Implementing an Innovative Educational Program Delivery Strategy to Teach 2014 Farm Bill Changes to Ohio Farmers and Landowners

The timing and complexity of the 2014 Farm Bill required quick dissemination of technical information to allow participants to make decisions affecting risk management strategies for their farms. Using existing organizational structures and incorporating a team approach allowed Ohio State University Extension educators to successfully meet the educational needs of Ohio\u27s farmers and landowners. Program success followed due to Extension\u27s commitments to providing proper training, support, and reward to educators and to working cooperatively with external agencies to achieve the identified outcomes

What determines women's participation in collective action? Evidence from a western Ugandan coffee cooperative

Women smallholders face greater constraints than men in accessing capital and commodity markets in Sub-Saharan Africa. Collective action has been promoted to remedy those disadvantages. Using survey data of 421 women members and 210 nonmembers of a coffee producer cooperative in Western Uganda, this study investigates the determinants of women's participation in cooperatives and women's intensity of participation. The results highlight the importance of access to and control over land for women to join the cooperative in the first place. Participation intensity is measured through women's participation in collective coffee marketing and share capital contributions. It is found that duration of membership, access to extension services, more equal intrahousehold power relations, and joint land ownership positively influence women's ability to commit to collective action. These findings demonstrate the embeddedness of collective action in gender relations and the positive value of women's active participation for agricultural-marketing cooperatives

PR - Civic Engagement Issues In Agricultural Economies (p505-512)

The relationship between farm structure and community well-being has been frequently researched. Conclusions were drawn that rural communities had better socioeconomic conditions when small to medium family farms were prevalent. Other research reported civic engagement had greater impact on rural well-being than farm structure and farm structure was correlated with civic engagement. The research objective of this study was to determine the relationship between civic engagement and farm structure. The study population consisted of farming dependent counties in the Corn Belt Region of the United States. These counties had an average population loss of 2% between 1990 and 2000, an average population density of 6 people per square kilometre, and an average farm size of 233 hectare. Six variables representing farm structure and four demographic variables were included in the regression model as independent variables. A hierarchal regression model was used to determine the relationship between civic engagement and farm structure. Voting participation and church membership were proxies for civic engagement and used as the dependent variable in two separate models. For both voting participation and church membership, the hypothesis of no relationship between farm structure and civic engagement was rejected. The model containing the dependent variable voting participation had three variables relatively important with an adjusted R2 of .31. The important variables were home ownership, part-time farmers, and off-farm residence. The complete model containing the dependent variable church membership had an adjusted R2 of .58 and contained six relatively important variables. These variables were small businesses per capita, home ownership, part-time farmers, off-farm residence, not sole proprietors, and hired farm workers. Community leaders need to understand the dynamics of the changing farm structure at work in their communities and find solutions aimed at increasing civic engagement levels. University educators, elected officials and community can affect civic engagement by encouraging the development and retention of small sustainable agricultural and non-agricultural businesses and developing programs that promote home ownership in rural communities

PR - FROM LAKE ERIE TO THE OHIO RIVER: A SUMMARY OF NUTRIENT LOSS IMPACTS IN OHIO

Ohio residents have been calling for changes in agricultural practices since harmful algal blooms have disrupted recreational use of lakes and drinking water supplies in the Western Lake Erie Basin. These blooms are a result of phosphorus (P) loading into waterways from a number of sources, including agriculture fertilizer and manure use on fields. P loss only accounts for about 0.49 lb/A but equates to roughly 2 million pounds of P each year being dumped into the Basin. Regulations have been put in place to educate farmers on nutrient management and reduce nutrient losses. Three tools have been updated and developed to help farmers reduce P losses: 1.) Updated Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations, 2.) Updated Ohio Phosphorus Risk Index tool, 3.) Field Application Resource Monitor. These tools address the source, rate and timing of nutrient applications. The cost of implementing these practices varies from farm to farm. Some farms may see no change to their budgets where other farms may see an increase in expenses

On-Farm Hog Processing Demonstration for Teenage Exhibitors: Blending Academic, Laboratory, and Farm-Based Learning

COVID-19 challenges induced a U.S. meatpacking industry bottleneck. [University] Extension identified the need and responded by creating a three-step hands-on training for teenage junior fair exhibitors. [University] Extension Meat Scientist and graduate students assisted in demonstrating an on-farm hog harvest and processing event in collaboration with a local Extension office for 4-H and FFA teenagers. To add a practical perspective, a local hog-producing and harvesting family was asked to assist with the event. An online post-survey reflected 90-100% gains in five educational areas and 100% said they would a similar event in the future and recommend it to a friend

Key Success Factors for Emerging Agricultural Marketing Cooperatives

Cooperatives comprise an important part of the American agricultural system. Key factors important to the success of agricultural marketing cooperatives were identified and statistically analyzed using data collected from fifty-two cooperatives. The research quantified the effects of several independent variables on the probability of success. These variables were: sufficient equity before start up, maintaining an adequate business volume, keeping and distributing accurate financial records, importance of previous cooperatives experience and continued management training for both the board and manager, marketing agreements. Based on this research and the comprehensive literature review, marketing cooperatives can increase their chances of success by adhering to the recommendations set forth in this study

Key Success Factors for Emerging Agricultural Marketing Cooperatives

Cooperatives comprise an important part of the American agricultural system. Key factors important to the success of agricultural marketing cooperatives were identified and statistically analyzed using data collected from fifty-two cooperatives. The research quantified the effects of several independent variables on the probability of success. These variables were: sufficient equity before start up, maintaining an adequate business volume, keeping and distributing accurate financial records, importance of previous cooperatives experience and continued management training for both the board and manager, marketing agreements. Based on this research and the comprehensive literature review, marketing cooperatives can increase their chances of success by adhering to the recommendations set forth in this study.Agribusiness, Marketing,