Abstract
Abstract The objective of this study was to identify Extension programming areas in response to an industry assessment. In 2018, an assessment revealed Arkansas beef industry’s strengths, limitations, opportunities, and threats. In January 2019, Arkansas Extension agents were given the opportunity to complete an online survey specific to assessment issues categorized under limitations and opportunities. For each issue, agents were asked to rank their confidence that Extension 1) can address the issue and 2) has the physical and personnel support resources to address the issue. Rank was based on a 6 point scale with 1 = extremely confident and 6 = extremely unsure. Items listed under question 1 were not presented in the same order for question 2. The survey recipient list contained 119 email addresses; however, a maximum response rate of 75 was assumed based on Arkansas’s number of counties. Thirty-three responses were received. Forty-nine percent had less than 11 years of experience while 43% had greater than 15. The response to the 2 confidence questions were highly correlated (r = 0.94, P < 0.001). There were no issues that agents were confident that Extension played a role in addressing but did not have the physical and personnel support to be able to address the issue. The top issues that shared greatest confidence to address included soil fertility, economical supplementation, record keeping, adopting pregnancy blood test, disease prevention and treatment, implementing research, value added programs (preconditioning), and genetic improvement. Agents were also provided a list of 69 knowledge areas covering management to consumer issues. Agents ranked their comfort level with addressing these knowledge areas. Rank tended to differ by agent years of experience for 27 of 69 knowledge areas (P ≤ 0.11). This information will help Extension respond to the industry assessment and create training to fill agent knowledge gaps.
Accepted Version
Published Version
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