Cooperative Extension Service Research Articles

Extension-Clinical Approach to COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination

Vaccination rates against COVID-19 are lower in rural areas across the country, including SC. This paper highlights the work conducted by Clemson Cooperative Extension Service in SC to increase rural access to COVID-19 testing and vaccine services. Extension Agents engaged in clinical and community partnerships to coordinate COVID-19 vaccine and testing clinics in rural and underserved communities. Agents established 204 test clinics and 220 vaccination clinics. The total number of people tested and vaccinated was 9,331 and 2,037, respectively. The success of this project shows Extension agents can be instrumental in bridging the gap between clinical resources and rural communities.

An overview of the Be Well Home Health Navigator Program to reduce contaminants in well water: Design and methods

BackgroundThe Be Well Home Health Navigator Program is a prospective, randomized controlled trial (RCT) implemented to compare a community health navigator program to usual care program to reduce contaminants in drinking water. Design and settingThis 4-year two-armed RCT will involve well owners in Oregon that have private drinking water wells that contain arsenic, nitrate, or lead above maximum contaminant levels. InterventionThe intervention leverages the trusted relationship between Cooperative Extension Service (CES) Community Educators and rural well owners to educate, assist and motivate to make decisions and set actionable steps to mitigate water contamination. In this study, CES will serve as home health navigators to deliver: 1) individualized feedback, 2) positive reinforcement, 3) teach-back moments, 4) decision-making skills, 5) navigation to resources, 6) self-management, and 7) repeated contact for shaping and maintenance of behaviors. Usual care includes information only with no access to individual meetings with CES. Measurable outcomesPre-specified primary outcomes include 1) adoption of treatment to reduce exposure to arsenic, nitrate, or lead in water which may include switching to bottled water and 2) engagement with well stewardship behaviors assessed at baseline, and post-6 and 12 months follow-up. Water quality will be measured at baseline and 12-month through household water tests. Secondary outcomes include increased health literacy scores and risk perception assessed at baseline and 6-month surveys. ImplicationsThe results will demonstrate the efficacy of a domestic well water safety program to disseminate to other CES organizations.Trial registration number: NCT05395663

98 Using youth hippology contest results as a needs assessment as a framework for a train the trainer program

Abstract Land-Grant Institutions and Cooperative Extension Services seek to disseminate science-based information to the general public and strive to develop the next generation of agriculturists. Extension agents across Tennessee implement youth and adult educational programs to build the knowledge and skill sets of producers and youth. However, Extension agents differ in areas of expertise, leaving some counties with minimal ability to provide 4-H horse project members with sufficient content knowledge while agents in other counties are more well versed in equine-specific areas. Youth (n = 224) competed in the 2021 regional 4-H Hippology contest across the Eastern (n = 59), Central (n = 93), and Western (n = 72) regions. Youth competed within their age divisions, where junior (grades 4 and 5, k=60 where k represents number of participants within each age division), junior high (grades 6 to 8, k = 100), and senior (grades 9 to 12, k = 100) divisions competed in written exam and slide identification phases. Contest scores from the Tennessee regional and Eastern National 4-H Hippology contests were used to determine areas of knowledge deficiency. Nutrition, tack, selection, health, and breeds were categories identified as areas in which 4th – 12th grade youth lacked adequate knowledge and a training program and new curriculum was developed and delivered to county extension agents. Statistical analysis was conducted using SAS v9.4 (Cary, NC). Differences were found when comparing across question category (P < 0.0001), age group (P < 0.0001), and year (P < 0.0001). Nutrition questions were most often missed by senior and junior high youth (k = 7.8, 51.94%; k = 7.5, 44.22%) whereas junior youth missed training questions most frequently (k = 4.9, 54.14%). Of the 5 deficient topic areas, selection questions were the lowest percentage missed by senior and junior high youth (k =5.9, 36.81%; k = 7.1, 39.53%) whereas junior youth missed health questions least frequently (k = 4, 39.87%). It was found that training status had no significant on scores from year to year (P >0.05). Despite the lack of training effect, these findings still prove valuable when assessing performance upholding the extension mission of delivering science-based information to the next generation of industry professionals.

Survey of herbicide and fungicide use in peanut in North Carolina and Virginia in the United States

Plain Language SummaryDiseases and weeds can reduce yield of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) if effective control measures including fungicides and herbicides are not used. A survey of 76 farmers in North Carolina and Virginia at Cooperative Extension Service meetings was completed relative to fungicide and herbicide use in 2021. Eighty‐two percent of farmers made between three and five herbicide applications, while 68% of farmers made between four and five fungicide applications. 2,4‐DB was the herbicide applied most frequently. The fungicide chlorothalonil was applied the most often. Pydiflumetofen was applied by 61% of farmers. Results from this survey can be used to inform regulatory agencies on pesticide use patterns by defining the relative importance of individual or groups of pesticides currently used to suppress pests and prevent or mitigate associated economic losses.

