Opening the Doors to Agriculture: The Effect of Transparent Communication on Attitude

As consumers have become further disconnected from the agricultural industry, their concerns about agriculture have increased. Effective communication with consumers about agriculture has been identified as a potential solution to minimizing this disconnect. Transparent communication has been offered as a strategy to increase the effectiveness of industry communication. Therefore, this study sought to assess the effects of transparent communication and personal relevance, in a livestock production context, on the attitudes of college students. Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and transparency served as the theoretical framework for this study. To fulfill the purpose of the research, an experimental design was used. The experimental treatments were tested with 688 college students through an online survey format. The results of the study found that both transparent communication and perceived transparency had a significant impact on attitude toward the communication, while personal relevance was not found to be significant. Further research examining transparent communication in ELM was recommended. In addition, it was recommended that practitioners implement transparent communication when communicating about the industry with those in the Millennial generation

Berry Good Programming: An Examination of Consumers’ Purchasing Intent of Florida Strawberries in Out-of-State Markets

Florida strawberry producers have faced increased competition and difficulties marketing their products over recent years. The purpose of this study was to explore eastern United States consumers’ purchasing intent of Florida strawberries to develop communication and marketing strategies for Florida strawberries in a competitive market. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) guided the research, and focus groups were conducted in North Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, Massachusetts, and New York. Participants had positive attitudes toward purchasing Florida strawberries, and past experiences and interactions with others influenced their purchasing intent, but their perceptions of behavioral control were low. Participants with neutral attitudes and limited behavioral control had lower intent to purchase Florida strawberries in the future compared to other participants. Extension could help producers increase purchasing intent by increasing perceived behavioral control, making the growing location easily visible on the strawberry labels, and facilitating personal experiences between consumers and the product

The Gold Standard: A Qualitative Framing Analysis of Newspaper Coverage of Golden Rice in the United States and Philippines

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a major issue in developing countries and affects approximately 250 million children, and blinding 500,000 a year. A proposed intervention to VAD is Golden Rice, a rice that has been genetically modified (GM) to contain beta-carotene, the precursor to Vitamin A. However, Golden Rice is often associated with negatively perceived GM food. Because the media is the most trusted source in providing food-risk related information, a framing analysis of Golden Rice in United States and Philippine newspapers was conducted to determine past and current frames used to describe the rice. Understanding such frames could help domestic and international extension workers develop effective communication strategies and educational opportunities. In the United States, GM food was typically the main topic, and Golden Rice was used as a supporting argument. Science and humanitarian frames were used to describe the rice in the U.S. articles. Golden Rice was more often the main topic in the Philippine articles, and more frames were identified: human health, science, policy, risk, and conflict. Golden Rice appears to be in the emergence phase of the framing cycle in the U.S. and in the conflict/resolution phase in the Philippines. Extension in the U.S. and the Philippines should provide education toolkits to journalists about Golden Rice and consider providing press releases to shape the frames used by the media. Extension workers in the Philippines should educate consumers and farmers about the science of Golden Rice to help them create informed opinions toward the produc

Branding the Berries: Consumers’ Strawberry Purchasing Intent and their Attitude toward Florida Strawberries

Florida is the largest producer of strawberries in the United States during the winter months. Recently, Florida has faced competition from strawberries imported from Mexico during peak season. Studies have shown that using state branding can help promote local produce. Branding can create perceived differences between identical items, as well as strong positive associations with the product. This study examined consumers\u27 strawberry purchasing intent and attitudes toward Florida strawberries to aid agricultural communicators in creating effective communication and branding strategies. An online survey was distributed throughout Florida (n = 500). Results indicated that freshness and taste were the most important qualities of strawberries for purchasing decisions and that Florida strawberries were viewed more positively than Mexico strawberries. When respondents were given the option between labels with and without a Fresh from Florida brand logo, the majority preferred to purchase the package labeled Fresh from Florida. Consumers with a lower income were less likely to purchase state branded strawberries. Gender did not have an impact on purchasing intent for strawberries. Using the Fresh from Florida brand for Florida strawberries was a key recommendation from this study, along with using sensory words, like taste and freshness, when marketing strawberries. Also, developing outreach programs to inform lower- income families when produce is in season will help promote the sale of local products. These recommendations could be expanded to other states and commodities

Consumers\u27 Evaluations of Genetically Modified Food Messages

Consumers are concerned about the risks related to genetically modified (GM) food, and there is a need for agricultural communicators and educators to address those concerns. The purpose of this study was to explore Florida residents’ latitudes of acceptance, rejection, and noncommitment toward GM food messages. The findings from this study can be used to guide communication and education campaigns for GM food. An online survey was distributed to a non-probability sample of 500 Florida residents to fulfill the purpose of the study. The messages that most aligned with the respondents’ views toward GM food discussed how potential risks related to human health had not been adequately investigated and that GM food may be riskier to consume compared to traditional food. The messages that most opposed the respondents’ views were that GM food was safe for consumption and that it caused cancer in humans. People whose views most aligned with the message that GM food caused cancer in humans had the largest latitude of rejection, likely due to their extreme attitude, confirmation bias, and ego-involvement. The largest percentage of respondents accepted messages that aligned with their position but expressed noncommitment to messages that opposed their views. This lack of rejection and indication of alignment with messages related to potential risk and uncertainty indicated Florida consumers were unsure about the effects of GM food. Communicators and educators should acknowledge these concerns when delivering information about GM food to enhance the effectiveness of communication with consumers

