Awareness, use, and perceptions of biodiesel: A comparison of consumers in Belgium and the United States

Belgian (N = 61) and American (N = 134) fuel consumers were interviewed in the summer of 2012 to determine their awareness, use, and perceptions of biodiesel. Consumers who were aware of biodiesel were asked their perceptions. A significantly P \u3c 0.0001) higher percentage of Belgian consumers (78.7%) reported owning or driving a diesel vehicle compared to American consumers (9.0%). Belgian and American consumers moderately agreed biodiesel is a high-quality fuel. For both Belgian and American consumers, there was no significant association between owning a diesel vehicle and being aware of biodiesel or having purchased biodiesel. Although Belgian and American consumers agreed that using non-food crops for biodiesel is justified, Belgians were significantly less supportive than American consumers of using food crops for biodiesel. Both Belgian and American consumers disagreed with the statement “I would never use biodiesel”, and the two sets of consumers moderately disagreed that diesel engines would not run properly on biodiesel. Belgian and American consumers agreed that global warming is increasing; however, American consumers were more positive about the potential of biodiesel to reduce harmful exhaust emissions and global warming. Belgian consumers moderately agreed and American consumers agreed that biodiesel is better to use because it is made from renewable resources. Belgian and American consumers generally show similar perceptions of biodiesel, with the exception that American consumers were more positive toward the environmental and renewable aspects of biodiesel use. Recommendations for further research include gaining a better understanding of the potential positive influences that impact consumers’ perceptions of biodiesel

Awareness, Use, and Perceptions of Biodiesel by Belgian and American College Students

Biodiesel is a renewable liquid transportation fuel with potential to extend petroleum supplies and reduce tailpipe emissions of particulate matter, unburned hydrocarbons, andcarbon monoxide (CO)and reduce life-cycle carbon dioxide (CO2)emissions relative to petroleum diesel.However, little is known about how various groups, eitherinternationally or domestically, view biodiesel.This study examined Belgian and Americancollege students’ awareness, use, and perceptions of biodiesel.A higher percentage of Belgian students versus American students reported driving diesel automobiles (60%and 17%, respectively) and being aware of biodiesel (100%and 86%, respectively).However, only 4% of either Belgian or Americanstudents had purchased biodiesel.Belgianstudents were undecidedand Americanstudents slightly agreed there were renewable and environmental benefits ofbiodieseluse.Both Belgian and Americanstudents were undecided about biodiesel quality, with Belgian students being more uncertain.Belgian and Americanstudents were also undecidedif there were negative externalities associated with biodiesel.Both groups tended to agree that continued long-term reliance on fossil fuels is not sustainable; however, Belgian students agreed more strongly than Americanstudents.While there were significant differences between Belgian and Americanstudents, both groups were largely undecided about biodiesel quality and the food and economic consequencesof biodiesel production and use; differences were primarily in the degree of uncertainty.Both groups (especially Belgian students) were concerned about continued reliance on fossil fuels.Given the low level of use and the high degree of uncertainty, efforts should be made to educate Belgian and Americancollege students about biodiese

Knowledge and Perceptions of Agricultural Communications Pilot Curriculum in Arkansas Secondary Agricultural Classrooms

The purpose of this mixed-method study was to assess the effectiveness of agricultural communications curriculum developed and incorporated into a semester-long agricultural leadership and communications course for secondary agricultural education programs in Arkansas. Students (N = 297) participated in newly developed instructional modules addressing four categories of agriculture-themed curricula predetermined by a committee of agricultural education and communications faculty at the University of Arkansas (careers, writing, design, and multimedia). Student agricultural communications knowledge change was assessed using pre- and post-test instruments in each module of study. Additionally, content analysis of participating teachers’ journals was used to identify emergent themes related to teachers’ experiences teaching the curriculum throughout the semester. Overall, the findings from this study indicated students’ knowledge increased after instruction for each curriculum module: careers (16.2%), writing (23.1%), design (35.7%), and multimedia (31.3%). Lack of time, limited technology, teacher training, and curriculum content were the most common emergent themes among teachers. Based on findings from this study, it was concluded future efforts should be made to provide technology for agricultural education instructors to improve agricultural communications program effectiveness and reach

