The 4-H Professional Research, Knowledge and Competencies (PRKC) is a professional development framework that can be used to identify competency gaps training needs of professionals. PRKC consists 6 domains, 1 being access, equity, opportunity (AEO). A tailored design method was gather data sort the respondents between rural urban community type. Extension agents serving communities perceived 1...

Abstract Economic thresholds (ETs) are a foundational principle of integrated pest management but not always widely accepted by farmers and agricultural professionals. This article reports on survey Minnesota farmer professional perceptions the ET for soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hempitera: Aphididae). We discuss insights Extension programs how to frame importance teach stakeholders...

In this position paper we identify nichesourcing, a specific form of human-based computation that harnesses the computational efforts from niche groups rather than the “faceless crowd”. We claim that nichesourcing combine the strengths of the crowd with those of professionals, optimizing the result of human-based computation for certain tasks. We illustrate our claim using scenarios in two doma...

This paper examines the impact of participation in direct marketing on the entire distribution of farm sales using the unconditional quantile regression (UQR) estimator. Our analysis yields unbiased estimates of the unconditional impact of direct marketing on farm sales and reveals the heterogeneous effects that occur across the distribution of farm sales. The impacts of direct marketing effort...

By using an ecological framework, this article provides a review of common barriers to healthful eating and being physically active. The barriers are described within the four levels (intrapersonal, interpersonal, community/institution, and macro/public policy) of an ecological model highlighting the need for multifaceted approaches to overcome these barriers. Examples of how Extension professi...

Traditional delivery of Extension programming changed overnight in March 2020, when the COVID-19 outbreak forced switching traditional methods to virtual delivery. professionals across South Carolina quickly adapted online Concerns over instructor preparedness use tools, including functions assure accessibility, did arise. Findings from this non-experimental, descriptive research study suggeste...

The study assessed farmers’ perception of effectiveness of agricultural extension agents in Anambra State, Nigeria. The population of the study comprised all contact farmers and extension agents in Anambra State. Multi-stage, purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select 200 respondents comprising 160 farmers and 40 extension agents. Data for the study were collected throu...

Compartmentalised extension prohibits the uptake of new technology thereby inhibiting agricultural growth. Extension services aimed at increased agricultural growth should have a market-led and evidence-based pluralistic advisory system that is coordinated by the government’s Agricultural and Technical Services division in response to the needs of farmers. This study sought to assess extension ...