Abby McBride

ACDC News – Issue 26-01

Posted on by Abby McBride

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Adding updates about the police raid on a rural community newspaper

We are adding to the ACDC collection recent updates about results of a police raid during 2023 on the Marion County Record in rural Kansas. The raid sparked local, national, and international interest related to the issue of press freedom.

New name for IFAJ

The International Federation of Agricultural Journalists is changing identity to the International Forum of Agricultural Journalists.

This change is prompted by efforts of IFAJ to register with the British government as a limited corporation. IFAJ newsletter explains: “Under British law, IFAJ’s voting system does not allow us to call ourselves a ‘federation,’ a term reserved for organizations that operate under a one-member, one-vote system.

“After a member survey in September and an in-depth discussion of the IFAJ Executive at the 2025 Congress in Kenya, the Delegate Assembly accepted the Executive’s recommendation to rename IFAJ the International Forum of Agricultural Journalists.”

The new name will take effect when registration papers are approved by Britain’s Companies House.

Revised white paper addresses data ethics and stewardship in agriculture

“The rapid advancement of data-driven technologies in agriculture offers immense potential to enhance productivity, sustainability, and economic resilience. However, this increasing reliance on data brings ethical, legal, and stewardship challenges that must be addressed to ensure responsible use and equitable benefits for all stakeholders.”

Ag Gateway, a global non-profit organization, sketched that scenario to announce revision of a long-standing “White paper on data ethics and stewardship” in August 2025. The 42-page revised paper involves key principles that emphasize the importance of privacy, ownership, transparency, fairness, and responsible governance in agricultural data management.

You can read “AgGateway releases revised data ethics and stewardship white paper” by open access.

“Food writing needs to balance service journalism with hard news”

We are adding to the ACDC collection this 2021 commentary in Nieman Reports. Author Brett Anderson suggested that “food journalism isn’t just for readers privileged enough to obsess over where to spend their money dining out.”

You can read “Food writing needs to balance service journalism with hard news” by open access.

Communicator events approaching

Here are several nearing events you may find helpful, including contact information you can use for details. We welcome suggestions or revisions for this calendar.

April 13-16, 2026

“Charting new territory in agricultural and extension education.” Conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education (AIAEE) in San Jose, Costa Rica. Information: https://aiaee.org/2026aiaeeconference/

April 15-17, 2026

“Hungry for more.” 2026 Agri-Marketing Conference of the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) in St. Louis, Missouri.

Information: https://nama.org/hungry-for-more.html

April 15-18, 2026

“SEJ 2026.” Conference of the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) in Chicago, Illinois.

Information: SEJ2026 Annual Conference — Presented by the Society of Environmental Journalists

April 28-30, 2026

“TOCA rocks!” Annual meeting of the Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) in Cleveland, Ohio.

Information: https://toca.org/toca-annual-meeting/

May 14-16, 2026

2026 annual equine media conference of American Horse Publications (AHP) in Lexington, Kentucky.

Information: https://americanhorsepubs.org/ahp-annual-conference/

Best wishes for the New Year

We close this first 2026 issue of ACDC News with a Dutch proverb about communicating and thinking ahead:

“Go softly and look afar”

ACDC is a deep and open resource for you, so please feel free to invite our help as you search for information, local to global. You are welcomed to follow us on Bluesky @illinoisacdc. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique and valued international collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, 510 ACES Library, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801) – or in electronic format sent to acdc@library.illinois.edu

ACDC News – Issue 25-12

Posted on by Abby McBride

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Emerging and evolving trends in agricultural data

We are adding to the ACDC collection a 42-page white paper about ethical, legal, and stewardship challenges “that must be addressed to ensure responsible use and equitable benefits for all stakeholders.”

It was produced by AgGateway, a global, non-profit consortium of businesses that helps member companies and associate stakeholders address connectivity, seamless data flow, and data exchange issues. You can read “AgGateway releases revised data ethics and stewardship white paper” by open access.