The communication preferences of University of Idaho Extension professionals and their constituents

As Cooperative Extension Services (CES) grow, agriculture evolves, and urbanization increases, Extension professionals are challenged to continue meeting the needs of their constituents by providing reliable, research-backed information to their communities. This includes utilizing appropriate communication means to reach their constituents. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the communication preferences of University of Idaho CES professionals and their constituents and the communication types and channels most used. We used a cross-sectional descriptive census survey design and administered the survey to all University of Idaho CES faculty and educators. We analyzed the data via descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon signed rank tests, and paired sample t-tests. University of Idaho CES professionals ranked mainly individual communication channels as their preferred method of communication. However, they felt their constituents may prefer mass or group communication channels more than they do. CES professionals should utilize audience segmentation to serve their constituents better. COVID-19 also significantly increased the time spent preparing communications and utilizing mass communications. While technological-based communication increased during COVID-19, it is important to consider access and availability to constituents. Understanding what resources constituents have available and how they prefer to receive their information, can help CES professionals maintain relationships with their audiences.

Healthy eating and active living policy, systems, and environmental changes in rural Louisiana: a contextual inquiry to inform implementation strategies

BackgroundHealthy eating and active living policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changes are implemented across the United States through Cooperative Extension. However, translating multisector PSE changes to practice in community settings is challenging and there is a lack of knowledge about barriers and facilitators to PSE changes among state Extension systems using standardized frameworks. Therefore, a research-to-practice partnership effort aimed to identify Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service Family and Consumer Science (LFCS) practitioners’ barriers and facilitators to implementing PSE changes in rural Louisiana communities.MethodsA qualitative approach using the 2022 Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (2022 CFIR) was used. Focus group discussions were conducted at five LFCS regional trainings between February and May 2022. All LFCS practitioners with any level of experience implementing healthy eating and active living PSE changes were eligible to participate, with emphasis on understanding efforts within more rural communities. Focus group discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Researchers analyzed qualitative data using the constant comparison method and 2022 CFIR domains and constructs including Inner Setting (LFCS organization), Outer Setting (rural Louisiana communities), Innovation (PSE changes), and Individuals (PSE change implementation actors/partners).ResultsAcross the five regions, LFCS practitioners (n = 40) described more barriers (n = 210) than facilitators (n = 100); findings were often coded with multiple 2022 CFIR domains. Reported Inner Setting barriers were lack of formal or informal information sharing and lack of access to knowledge and information. Outer Setting barriers included sustaining and initiating community partnerships and local environmental or political conditions. Individual barriers included a lack of time and expertise, and Innovation barriers included the complex nature of rural PSE changes. Facilitators were mentioned at multiple levels and included community partner buy-in and practitioners’ motivation to implement PSE changes.ConclusionsImplementation strategies are needed to build on organizational strengths and to overcome multi-level barriers to PSE change implementation among LFCS practitioners. The results from the in-depth contextual inquiry used could serve as a guide for future pragmatic assessment efforts among other state Extension systems or as a model for identifying barriers and facilitators and associated implementation strategies among other public health systems in the U.S. and abroad.

408 Awardee Talk: Team Approach to Beef Cattle Extension Programming

Abstract Over 100 years ago, the Smith Lever Act created the Cooperative Extension Service in conjunction with the land grant institutions. Extension has seen much change with a never-ending list of challenges presenting themselves. Graduate training programs are typically discipline focused, answering questions using the scientific method. Most new hires have limited exposure to Extension educational program development and likely have not received training in curriculum planning, program assessment or logic model development. The learning curve can be even steeper when one accepts a position with multiple disciplinary responsibilities or outside their industry sector focus (i.e., cow/calf verses feedlot nutrition). Success is often determined by developing relationships with experienced faculty both at their institution and others in the region. Guidance can be sought from these experienced individuals, knowledge can be gained from their successes and failures, and one can learn the Extension arm of the land grant system quickly from these relationships. Relationships should not be limited to the home department of the individual but should reach across disciplines to engage others to work with and learn from to aid in developing a system-wide view of agricultural production. Regional research and extension groups are key contributors to building multi-state programming of new Extension specialists. Access to funds is critical for the implementation of Extension programming and these networks increase funding opportunities. My success in Extension is a shared success with all those that were kind enough to take the time to teach me a little of their area of expertise. Having the willingness to be part of a team in developing Extension programming for beef cattle has resulted in a rewarding career. New hires in the Extension specialist role will find building a team to work with to develop effective beef programs will ease their transition from graduate student to Extension specialist.

