Department of Agricultural Education & Studies

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Graduate Programs: Greg Miller 515-294-2583 / Undergraduate Programs: Mike Retallick 515-294-4810

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Graduate Student Scholarly Work

 

Licht, M. A. (2005). Agricultural information preferences of Iowa crop producers. Master’s thesis.

The purpose of this study was to determine the agricultural information preferences of crop producers in Iowa and assess their implications to agricultural extension education. The objectives addressed in this report were to identify agricultural information issues Iowa producers perceive as significant, the types of communication channels they prefer to use to obtain agricultural information, and which communication channels they currently use for such information. To address these objectives data were gathered from five producer focus groups held throughout Iowa. Focus group data were collected on audio tapes and then transcribed. Analysis was performed through theme coding and qualitative data charts.

The results of this study illustrate the following conclusions: 1) producers prefer and use a variety of communication channels to gather agricultural information: 2) among communication channels producers prefer consultations most highly: 3) producers primarily use radio and consultations for gathering agricultural information; 4) producers prefer and use mass media channels for general information and interpersonal communication channels for specific and applicable information; 5) among mass media channels producers prefer radio; 6) among interpersonal channels producers prefer consultations; 7) simple needs assessments can be used to identify specific issues about which producers desire more information; 8) producers perceive local issues, timely issues, marketing issues, and management issues as significant; and 9) producers consider the source of research funding when determining the reliability of research results.