A Seven-Year Intervention to Diffuse Economic Innovations with Safety Benefits to Wisconsin Dairy Farmers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to conduct a targeted information dissemination campaign to persuade agricultural managers to adopt more profitable practices that reduce injury hazards compared to traditional practices. The project disseminated information to northeast Wisconsin dairy managers about three production practices that were more profitable and had safety benefits (barn lights, silage bags, and calf feed mixing sites) using information sources that these managers were known to rely on. The project prospectively evaluated rolling, independent, community-based, probability samples (a different group of operations each year) at baseline and after each of seven intervention years. The project also evaluated comparison samples from either Maryland or New York dairy operations after intervention years two through seven. In baseline versus year seven comparisons, the Wisconsin dairy managers reported getting more information about the three practices. Compared to New York managers, Wisconsin managers reported getting more information after year seven about the three practices. Among Wisconsin managers, intervention year was associated with increased adoption of all three practices. Compared to New York managers, Wisconsin managers were more likely to report adopting two of the three practices after year seven. A targeted campaign that disseminated information to managers through traditional channels was associated with increases in manager reports of getting information about, being aware of and adopting profit-enhancing work practices with safety benefits in a high-hazard industry.