Consumer Perceptions of Poultry Production: A Focus on Arkansas

Poultry production holds an important place in Arkansas economically and as a food source. The viability of poultry production ultimately hinges on consumer demand and the perceptions that drive their purchases. With this in mind, this study surveyed consumers to assess their perceptions of poultry production in Arkansas. The instrument used to survey consumers was created by the researcher and an expert committee at the University of Arkansas. Consumers were surveyed through direct communication at grocery stores in Northwest Arkansas. Data gathered from the study were analyzed using descriptive and correlational statistics. Consumers were uncertain as to whether or not conventionally produced poultry possessed unsafe levels of antibiotics and hormones (M = 3.68, SD = 1.45). Consumers also thought the majority of poultry farms in Arkansas were factory farms (M = 4.15, SD = 1.37). Consumers perceived organic poultry as a more healthy food than conventionally produced poultry (M = 4.47, SD = 1.39). Based on these results, specific recommendations were made to maintain the viability of poultry production in Arkansas. Marketing and communication efforts should be tailored to improve consumer understanding of antibiotic and hormone use in poultry production and the healthiness of conventionally produced poultry. Messaging and marketing should depict the reality of conventional poultry production, and agricultural communicators should work to improve logic and reason for combatting campaigns that misinform the public about agriculture. This research also highlights the need for further research to better understand the ways consumers develop perceptions of poultry production

Agricultural Communication Students Perceptions, Knowledge, and Identified Sources of Information About Agritourism

With the struggling economy, agriculturalists are seeking new ways to become economically stable and viable. Agritourism is a topic that has not yet been evaluated at the collegiate level. Yet it may be an answer for agriculturalists seeking new approaches to profitability. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions, knowledge, and sources of information of agricultural communications students at the collegiate level in order to strengthen agritourism marketing competencies and skill development in postsecondary education. This quantitative descriptive study assessed agricultural communications students (N = 66) from 11 universities across the nation to determine students perceptions, knowledge, and identified sources of information regarding agritourism. The study maintained an 80.5% response rate. Most respondents were female (81.0%), and the majority of respondents were majoring or double majoring in agricultural communications (94%). Al most all respondents had families involved in agriculture (95.2%). Respondents ranked agriculture (M = 4.98, SD = 0.12) and agritourism (M = 4.45, SD = 0.66) as important. Agriculture-related festival(s) or event(s) (M = 4.46, SD = 0.75) were noted as the most important agritourism venue. Generally, respondents had previously attended an agritourism event (61.5%). Website (95.4%), print advertisement(s) (93.8%), and word-of-mouth (81.5%) were identified as the best sources of information in promoting agritourism. Over half of the respondents indicated not knowing whether or not their state had an agritourism department (52.3%). Future studies involving non-agricultural students’ perceptions and knowledge of agritourism must be conducted. Efforts should be made to increase agritourism marketing education and training in postsecondary education

Poultry Production Messaging in Two National-Circulation Newspapers

Consumers are concerned about the use of antibiotics and hormones in poultry. News media is the primary way consumers gain knowledge about this subject. This study assessed articles in an effort to describe and compare coverage of antibiotic and hormone use in poultry production from The New York Times (NYT) and The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) between 1994 and 2014. Content analysis methodology was used to assess selected articles (N = 265) to identify key messages about antibiotic and hormone use in poultry production, article type, type by year, and complete a comparison of focus, frames, and emergent themes. Five emergent themes were identified: 1) consumers awareness of and concern for antibiotic/hormone use in poultry production (NYT 38.8%, WSJ 51.2%); 2) the role of antibiotic use in poultry production in increased levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (NYT 43.8%, WSJ 24.4%); 3) regulation of antibiotic use in poultry production (NYT 35.0%, WSJ 31.7%); 4) purpose of antibiotic/hormone use in poultry production (NYT 32.5%, WSJ 29.3%); and 5) transparency of antibiotic use poultry production practices (NYT 15.0%, WSJ 12.2%). Articles were primarily news stories, and there was an increase in articles focused on antibiotic and hormone use in poultry over the 20-year period. NYT was 8.8 times more likely to write an editorial on one of these topics than was the WSJ. Recommendations include increased understanding and addressing consumer concern about antibiotic and hormone use in poultry production, increased transparency, and improved relations with media contacts who cover poultry production issues

