acdc@library.illinois.edu

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.

June 22-24, 2023
“The ever-changing media landscape.” Annual conference of American Horse Publications (AHP) in Phoenix-Tempe, Arizona.
Information: https://americanhorsepubs.org/2023-ahp-meet-at-the-mesa-conference

September 10-13, 2023
Annual general meeting of the European Network of Agricultural Journalists (ENAJ) in St. Malo, France.
Information: https://enaj.eu

November 15-17, 2023
80^th Annual Convention of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) in Kansas City, Missouri.
Information: https://nafb.com/events/nafb-convention

So you want to be a leader

We close this issue of ACDC News with a bit of traditional advice from Wales for those who aspire to leadership:

“A fo ben, bid bont” – “If you want to be a leader, be a bridge”

Best regards and wishes

May News and Research from the ACDC– Issue 23-05

Posted on May 12, 2023 by Precious Olalere

Click here for a printer-friendly PDF of this issue

Struggles of newspapers serving Australian rural communities now

We are adding to the ACDC collection a 2023 Sustainability journal article. It sketches “a paradoxical picture of a revival of rural and regional journalism” in Australia. Authors used a range of primary and secondary data sources to track causes, scale, responses, and impact of what they described as a global crisis in print journalism. Their findings reveal a mixture of innovation, hope, uncertainty, and risk.

You can read the research report by open access here.

You can also retrieve it using a title search: “Out of print: What the pandemic-era newspaper crisis…”

Nonprofit models for rural news organizations

We also are adding to the ACDC collection an article by Al Cross about this topic from the 2022 National Summit on Journalism in Rural America at the University of Kentucky. He summarized the features of nonprofit models and cited comments from members of a discussion panel.

“We see nonprofit local news…as a real bright spot,” said a panelist from the American Journalism Project, which makes grants, partners with communities, and coaches leaders. Another panelist explained that publishers who are interested in the nonprofit model can also explore it with the help of the Institute for Nonprofit News.

You can read the report by open access here.

“Adoption of improved rice varieties in the Global South”

That title introduced a recent Rice Science article in which authors reviewed adoption of improved rice varieties in the Global South since the 1960s. They sought to understand why the adoption of new varieties has remained relatively low.

Findings synthesized from 99 studies suggested that extensively-studied variables (farm size, location, education, information access, and farm location) “are not necessarily the most important determinants of adoption.” Authors advised “shifting away from predominant static analysis by capturing the dynamics of the adoption process and considering the potential biases in analyses.”

You can read the 43-page article by open access here.

Keys to communicating about food waste in different cultural settings

We are adding to the ACDC collection some 2018 research findings that may help communicators reduce food waste in different cultural environments. Michigan State University doctoral candidate Rain Wuyu Liu learned that residents of China and the United States reacted differently to mass and social media campaigns involving food waste.

“While people from both countries share similar attitudes about food waste prevention, social norms and cultural orientations influence the type of communication that works best for getting the message across about health and environmental issues.”

You can read the research summary here.

How swine industry stakeholders view precision livestock farming

“Despite the rapid proliferation of precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies, on-farm adoption has been slow,” a research team reported earlier this year in Frontiers in Animal Science. So members sought the views and concerns of stakeholders in the U.S. swine industry. They used semi-structured online interviews among influential on-farm stakeholders such as swine farmers, veterinarians, and breeders. They also interviewed off-farm stakeholders from the government, food processing and retail companies, and animal welfare certification organizations.

Findings revealed a high level of PLF technology awareness among most of the stakeholders. Some cited benefits included improved specificity in decision making among swine producers, increased efficiency of labor and feed, as well as improved animal care and health. Some limitations and concerns included poor internet connectivity, need to modify existing farm buildings and infrastructure, and issues of data ownership, privacy, and influence on human-animal relationships.

You can read the article by open access here.

Or search on title: “Precision livestock farming: a qualitative exploration…”

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.

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

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

September 10-13, 2023
Annual general meeting of the European Network of Agricultural Journalists (ENAJ) in St. Malo, France.
Information: https://enaj.eu

How farmers stay in business

We close this issue of ACDC News with a communications insight from Jan Johnson, President of Millennium Research, in a recent issue of AgriMarketing Update:

Q: “You know what keeps farmers in business?”

A: “A good BS detector. Without this, they may as well be just babes in the

woods, ripe to be taken by every salesperson who comes down the road.”

Best regards and wishes

April News and Research from the ACDC– Issue 23-04

Posted on April 10, 2023 by Precious Olalere

Click here for a printer-friendly PDF of this issue

UK farmers feeling short on information for agri-tech investments

A lack of knowledge about agri-tech is holding farmers in the United Kingdom back when it comes to implementing agri-tech in their business. So reported Caroline Stocks in a September 2022 article in the Farming Future Food independent news website. Results of a National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society survey of about 400 farmers revealed that almost half (46.2%) felt they didn’t know enough about agri-tech.

“Understandably, there’s a real fear amongst farmers that they could make the wrong tech-choice for their farm and end up with an expensive system that becomes outdated quickly.”

You can read the report here.

New research in the Journal of Applied Communications

“Podcasts in production: An examination of current and best practices for agricultural and natural resource podcast producers”
“A culture of fire: Identifying community risk perceptions surrounding prescribed burning in the Flint Hills, Kansas”
“Factors influencing public perception of science”
“Identifying stakeholders’ needs for agricultural communications in higher education curriculum in Australia”

You can read these JAC articles by open access here.

The Trump effect on rural newspapers

A 2022 book chapter that we added recently to ACDC described “The Trump effect on rural communities and newspapers.” Author Al Cross serves as Director and Professor of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues at the University of Kentucky. He noted that the presidency of Donald Trump increased divisions between rural and urban America.

“What you probably have not heard is that Trump also increased divisions among people living in rural communities, and that in combination with social media, it accelerated the decline of non-metropolitan newspapers, the most important source of local news and information for 60 million rural Americans.” In his chapter of The Future of the Presidency, Journalism and Democracy (Routledge) he detailed findings of his national analysis.

You can read the chapter by open access here.

Boost awareness of ways to shorten food supply chains

A 2023 article in Environmental Research and Public Health highlighted ways to boost awareness of local agri-food products. The research team found a high potential demand for such foods in Poland and European countries such as France and Italy – but a “persisting low awareness regarding the existence of alternative distribution networks” for them.

Authors encouraged active involvement of local governments in creating short food supply chains.

You can read the journal article here.

Impact of Extension Services on small farmers in India

The Journal of Extension Education recently contained an article examining effectiveness of the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) in the Assam region of India. ATMA is a market-driven extension model introduced under the National Agricultural Technology Project. Researchers Christopher Tirkey and Manesh Choubey surveyed a probability sampling of 160 small and marginal farmers in the Golaghat District. They concluded that timely dissemination of extension services, which meet the actual needs of the farmers, can affect the farmers’ production to a larger extent.

You can read the article by open access 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 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: cca@communicators.coop

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

A communications insight from Brazil

We close our April issue of ACDC News with this Brazilian proverb:

“A timely ‘no’ beats a hasty ‘yes’

Best regards and wishes

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

Posted on March 10, 2023 by Rachel Riffe

Click here for a printer-friendly PDF of this issue

“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 26-29, 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

Click Here for a printer-friendly PDF of this issue

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

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

Posted on January 18, 2023 by Rachel Riffe

Click here for a printer-friendly PDF of this issue

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

Click here for a printer-friendly PDF of this issue

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

Click here for a printer-friendly PDF of this issue

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.