The Agricultural Education and Communications research program is committed to creating, integrating, broadening, and diffusing knowledge bases in the human dimension of the agricultural sciences and natural resources. It strives to positively affect behavioral change for the improvement of social, economic, and/or environmental conditions of all individuals touched by the agricultural and natural resource systems. Accomplishments/impacts made possible by funding from the Legislative Appropriations Request include:
CottonLink Project. The CottonLink Web site continues to provide up-to-date cotton information to media professionals with current news, pictures and contacts. The project has also provided media training to cotton producers and other agriculture professionals to gain hands-on experience in interacting with the media and providing relevant and news-worthy information.
Sorghum Outreach. A sorghum Web site with a searchable database has been developed. It has been populated with publications covering all aspects of sorghum production and marketing. The site includes contact information of sorghum researchers, communications experts, and provides a means for researchers to upload new research findings. Other outreach activities have included publication of a monthly newsletter and organization of a field day for sorghum professionals.
Radio and Television Coverage. Six broadcast segments focusing on agricultural research were developed for “U.S. Farm Report” and “Ag Day.” The television broadcasts are both nationally syndicated and have significantly broadened the audience for agricultural research news. Several radio productions were also prepared and broadcast live on local and regional radio stations.
Big City/Big Country. The USDA Challenge Grant funded workshops on agricultural science and agricultural communications careers for inner city youth in Houston, San Antonio, and El Paso, as well as Chicago and Atlanta. Targeted youth had no agricultural experiences but had interest in both communications and/or science.
Continuing Education for Producers. Feedyard employees from the Midwestern region of the United States were surveyed to determine knowledge levels and behaviors regarding food safety issues. An analysis of the results of this research was used to identify and develop curriculum for an industry workshop for feedyard employees to improve the safety of their product in the food system.
Texas Alliance for Water Conservation. A field day at the Floyd County Unity Center in Muncy, Texas was held on July 31. The program highlighted current and future production and water management project activities and important research findings. It included a commodity leader panel discussion on the new Farm Bill and a luncheon keynote address by Texas Senator Robert Duncan. Emerging technology presentations were given on the new SmartCrop irrigation management technology and Exactrix anhydrous delivery systems. More than 100 producers and agribusiness leaders were given tours of several project field sites including perennial grasses variety trial plots, forage sorghum and perennial grass seed production under pivot irrigation, cotton production comparison of flood and drip irrigation systems, and corn production with SmartCrop Sensors and Exactrix demonstrations.