Excavations for the Upper Labor Dam Site, Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

Upon notification, in 1995, that a portion of a Spanish Colonial acequia had been exposed in Brackenridge Park, the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of San Antonio entered into a contract with the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) of the University of Texas at San Antonio to investigate and document the structure. In September of 1996, a team from CAR, utilizing a backhoe and operator provided by Parks and Recreation, began a limited investigation of the structure. The structure proved to be the dam for the Upper Labor and displayed two distinct construction periods, Spanish Colonial and post -1860. It was further documented that the structure acted as a diversion device rather than a full empoundment structure

Early-Career Residential Migration of Agriculture and Human Environmental Sciences B.S. Graduates: Evidence from One Land-Grant University

The zip codes of agriculture (n = 346) and human environmental sciences (n = 304) bachelor’s degree graduates were examined six to seven years after graduation to describe and compare pre-college and post-college residences (rural versus metropolitan) by major and overall. A majority of agriculture graduates were from rural areas (61.6%), and a majority of human environmental sciences graduates were from metropolitan areas (55.9%). Majorities of both agriculture (54.9%) and human environmental sciences (70.1%) graduates lived in metropolitan areas post-graduation, resulting in a net loss of 100 college-educated rural youth. Among rural graduates, there was no significant difference in the percentage of agriculture (62.4%) and human environmental sciences (57.5%) graduates currently living in rural areas. Among metropolitan graduates, twice as many agriculture graduates lived in rural areas after graduation as compared to human environmental sciences graduates. Graduates from rural areas were 11 times more likely than graduates from metropolitan areas to live in rural areas after graduation. Regardless of precollege residence or major, nearly 40% of graduates lived in their home community after graduation, and 60% lived within 50 miles of their home community. Further research is needed to understand the decision-making processes and factors undergirding these residential patterns

The Relationship between Student Admissions Data and Six-Year Degree Completion

This study examined the six-year bachelor’s degree graduation status of freshmen (N = 1,839) entering the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences (AFLS) between 2001 and 2010. The overall graduation rate was 64%, including 23% who had transferred out of AFLS. Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine if student entry data differentiated between graduates and non-graduates and between AFLS and non-AFLS graduates. High school GPA (HSGPA), first-generation status, and year of admission to the university significantly differentiated between graduates and non-graduates. Each standard deviation increase in HSGPA was associated with a 224% increase in the relative odds of graduating. Students entering each subsequent year had a 10% increase in the relative odds of graduating. Being a first-generation student decreased the relative odds of graduating by 52%. Year, major, and composite ACT score (CACT) significantly differentiated between AFLS and non-AFLS graduates. Students entering each subsequent year had a 16% increase in the relative odds of being AFLS graduates, while agriculture majors were about twice as likely to be AFLS graduates. Each standard deviation increase in CACT score was associated with a 26% decrease in the relative odds of being an AFLS graduate

A Content and Visual Analysis of Promotional Pieces Used in a Communication Campaign for the Arkansas [Commodity] Promotion Board

This study analyzed a communications campaign developed by a third-party communications group (TPCG) for a prominent commodity promotion board in Arkansas. The campaign included numerous promotional pieces targeted to three audience segments: general public, [commodity] producers, and animal agriculture producers. A systematic, content-driven assessment examined message content and visuals used in these creative pieces, comparing the actual messages with intended messages from TPCG’s original communications campaign plan. A total of 53 pieces were evaluated, and 27 different communicative themes emerged. Many of the creative pieces used in the campaign displayed multiple messages in a single piece. Celebrity endorsements of [commodity] were the most saturated theme, accounting for 21.01% of messaging in the general public creative pieces. Promotion of the [commodity] board was the most prominent theme (16.38%) in the [commodity] producer pieces. Benefits to the Arkansas economy was the most prominent theme (10.73%) in the animal agriculture creative pieces. Although TPCG predominantly achieved consistency through messages that aligned with its campaign plan, a portion of the promotional pieces across all audiences did not contain messages that were a part of the original plan. Therefore, more than one-third (38.1%) of the messages found in the creative pieces were deemed inconsistent or inconclusive. The researchers recommend utilizing a needs assessment to aid in identifying appropriate messaging, and testing those messages through standard evaluation procedures