Contested ethics about UK maritime space

Findings of newspaper coverage in the United Kingdom revealed “a confusion of contested ethical claims” about maritime space. This research was published in Maritime Studies (2024) and involved the period 2012-2020. Findings of the analysis revealed no sustained coverage, little that communicated with a national audience, little investigative reporting, and no predominance of London-based newspapers in news production.

You can read “A discursive field of contested ethics: Reporting the UK’s blue economy in the making” by open access.

Five-year analysis of cover crop adoption in the U.S.

A 2025 summary highlights trends in the adoption of cover crops, as identified by Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer (AEB) surveys for the last five years. Among the findings:

  • From 2021 to 2025 the percentage of AEB respondents who reported that they currently use cover crops ranged from 52% to 57%. They averaged 53% in September 2025.
  • 26% of September 2025 respondents reported having never planted cover crops.

You can read “Cover crop adoption: results from five years of ag economy barometer surveys” by open access.

Remembering an Australian rural journalist

Looking back at 2025, we are mindful of a special professional friend who died during September. Neil Inall was an Australian journalist, television presenter and agronomist. In 1962 he joined the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) as a rural broadcaster at a station based in Orange, New South Wales. He became known for producing and presenting popular national rural affairs programs on radio and television. He was named Man of the Year in Australian Agriculture (1980) and in 2009 was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in recognition of his service to the farming and rural sector.

You can read more about his career activities in an article, “Vale Neil Inall,” in Beef Central.

New ACDC exhibit features the history of farm radio

The flat exhibit case with papers and cassette tapes.With special pleasure, we announce a new ACDC exhibit in the ACES Funk Library. Associate Abby McBride created, designed, and installed it. The exhibit provides a brief overview of farm radio history. Primarily using materials from the ACDC collection, it features information found in newspapers, books, and physical audio-visual media, including CDs, cassettes, and film. The collection contains 242 documents related to the history of farm radio, tracing back more than a century.

Communicator event approaching

Here is an agricultural communicator event you may find helpful, including contact information you can use for details. We welcome suggestions or revisions for this calendar.

May 31-June 2, 2026

Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) Institute in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Information: https://communicators.coop/professional-development/cca-institute

A bedtime prayer

We close this year-end issue of ACDC News with a bedtime prayer by Frank Skinner:

“I thought tonight I’d just listen for a change. No pressure.”

ACDC is a deep and open resource for you, so please feel free to invite our help as you search for information, local to global. You are welcomed to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUC. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique and valued international collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, 510 ACES Library, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801) – or in electronic format sent to acdc@library.illinois.edu.

ACDC News — Issue 25-11

Posted on by Abby McBride

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How ‘ugly’ produce is reshaping the food waste conversation

A recent study at Columbia Business School has revealed how consumer preference for cosmetically-perfect fruits and vegetables contributes to billions of pounds of food waste.

An article in The Packer described this study. It reported that roughly 40 percent of produce in the U.S. goes uneaten. A significant share of that waste comes not from spoilage but from rejection based on appearance alone. “Bruised apples, spotted bananas and oddly shaped vegetables are often discarded by farmers, retailers and consumers – even when they are perfectly edible.” The article also mentions some efforts being made to change perceptions and reduce waste.

You can read “In the eye of the beholder: How ‘ugly’ produce is reshaping the food waste conversation” by open access.

Challenges in covering local trauma

We are adding to the ACDC collection a 2011 article in Journalism Studies. It explored the impact of media coverage in a rural community where a high-profile murder had occurred. In a broader sense, researchers examined the evolution of journalistic responsibility in covering local trauma and offered suggestions for journalism educators:

  • Help emerging journalists develop the skill to “reflect in action” while interviewing survivors or covering news items about communities that experience trauma
  • Help local residents reflect on meanings and implications in the immediate environment
  • Encourage the norm of collaboration between journalism researchers and journalism professionals

You can read “Between a rock and a hard place” by open access.