What’s in a Name? The Influence of Persuasive Communication on Florida Consumers’ Attitude toward Genetically Modified Food

Consumer acceptance of new food technology, like genetically modified food, is essential for the product’s success. Consumers have been skeptical toward the technology of genetically modified food due to lack of knowledge by the public, negative portrayal of the technology by the media, and a lack of communication about the technology from those who develop and use it. This research was guided by the Elaboration Likelihood Model to investigate the influence of persuasive communication on Florida consumers’ attitude toward genetically modified food. Consumers typically use the peripheral route to assess food information, therefore a message source (peripheral cue) was manipulated to examine its effect on attitude. An experimental design administered through an online survey was used to collect data (n = 515). Respondents reported that they agreed they were knowledgeable about genetically modified food, but they were unsure about associated risks. Respondents neither agreed nor disagreed that the four sources were credible, and there were no differences in credibility. Additionally, there were no differences in their attitude toward genetically modified food associated with the source. The results showed that the source did not predict attitude, but source credibility, risk perception, and some demographic characteristics did. Prior knowledge was not a predictor of attitude, and the respondents likely used the peripheral route to assess the message. Agricultural communicators should target communication for specific audiences and deliver value-driven messages rather than trying to increase consumer knowledge alone. Future research should explore different peripheral cues and their effects on attitude formation

Examining Consumer Attitudes and Cultural Indicators Surrounding Local Food

Many consumers are committed to buying local. With the study reported here, we aimed to advance understanding of the influence of culture in the local food movement. The study addressed the presence of cultural indicators in discussions about local food among a sample of Florida residents interested in local food. The influence of culture on participants\u27 thoughts about local food was examined for the purpose of guiding communication and Extension programming surrounding local food. A qualitative thematic analysis revealed the influence of culture through the themes of tradition/ritual, family, local economy, trust, health and quality, experience with local food, and convenience

Narrowing the Farm-to-Plate Knowledge Gap through Semiotics and the Study of Consumer Responses Regarding Livestock Images

It has been suggested that a farm-to-plate knowledge gap exists between farmers and consumers. In addition, previous studies have concluded that U.S. citizens do not have accurate knowledge or perceptions about agriculture. It is thought that this absence of knowledge and existing misconceptions may be due to the images consumers see regularly through the media. In this research study, researchers used a directly administered questionnaire to evaluate consumers’ responses regarding the comparison of two livestock images. The study was conducted at the 2009 Ohio State Fair. Through voluntary participation, research participants answered questions regarding their perceptions of traditional and conventional livestock housing methods by viewing two images. In addition, participants were asked to justify each of their responses through oral reasoning. Questionnaires were completed by 508 participants, of which 502 were deemed usable. Results indicate participants are somewhat knowledgeable about livestock housing methods, but the perceptions and justifications of the respondents are not always accurate. The results also indicate agricultural images, as well as images regularly seen in the media, may influence such perceptions. In order to narrow the farm-to-plate knowledge gap, it is important for the agriculture industry to effectively improve the knowledge and perceptions of agriculture amongst consumers

The Power of Words: Exploring Consumers\u27 Perceptions of Words Commonly Associated with Agriculture

Individuals interpret words differently according to the experiences that have shaped their lives. As agricultural communicators, it is important to understand how individuals perceive certain words and if these perceptions influence their attitudes toward the agricultural industry. To better understand consumers’ perceptions, this study used focus group methodology to present words commonly associated with agriculture to consumer participants. Four focus groups were conducted over a period of two weeks. A total of 36 individuals participated in the focus groups. The results indicated some words activated participants’ attitudes and elicited a richer discussion. Divergent attitudes and perceptions were observed in the discussion of some words, while participants perceived other words similarly. For the agricultural industry to improve communications with consumer audiences, it is important to understand consumers’ existing perceptions of such commonly used descriptors

Assessing the Content of Online Agricultural Awareness Campaigns

This study explored the content of online agricultural awareness webpages. Content analysis was used to determine the content, image categories, messaging appeals, and frames used. The majority of the pages included images and logos, but they were less likely to include other media components, such as social media plugins. The most prevalent image types were non-farming adults, positive food products, fields, and free-roaming animals, though they were included in less than one-third of the pages. The use of non-farming adult images is likely connecting to a consumer audience, while the images of positive food products, fields, and free-roaming animals are likely providing contextual, cultural, or direct meaning to the viewers. Logical appeals were more prevalent than emotional appeals. The primary use of logical appeals could be limiting webpage effectiveness because emotional appeals are known to create stronger connections with audiences and be remembered. The most prevalent frames were agricultural education and economic. Previous literature indicates that education-only communication is traditionally less effective as consumers consider more than facts when making decisions. It is recommended that agricultural communicators pre-test webpages with target audiences prior to launch, utilize webpage planning to better reach target audiences, and conduct formative evaluations of webpages to assess effectiveness and make any needed adjustments. Additionally, it is recommended that agricultural communicators incorporate more emotional appeals into their communication messages. Future research should continue to assess online agricultural awareness information as well as the impact the information has on a consumer audience