Revisiting the Master Food Volunteer Program: Examining how to enhance nutrition education in the United States

America’s diet-related illness crisis intersects with a lack of nutrition literacy, nutrition security, and systemic inequities. The Cooperative Extension Service’s (CES) national infrastructure could potentially provide equitable access to quality nutrition education in the US utilizing a Master Food Volunteer (MFV) model. This research brief examined preliminary evidence for the MFV model as a support for CES agents and paraprofessionals, and results show a paucity of evidence. Further research and a pilot program with pre-established measures for health-related knowledge and behaviors could elucidate the model’s potential to increase equitable access to evidence-based programming, nutrition, and implementation guidance.

Summer crop rotational effects on carinata nitrogen management in the southeastern USA

AbstractGrowers in the United States (US) southeast are often recommended to reduce nitrogen (N) fertilization after peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) by cooperative Extension services. However, these guidelines are not supported by the scientific literature. An experiment was conducted to quantify N contributions from peanut residues to a subsequent carinata (Brassica carinata) crop. A 3 (history: cotton [Gossypium hirsutum L.], peanut, fallow) × 5 (N rates: 0, 34, 67, 101,134 kg N ha−1) factorial randomized complete block split‐plot design was conducted over four site‐years during the 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 seasons at Jay, FL, USA. Peanut and cotton were planted under strip tillage, whereas carinata was drilled into peanut and cotton residues and weed‐free fallow plots. Although peanut residues accumulated 54–78 kg N ha−1, inorganic N content behind former peanut plots at the 0–15 cm depths, ranged from 6 to 8 and 8 to 11 kg N ha−1 in 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 season, respectively. Cropping history differences for carinata normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) were pronounced at lower N rates in one out of four site‐years during which NDVI behind former cotton plots was lower than former peanut and fallow plots. Carinata seed yield behind former peanut plots was similar to unfertilized fallow based on four site‐years of data. Nonlinear regression models predicted that N rates required to optimize carinata seed yield following peanut would exceed 134 kg N ha−1 thereby indicating negligible peanut N credits. These results support a growing body of literature that suggests minimal N credits after peanut under humid southeastern US conditions.

Symbiotic university-community partnerships: The good, the bad & the ugly

ABSTRACT In this philosophical discussion, we take a distinct position on how institutions of higher education should engage with communities. The complex relationship between universities and communities has been a topic of debate for decades. Within U.S. land-grant universities, it is argued the outreach component of their tri-partite mission (teaching, research, and outreach) has been delegated almost solely to the Cooperative Extension Service. Still, we argue community engagement is the responsibility of the entire university. Using symbiosis as a foundation, we contend that university-community partnerships can be parasitic, mutualistic or commensalistic, depending upon how engagement is undertaken, and how the community itself is engaged. The authors provide suggestions on appropriate policy, education, and capacity building changes. Ultimately, if we pay attention to the possibility of a “dark side” of community engagement, we can become better aware of how communities, faculty, students and community developers effectively engage to the benefit of all.

The LSU AgCenter Healthy Communities Initiative: Community-Participatory Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change

The LSU AgCenter Healthy Communities Initiative: Community-Participatory Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change

Prison-based environmental training programs: who is being transformed?

Adult environmental education and training programs (environmental programs) are used to promote environmental stewardship in the United States (US). One unique setting for these programs is US prisons. Prison-based environmental programs vary widely, from Cooperative Extension Service programs (e.g. Master Gardener programs) to STEM lecture series to environmental literacy and job training programs to conservation research programs. Scholars have examined how these programs impact people who are incarcerated, but there is little research on how these programs affect the programs’ non-incarcerated facilitators (e.g. program administrators, educators, scientists, etc.). In this exploratory study, we use semi-structured, in-depth interviews to examine the experiences of some individuals engaged in implementing prison-based environmental programs. Our findings show how participants’ efforts to “transform” people who are incarcerated led many of them to their own transformations in how they perceived (1) people who are incarcerated, (2) their environmental programs, and (3) the broader carceral system.