Lynn Henderson honored for a distinguished career

Congratulations to Lynn Henderson, owner of Henderson Communications and publisher of Agri Marketing magazine. He recently received the 2025 Dean Floyd Andre Award from Iowa State University. This award recognizes a College of Agriculture and Life Sciences alumnus or friend who has made outstanding contributions to production agriculture and agricultural business.

Lynn has “left a lasting mark on American agriculture through a distinguished career in ag media and communications.”

You can read “Agri Marketing’s publisher Lynn Henderson receives…” by open access.

Investigating punitive attitudes toward crime in Australia

A 2025 article in the Journal of Rural Studies explores differences in punitive attitudes toward crime among rural and urban Australians. Researchers used survey data from a representative sample of the Australian public. Findings indicated:

  • Australians hold somewhat punitive attitudes, with rural respondents being significantly more punitive.
  • Increased fear of crime and a lack of confidence in the criminal justice system moderate the rural-urban difference

You can read “Punitive attitudes in Australia: investigating the rural-urban divide” by open access.

Welcome to Alinafe Nyasulu

Alinafe taking a selfieWe are delighted to welcome Alinafe Ngindo Nyasulu as a new graduate assistant in the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center. Alinafe is a second-year student in the iSchool here at the University of Illinois. She earned an undergraduate degree in Library and Information Science at Mzuzu University in Malawi, Africa. She brings information management, grant writing, archival processing, and reference experiences to this position as well as experience with the University of Illinois Archives. As a part-time ACDC associate, Alinafe will catalog/process materials and identify preservation needs, alongside a variety of specialist projects.

Communicator events approaching

Here are agricultural communicator event plans you may find helpful, including contact information you can use for details. We welcome suggestions or revisions for this calendar.

November 19-21, 2025

National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) convention in Kansas City, Missouri, at the Westin Crown Center.

Information: https://nafb.com/events/nafb-convention-0

May 31-June 2, 2026

Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) Institute in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Information: https://communicators.coop/professional-development/cca-institute

Oh, no! We are losing laughs

We are sorry to learn that the tongue-in-cheek Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest sponsored by the English Department at San Jose State University in California is ending. You may recall that each year interested persons were invited to compose and submit the opening sentence to the worst of all possible novels. In a spirit of melancholy, we close this issue of ACDC News with a 2024 entry related to food. It received a Dishonorable Mention in the Science Fiction category:

“To help maintain the spirit of the entire Apollo 15 crew during their lengthy and monotonous space journey, NASA scientists sent along fun snacks for everyone, including Space Food Sticks for the Lunar Astronauts and Space Food Milk-Bones for the Lunar Rover.”

ACDC is a deep and open resource for you, so please feel free to invite our help as you search for information, local to global. You are welcomed to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUC. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique and valued international collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, 510 ACES Library, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801) – or in electronic format sent to acdc@library.illinois.edu

ACDC News – Issue 25-10

Posted on by Abby McBride

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Insights in the 2025 U.S. Food and Health Survey

Here are examples of findings in this new survey research report from the International Food Information Council:

  • 64 percent graded their diet as a B- or better, while only 24 percent gave the same grade to the average American’s diet.
  • Awareness of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans continued to grow – to 44 percent saying they know at least a fair amount about DGA. That’s nearly double the share from 2009.
  • 57 percent said they now follow a specific diet or eating style – up sharply from 36 percent in 2018 and led by focus on high-protein eating.
  • More than 80 percent fell short of recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables.

You can read “Americans grade themselves better than average for diet healthfulness” by open access.

