Communicating With Farmers About Environmental Issues

Abstract

Few studies have focused upon Extension's methods of communicating with farmers about specific issues such as the environment. This lack of information prompts questions about what communication methods do farmers find useful, what human resources do farmers farm useful, and how serious are issues regarding the environment? The primary purpose of this study was to identify the sources of information farmers find useful when confronted with environmental issues. A secondary purpose was to determine the perception that farmers have regarding environmental issues. A mailed questionnaire was sent to 481 Iowa farmers at random. The response rate was 59%. The farmers indicated that field demonstrations and county and local meetings were the most useful sources of information. Cooperative Extension Service, Soil Conservation Service, and the local seed/chemical/fertilizer dealers were the three most useful sources of human resources for learning about environmental issues. Pesticides were the most serious of four environmental issues, while farmers were uncertain about the seriousness of fertilizers, soil conservation, and water quality.