Development and Piloting of a Novel Evaluation Tool for Childhood Obesity Prevention Programs

Childhood obesity remains chronic and high in the U.S., driven by factors including poor dietary habits and lack of physical activity. Interventions that address multiple causal factors may be the most appropriate strategy to address rising childhood obesity rates. The Cooperative Extension Service offers programs across the country to address causal factors of childhood obesity, but few coordinated or concerted efforts have been made to determine overlap, reduce duplication, or identify best practices in programming. To fill this gap, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture Multistate Project W3005 Extension Workgroup sought to develop a novel tool to compare programs with components related to childhood obesity prevention. This manuscript details the iterative process used to develop the Childhood Obesity Prevention Program in Extension Rubric (COPPER), provides findings from the pilot process, and reveals the broad application and potential of this tool within Extension and nutrition education. The newly developed COPPER tool is multi-functional and may be beneficial in program development, implementation, adoption, and/or adaptation of programs in new settings. This tool will be useful for Extension, public health, and other community organizations focused on issues central to childhood obesity targeting children, parents, and/or caregivers.

Cooperative Extension offices as mental health hubs: A social ecological case study in rural Georgia, United States

Rural communities in the U.S. face multiple mental health challenges, with lack of accessible, acceptable services, skepticism towards those outside the community, and stigma towards help-seeking. Mobilizing rural communities to address mental health may be possible if facilitated by a trusted local organization such as Cooperative Extension Service (Extension). Extension promotes community wellbeing through evidence-based programming, extending the reach of land grant universities to local communities. Extension offices are deeply embedded in their communities; personnel are well-known and local residents. In this article we propose a novel model for Extension offices as a trusted place for mental health resource, service, and advocacy hubs, available and accessible to all diverse members of rural communities. Using Social Ecological Theory, we provide examples of how Extension can serve as an integrated hub to help rural communities meet their mental health needs and can be partners and collaborators with mental health providers/agencies.

An Exploration of Service Needs and Preferences of Dementia Caregivers in Kentucky

As Americans live longer, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias will increase. Caregivers are critical to the care and life quality of people with dementia. Yet, dementia caregivers are at increased risk for health issues, social isolation, and financial challenges. To help educators with the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service work with their local Alzheimer’s Association and the University of Louisville to better support dementia families, we explored caregiver needs and service utilization using an online survey. Our findings highlighted the need for counseling/support, care management skills, resource education, self-care strategies, and legal services. Extension Service Educators can use this information to inform program development and support dementia families.

Addressing Health Inequities: An Exploratory Assessment of Extension Educators' Perceptions of Program Demand for Diverse Communities.

Land grant universities are a key provider of community-based health promotion programs through the Cooperative Extension Service. However, Extension's current approach to addressing systemic social determinants of health is incomplete and inconsistent. The purpose of this study was to explore Extension health educators' perceptions of demand for health promotion programming targeting audiences most likely to experience health inequities. Health educators within 2 state Extension systems were invited to complete an online survey based on a capacity building model. Survey questions included rating perceptions of demand for programming for health disparate populations: low-income; Black and African American; Hispanic, Latino/a, Latinx; persons with disabilities; immigrants and refugees; and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. Analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc testing was used to determine differences in perceived demand between populations. Ninety-six educators completed the survey. Perceived demand for low-income population programming was significantly higher than for other populations. Perceived programming demand for immigrants and refugees and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people was significantly lower than for other populations. Individual and organizational-level factors, including racism and Extension's historical scope, likely contribute to the results. Engaging historically excluded Extension audiences requires time and resources to improve the Extension system and educator capacity for relationship building, trust building, and communication.

84 Awardee Talk: Managing Reproduction: A key to Profitability

Abstract In agriculture, the ability to reproduce dictates gross revenue and reproductive success is the culmination of implementation of multiple management practices that optimize the probability the animal will reproduce. About four decades ago, Extension Specialists recognized the need to develop a holistic approach to beef cattle management. Integrated Resource Management (IRM) is a concept developed by the Cooperative Extension Service and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the concept represents a systems approach designed to enhance the competitiveness, efficiency, and profitability of the beef business. My Extension program has focused on enhancing reproductive efficiency, revenue, and profits using IRM concepts and a hands-on approach. Nearly 2,000 farm visits and multiple Extension programs to thousands of producers have demonstrated methods to improve productivity and profitability. Perhaps the most impactful program was the UK IRM Farm Program. This program combined standard educational meetings discussing health, nutrition, genetics, and reproduction with extensive farm visits. Baseline data was obtained from each cooperator and farm goals were ascertained. From these, production plans were developed and implemented with the help of local Extension Agents. At the conclusion of the program, 147 producers from 84 counties with 6,943 cows committed to this program. Data collection and management was central to this project. We obtained gross data from all cooperators and accurate impact data from a subset of these producers. Integrated, organized management decreased the length of the calving season, increased calving percent, weaning percent, weaning weight and pounds of calf per cow exposed. Revenue was increased by 34% on average with a range of 25-200%. During this project, we recognized the need for a new data collection and management application and developed X10D (pronounced “extend”). An IRM approach making data driven decisions is a key to increasing revenue and enhancing profitability in beef cow-calf operations.