Recent topics in the Journal of Applied Communications

The third 2025 issue of JAC includes these articles:

“Sorting out the details: A Q method study investigating wheat industry        professionals’ soil health management practices, information needs, and communication preferences” by Maureen Victoria, Jean A. Parrella, Holli Leggette, Morgan Orem, Jamie Foster, Haly Neely, and Clark Neely

“An assessment of college students’ use of social media for agriculture-related information seeking” by Enoch Teye Kwao Ametepey, Casandra K. Cox Dr, Kobina Danful Fanyinkah, and Grace Vehige

“When machines speak science: Testing consumers’ perceptions of AI-generated communication messages” by Alexa J. Lamm, Kevan W. Lamm, Allison R. Byrd, Masoud Yazdanpanah, Nicholas K. Gabler, Anna K. Johnson, Catherine Sanders, Fallys Masambuka-Kanchewa, and Michael S. Retallick

“Exploring the use of infographics to alter consumer opinions and perceptions of sustainability within the U.S. beef industry” by Gabriella F. Johnson, David S. Martin, Jason T. Sawyer, and Don Mulvaney

You can read these articles by open access to the issue via https://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol109/iss3.

Many Iowa farmers who adopted conservation practices dropped them

We are adding to the ACDC collection a 2025 research summary from Iowa State University which “sheds light on the evolving landscape of agricultural conservation in Iowa.” Findings published in Society & Natural Resources revealed that “many farmers who adopted two key conservation practices – cover crops and no-till – did not continue to use the practices …”

“The study shows that adoption is not a one-time decision – it’s a dynamic process influenced by a range of factors. …we need to understand the degree to which farmers are disadopting conservation practices, and figure out how to help them maintain the practices over time.”

You can read “Study finds many farmers who adopted conservation practices drop them over time” by open access.

How adolescents respond to food advertising (unhealthy and healthy)

“Regulation of unhealthy food advertising should address adolescents and social media.” That was the conclusion by authors of a 2020 article in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Here are some of the reasons, based on research among secondary school children in Dublin and Ennis, Ireland:

  • Advertisements for unhealthy food evoked significantly more positive responses, compared to non-food and healthy food
  • Adolescents were more likely to wish to share unhealthy posts
  • They were more likely to recall and recognize more unhealthy food brands

You can read “See, like, share, remember: Adolescents’ responses to unhealthy, healthy and non-food advertising in social media” by open access.

Welcome to Abby McBride

Portrait photo of Abby McBride smiling at the cameraWe are delighted to welcome Abby McBride to ACDC as a new graduate student with a part-time appointment. Abby is a first-year student in the School of Information Sciences here at the University of Illinois. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology at DePauw University. She brings experiences in archival processing, preservation, event planning, and community building to this position. She will catalog and process materials, identify preservation needs, and work on a variety of special projects.

Communicator events approaching

Here are agricultural communicator event plans you may find helpful, including contact information you can use for details. We welcome suggestions or revisions for this calendar.

November 7-9, 2025

ScienceWriters2025 in Chicago, Illinois, at the Marriott Chicago O’Hare. Hosted by the National Association of Science Writers and the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing. Information: https:///www.nasw.org

November 12-13, 2025

“Communicating the Science in Agriculture.” Fall virtual conference of the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE). Highlighting the power and purpose of science communication. Information: https://ACEweb.org/fall-virtual-conference

November 19-21, 2025

National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) convention in Kansas City, Missouri, at the Westin Crown Center.

Information: https://nafb.com/events/nafb-convention-0

May 31-June 2, 2026

Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) Institute in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Information: https://communicators.coop/professional-development/cca-institute

A lesson from the rice stalk

During this Midwest U.S. harvest season, we close this issue of ACDC News with a Tagalog proverb from the Philippines. It advises being down-to-earth and humble:

“Be like a rice stalk. The more grain it bears, the lower it bends.”

ACDC is a deep and open resource for you, so please feel free to invite our help as you search for information, local to global. You are welcomed to follow us on Twitter @ACDCUIUC. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique and valued international collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, 510 ACES Library, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801) – or in electronic format sent to acdc@library.illinois.edu

ACDC News – Issue 25-09

Posted on by Abby McBride

Download a printer-friendly PDF of this issue

Imagine growing fresh food in space

A recent news report in The Packer introduced the Mars Lunar Greenhouse Prototype Project at the Controlled Environment Agriculture Center, University of Arizona. Director Murat Kacira explained in a webinar what it takes to grow fresh produce in space.

