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

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

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

An Evaluation of Agricultural Communications Faculty Members’ Mentoring Experiences

Agricultural communications programs are expected to grow and emerge over the next decade. For these programs to find success, faculty leading them will need to be properly supported through effective mentoring. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current mentoring of agricultural communications faculty across the country. In November 2019, an online survey instrument was distributed to a census of members of the Society of Agricultural Communications Scholars listserv. Survey respondents reported mentoring was not formally required, and most of the respondents received informal mentoring. Mentors were most frequently non-agricultural communications faculty in the respondents’ respective department or an agricultural communications faculty at another institution. Mentees met with mentors as needed and typically discussed teaching, research, or administrative questions. However, the mentees perceived navigating promotion and tenure, work-life balance, and research as the most important topics for their success. Similar to past research, time was the biggest barrier to effective mentoring relationships. The findings from this study provide a baseline to understand what mentoring looks like for agricultural communications faculty and can help administrators provide proper support for effective faculty mentor programs

Agricultural Scientists’ Perceptions of Working with Reporters

Mass media is the main source of scientific information for most Americans, but inaccuracy of reporting has threatened the public’s understanding of science. Perceived media bias and fake news has also made the public skeptical of the media, and scientists’ perceptions are no different. Because scientists are the most trusted source for scientific information in America, it is important they remain willing to work with the media. This study used the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to explore scientists’ perceptions of working with reporters, including their attitude, subjective norms, behavioral control, and intent to engage with the media in the future. In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 tenure-track faculty at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) in spring 2018. These participants represented low, moderate, and high communicators. The findings from this study indicated mostly negative attitudes toward reporters due to skepticism in their ability to accurately report science. Behavioral control was also limited due to time and ability constraints, but participants recommended trainings as ways to increase behavioral control. Subjective norms were somewhat mixed, with some positive norms from mentors but perceived negative norms from the public. Despite negative attitudes toward reporters, intent to engage with the media was mixed. However, subjective norms and behavioral control were often discussed as reasons to not engage with reporters. The findings from this study offered recommendations for both practice and research to help foster positive relationships between scientists and reporters

Public Knowledge and Trust of Agricultural and Natural Resources Organizations

The public lacks knowledge and connectedness to agriculture and natural resources in the United States, leading to a need for effective communications from agricultural and natural resources organizations. Trust is an integral component of communications, but it is not well understood how the public trusts the various organizations communicating agricultural and natural resources issues. The study evaluated non-profit, for-profit, and governmental organizations. A survey was conducted of a representative sample of the U.S. population to assess the public’s awareness, knowledge, and trust of organizations and their communications. The highest number of respondents was aware and knowledgeable of governmental organizations, except for Extension. Communications from non-profit organizations tended to be trusted the most compared to for-profit organizations and governmental organizations, except for Extension. Respondents’ trust of the non-profit organizations was typically higher than for-profit organizations and governmental organizations, except for Extension. The relationship between trust of an organization and trust of its communications were statistically significant for all organizations, while relationships between trust of an organization and knowledge of an organization were typically negligible and not statistically significant. For-profit organizations and governmental organizations should work to improve the public’s trust. Extension should seek to improve the public’s awareness and knowledge given the level of trust the knowledgeable respondents had for the organization. Future research should address what factors are influencing the public’s trust in organizations and organizations’ communications

Examining Consumers\u27 Trust in the Food Supply Chain

Consumers are concerned about the quality and safety of their food at all times during the food supply chain, but sensationalized media coverage, lack of knowledge, and recent recalls have made it difficult for consumers to trust the agricultural industry. Because trust drives risk perceptions and acceptance, it is important for agricultural communicators to understand how personal characteristics influence trust in the food supply chain. To fulfill the purpose of this study, a national quota sample of 847 responses to an online questionnaire were collected in March 2019. The results indicated respondents held a moderate level of trust toward production agriculture, food processing, food retail, and food safety regulation, with the greatest level of trust assigned to production agriculture. Trust in these sectors of the food supply chain were also positively correlated to one another. Regression models for trust in each agricultural sector were significant but only accounted for 9% of the variance in the dependent variable at most. Direct engagement in agriculture was a positive predictor in trust across all four areas, and use of social media was a negative predictor for trust. Income and gender were also found to be predictors of trust in production agriculture, food processing, food retail, and food safety regulation. The findings from this study can be used to guide future communication to increase the level of trust in the food supply chain, which would also increase consumers’ purchasing intent

Youths’ Perspectives of Experiential Learning Delivery: Findings from a Multistate 4-H Youth Program

Youths’ perspectives are often unexplored in youth program development and implementation. This article examined youths’ perspectives of a 4-H youth prevention program called “Health Rocks!” that is designed to promote healthful decision-making skills, stress coping, and socioemotional skills related to substance use. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analyzed. Qualitative findings reveal that participants appreciated the fun and engaging curriculum, valued program staff who were interactive, and enjoyed the hands-on program activities. Participants also reported that the program positively impacted their knowledge and skills. Quantitative results show that participants who perceived the program as fun were significantly more likely to report engagement in the program, and participants who had positive views towards the program staff were significantly more likely to report knowledge after the program and engagement in Health Rocks! Findings have broader implications for future youth prevention program development, illustrating the need for engaging adult leaders and program activities to enhance the overall program experience for youth participants