Feasibility and Comparative Effectiveness for the Delivery of the National Diabetes Prevention Program through Cooperative Extension in Rural Communities.

The U.S. Cooperative Extension Service (CE) has potential to deliver the National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) to rural residents with prediabetes. However, the CE remains underutilized for the delivery of NDPP. We compared the feasibility/effectiveness of the NDPP (0–6 mos.) delivered by CE personnel to rural residents with prediabetes using Zoom® (CE-Zoom®) or by our research staff using Facebook® (FB). Adults (n = 31, age ~55 years) were enrolled (CE-Zoom® n = 16, FB n = 15). Attendance did not differ significantly between groups (CE Zoom® = 69%, FB = 83%, p = 0.15). Participant retention was similar in the CE Zoom® (88%) and FB groups (87%). CE-Zoom® and FB® groups provided weekly, self-monitoring data for 83% and 84% of the 24 potential weeks, respectively. Six-month weight loss was not different between groups (CE-Zoom® = −5.99 ± 8.0 kg, −5.4%, FB = −1.68 ± 3.3 kg, −1.6% p = 0.13). Participants achieving ≥5% weight loss was greater in the CE-Zoom® (44%) compared with the FB group (7%, p = 0.04). Participants achieving the NDPP program goal for physical activity (≥150 min/week) did not differ (CE-Zoom® = 75%, FB = 67%, p = 0.91). This pilot trial demonstrated the potential feasibility and effectiveness of the NDPP delivered by CE personnel in a group remote format (Zoom®) to adults with prediabetes living in rural areas.

Combating Horticultural Misinformation through Integrated Online Campaigns Using Social Media, Graphics Interchange Format, and Blogs

Misinformation relating to horticulture can spread quickly among laypersons. Although some misinformation may be harmless, such as the myth that bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) fruit can be either male or female, other misinformation is generated to sway consumer decisions. The demand from Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents for support to combat the spread of horticultural misinformation, horticulture specialists at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service (UACES) created a “Horticulture Fact or Fiction” series of blog posts that targeted common horticulture myths with science-based explanations and used graphics interchange format (GIFs) to promote the blog posts on social media. The integrated social media campaign was shared on the authors’ UACES Horticulture social media accounts and by eight UACES agents during 2021. The effort reached 13,397 social media users, and the blog posts had a total of 45,544 pageviews. Although social media was not the major driver of traffic to the blog post series, GIF-based outreach on social media did direct more than 1000 additional users to the blog posts. Through this integrated approach of using social media and GIFs shared by both specialists and CES agents, we were able to connect a large number of stakeholders to research-based content, resulting in higher average traffic to our webpage-based blogs than the average UACES webpage. This type of integrated approach using multiple online means of communication including GIFs, blogs, and social media to create a toolkit of resources for CES agents may be useful for extension professionals targeting stakeholders online.

Highlights of the ESC 2014 Conference

Coverage of the 2014 Annual Conference of the Engagement Scholarship Consortium, featuring
 
 The keynote address from Dr. Rajesh Tandon
 Poster Session Award Winners
 
 First Place—Integrating High-Impact Scholarship into a General Education Class. By Careen Yarnal and Hsin-Yu Chen (The Pennsylvania State University)
 Second Place—The Impact of Homelessness and Incarceration on the Health of Women. By Louanne Keenan and Rabia Ahmed (University of Alberta)
 Third Place—Does Service-Learning Make Graduates (Feel) More Employable? By Paul H. Matthews and Jeffrey H. Dorfman (University of Georgia)
 Honorable Mention with Distinction
 
 Illustrating the Impacts: Global Community Engaged Design. By Rebekah Radtke and Travis Hicks (University of North Carolina-Greensboro).
 Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service: Building an Interculturally Competent Community. By Maria G. Fabregas Janeiro and Jorge Atiles (Oklahoma State University).
 Characteristics of Effective Practice by Faculty in Service-Learning Courses. By Paul H. Matthews (University of Georgia) and Andrew J. Pearl (University of North Georgia).