“Space agriculture systems not only need to provide for the dietary needs of astronauts, but also their psychological well-being,” Kacira emphasized. Nutrition, menu fatigue, behavior health and systems resiliency become important, as well as education and training. Especially with our young generation, “we need a variety of skill sets, and controlled environment agriculture is one of them.”

You can read “What it takes to grow produce in space” by open access.

Shedding light on a silent epidemic in agriculture

A recent article in The Packer explains that agriculture has the fourth-highest suicide rate by industry, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sixty percent of U.S. farmers meet the accepted medical criteria for depression.

Two documentaries are shedding light on the challenges of a rural mental health crisis. “Muckville” and “Out of the Shadows” follow the lives of farmers “grappling with overwhelming stress – and the courage it takes to talk about it.”

You can read “A silent epidemic: Confronting mental health in U.S. agriculture” by open access.

Should cows graze? UK farmers view the ethics of it

This 2024 article in Sociologia Ruralis featured a relational approach to understanding farmer views of the practice in the United Kingdom. About 20 percent of dairy farms in the UK house cows all year around. Among the findings:

  • In terms of animal welfare, participants were reluctant to see a distinction between farms that graze and those that do not.
  • They valued the positive affective experience of grazing their cows on their own farm.

You can read “Should cows graze? A relational approach to understanding farmer perspectives on the ethics of grazing and indoor dairy systems” by open access.

 Local news media not covering what’s local for rural residents?

Evidence of “yes” – and signs of a rural-urban gap — appeared in a 2019 report of findings we are adding to the ACDC collection from the Pew Research Center. Sixty-two percent of U.S. adults surveyed in urban areas said local news media mostly cover where you live, compared with only 41 percent of rural residents. Such findings arouse concern among many journalism watchers who follow trends and effects of newsroom staffing cutbacks and media consolidation.

You can read “For many rural residents in U.S., local news media mostly don’t cover the area where they live” by open access.

 Spotting a rural-urban divide in Europe

 The divide appeared in recently-reported results of a 2020 Eurobarometer survey. A 2024 issue of Political Studies included survey findings that involved 24,328 individuals living in 27 European Union member states. Findings identified place of residence (urban, peri-urban, and rural) as a “significant predictor of attitudes for almost all dimensions of agricultural policy.”

“The differences are most striking for environmental and climate-related aspects of agricultural policy, as well as for its goal of generating growth and jobs in rural areas. From this, we conclude there is a rural-urban divide involving agricultural policy, which policymakers should be aware of and attempt to address.”

You can read “Europeans’ attitudes toward the goals of agricultural policy: A case of rural-urban divide?” by open access.

 Communicator events approaching

Here are agricultural communicator event plans you may find helpful, including contact information you can use for details. We welcome suggestions or revisions for this calendar.

October 15-18, 2025
“Unlocking the agricultural potential in the cradle of mankind.” International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) Congress in Nairobi, Kenya. Hosted by Kenya Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (MESHA). Information: https://www.ifaj.org/ifaj-congress2025-kenya/46175/

October 19-22, 2025
Annual meeting of the Communication Officers of State Departments of Agriculture (COSDA) in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Information:
https://www.nasda.org/about-nasda/affiliates/communication-officers-of-state-departments-of-agriculture-cosda/

November 7-9, 2025
ScienceWriters2025 in Chicago, Illinois, at the Marriott Chicago O’Hare. Hosted by the National Association of Science Writers and the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing. Information: https:///www.nasw.org

November 19-21, 2025
National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) convention in Kansas City, Missouri, at the Westin Crown Center.
Information: https://nafb.com/events/nafb-convention-0

Ah, the wonders of deadlines

 We close this issue of ACDC News with a thought from Douglas Adams:

“I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.”

ACDC is a deep and open resource for you, so please feel free to invite our help as you search for information, local to global. You are welcome to follow us on X @ACDCUIUC. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique and valued international collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, 510 ACES Library, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801) or in electronic format sent to acdc@library.illinois.edu