Transforming Agricultural Communication: What are Producer Preferences?

Agriculture is a fundamentally dynamic practice. As it has evolved, however, the communication channels that are used to relay information to producers have been surprisingly static. This challenge goes beyond convenience, it’s about creating a more resilient agricultural community that is as connected and informed as possible. I conducted a study with several colleagues to examine this situation. We looked at more communication preferences of today's producers to help inform more effective communication strategies.

Communication Channel Preferences:

• Traditional newsletters have fallen out of favor with producers, who are now more inclined to use digital alternatives like websites and blogs.

• Interpersonal communication remains important to producers. This can come in the form of formal meetings, casual conversations, or something in between.

• Producers’ information channel preferences have shifted dramatically, and as a result, new communication strategies are required.

Opinion Leadership as a Predictor:

• We found that those who were identified as opinion leaders tended to be more versatile in terms of how they receive information.

• There is a positive correlation between being open to diverse communication channels and an individual’s level of perceived opinion leadership.

• Knowing that these distinctions exist, and then utilizing them strategically, can improve the effectiveness of communication.

Practical Implications:

• Placing a strategic emphasis on online platforms is essential to reach producers. Websites and blogs tend to lead the way in this area.

• It is still necessary to strike a balance between innovative communication methods and traditional approaches to stay connected to the agricultural community as a whole.

Communication strategies have changed dramatically across all sectors in recent years. Agriculture is not immune to those changes, and this study helps to understand how things have changed. Understanding preferences among producers is important to make sure they actively receive communication effectively. Please be sure to share your insights using the comments. I've included the full manuscript below if you are interested in learning more.

Agricultural-Opinion-Leader-Communication-Channel-Preferences-An-Empirical-Analysis-of-Par.

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Lamm, K. W., Rumble, J. N., Carter, H. S., & Lamm, A. J. (2016). Agricultural opinion leader communication channel preferences: an empirical analysis of participants in agricultural and natural resource leadership development programs. Journal of Agricultural Education, 57(1), 91-105. https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.2016.01091