Reassessing Public Meetings As Participation in Risk Management Decisions

Using a U.S. case study, Ms. McComas and Dr. Scherer discuss how reliance on public meetings as tools for risk communication in public policy decisions affects relationships between stakeholders and risk managers

Research and the New Communication Technologies: Forecast and Possibilities

If you read the publications of the new communication technologists, the trade publications especially, you can quickly become enamored with the incredible potential many of the advances in communication technology offer. (See for example such publications as PC Magazine, Mini-Micro Systems, and MISWeek)

Study Finds Member Support For Quarterly Policy Changes

The study of ACE members conducted in the spring of 1988 provides overwhelming support for the proposed changes in the Quarterly. Sixty-seven percent of ACE members say that they expect ACE to provide a quality publication, but only 42% of all members believe that the Quarterly is a quality publication. This finding, perhaps more than any other, supports the proposal for major changes in the Quarterly publishing policy

Multi-State Publications Save Dollars and Staff Time

Regional or multi-state publications have long been considered a good idea, but actual benefits to participating states have been defined only in general terms

Radio Use of Urban-Agricultural Public Service Announcements

In 1862 when President Lincoln signed the Morrill Act establishing land grant colleges, 66 per cent of the United States population was rural

A Field Experiment in Equalizing the Distribution of Information

The communication of information to various audiences has been the prime objective of the Cooperative Extension Service since its inception in 1914

Video Cassette Recorders: An Educational Opportunity? Evidence from the Field

As the number of VCRs in American homes increases, apparent opportunities for their educational use by Extension also increase. An analysis of 634 video cassette owners found that those who rent more video cassettes are significantly more interested in Extension educational program topics than are those who own a VCR but rent few cassettes. Additional analysis suggests that educational and how-to specialty cassettes may be appealing to a previously unreached market segment. The study offers a cautious conclusion that there may be a limited, but significant clientele for Extension educational video cassettes

Conceptual, Traditional And New Media Training Needs: A Study of County Extension Agent Perceptions

This study examines the extent to which county Extension agents perceive their need lor training in three broad areas-traditional media, new media, and conceptual areas. While the impact of the new communication technologies on Extension\u27s internal information delivery system has been dramatic, Extension\u27s publics also are reacting to changes in other delivery systems such as cable\u27television, computers, and VCRs. The changing information environment in which agents currently operate suggests that our traditional communication training efforts may need to be modified. This study found that agents appear to be aware of these changing needs, and rank the need for traditional media training considerably lower than their perceived need for communication training in either new media such as desktop publishing, or conceptual areas such as communication planning and strategies

Agent Satisfaction with Extension Publications: An Exploratory Study

In this age of high speed, electronic communication technologies, Extension bulletins and fact sheets are often regarded as less important or desirable than the new high-tech delivery systems. Yet studies of audiences, ranging from groups like farmers to the general public, find that publications are generally the most frequently mentioned source of Extension information. In fact, some studies report that publications are the preferred source of educational information from Cooperative Extension (Yarbrough. 1987)

CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS BOVINE SOMATOTROPIN

This article investigates the possible negative effects of bovine somatotropin (bST) and antibiotic use in cows on fluid-milk consumption in New York State. Based on data from a consumer survey, the potential change in milk consumption due to bST and antibiotic use is estimated. In addition, the current perceptions of consumers about bST and antibiotics are measured, and the significant socioeconomic, demographic, and attitudinal characteristics of consumers that are related to their milk-consumption response to bST are identified. Depending upon consumer awareness of bST, the results indicate that milk consumption in New York State could decrease by 5.5% to 15.6% if bST is approved. The results also suggest that antibiotic use in cows could decrease milk consumption by 1.6% to 7%, depending upon consumer awareness. A major implication is that education will likely play an important role in influencing consumers' attitudes and perceptions about both bST and antibiotics.Consumer/Household Economics, Livestock Production/Industries,