Ray Elizabeth

Food challenge for 2006: satisfying the ethical consumer.

“Ethical considerations increasingly dictate food purchases, and companies that pay scant attention to this defining trend will lose out,” according to a recent report in Food Production Daily. It explained that consumers are deciding how to spend their money based on factors such as:

• Impacts food companies are having on the environment.
• How companies “source” their products.
• How they treat their workers.
• How they label their products.

Citing examples of adjustments by several multinational food marketers, the report observed that some “are beginning to realize that tapping into ethical consumerism makes good business sense.”

Title: Food challenge for 2006
Posted at: http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/news/printNewsBis.asp?id=64868

Trust, bias and fairness of information sources for biotechnology issues.

Researchers Gary J. Wingenbach and Tracy A. Rutherford recently examined this issue among 50 Texas journalists and 40 U.S. agricultural journalists representing newspapers and television media. In considering nine types of information sources, respondents ranked university scientists/researchers and newspapers most trustworthy, unbiased and fair in communicating about agricultural biotechnology issues. Respondents ranked television media and activist groups least trustworthy, unbiased and fair in covering such issues. This article in AgBioForum also reported on agricultural journalists’ attitudes about public involvement in scientific decision processes.

Title: Trust, bias and fairness of information sources
Posted at: http://www.agbioforum.org/v8n4/v8n4a03-wingenbach.htm

U.S. public’s top priority for homeland security? 

Protection against 9/11 style incidents is on the minds of U.S. residents, but not at the top of their list. Instead, they assign highest priority to (a) protecting the nation’s food supply from deliberate contamination and (b) preventing the release of chemical or biological agents. These findings came from a national survey of 4,260 U.S. adults during August 2005. The National Center for Food Protection and Defense funded the study.

“On average, respondents would allocate 13.3 percent more [funds] to protect the food supply chain and 12 percent more to protect against release of a toxic chemical or biological agent than they would to protect against another terrorist attack using hijacked aircraft.”

Title: Food supply seen as vulnerable
News report posted at: http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2006/03/23/67660?print

Research report posted at:
http://agecon.lib.umn.edu/cgi-bin/pdf_view.pl?paperid=20453&ftype=.pdf

Producers consider precision farming tools cost-effective.

“The benefits of adopting precision agriculture technologies exceed the costs required to use such systems,” according to a 2003 survey of Ohio farmers. More than half consider their overall precision farming system useful enough to justify the costs.

Types of tools considered most beneficial? Respondents pointed to (a) variable rate application of lime, phosphorus and potassium, (b) geo-referencing soil sampling and (c) satellite field photography.

Title: Survey shows precision ag tools worth investment
Posted at: http://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/aganswers/story.asp?storyid=3583

On communicating with mules. 

Our ears perked up when we saw a report recently from Rural Heritage about “communicating with your mule.” If this skill is on your agenda, you can get some useful tips. And they may spill over into communicating with other humans. Author Sophia Sarember suggested that communicating with a mule is like communicating with a person who speaks a language different from yours. For example:

“In the process of getting my Chinese-speaking friend to help me in my work, I learn a little Chinese and he will learn some English,” she explained. Her concluding remark in the article: “Your mule will be your best instructor if you take time to open a respectful dialogue.”

Title: Communicating with your mule
Posted at: http://www.ruralheritage.com/mule_paddock/mule_communication.htm

Words of caution to federal officials about bird flu communicating.

A recent report on National Public Radio featured suggestions from psychiatrist Jody Lanard, an international consultant on risk communications. She praised U.S. federal officials for sounding the alarm about pandemic flu, but said their message has been undercut at times by statements that are misleading, self-serving or wrong. Examples cited:

• Comparing a pandemic with a forest fire. This image does capture the speed at which a pandemic can spread, she said, but it is “profoundly misleading to suggest that a flu pandemic can be snuffed out like a smoldering cigarette.”
• Mixing true and false statements, such as: “When it comes to a pandemic, we are overdue and underprepared.”
• Using true statements that can be misleading, such as: “We must stockpile vaccines and antiviral drugs and improve our ability to rapidly produce new vaccines …”
• Implying a passive public with government as big parent. She emphasized, “Everything that’s known about the psychology of fear tells us that people can tolerate more fear if there is something for them to do.”

Title: Sifting through official speak on bird flu
Posted at: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyid=5071792

Communicator activities approaching

May 8-11, 2006
“NETC 2006.” National Extension Technology Conference in Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Information: http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/netc2006/

May 14-17, 2006
“International teamwork in agricultural and extension education.” Conference of the Association for International Agricultural Education and Extension (AIAEE) in Clearwater Beach, Florida, USA.
Information: http://www.aiaee.org/pdf/2006Announce.pdf

May 21-26, 2006
“Managing agricultural information for sustainable food security and improved livelihoods in Africa.” Conference of the International Association for Agricultural Information Professionals (IAALD) in Nairobi, Kenya.
Information: http://www.asareca.org/iaald-africa

June 13, 2006
“Getting the word out: are we communicating effectively?” A food safety communicators conference hosted by the Food Safety Network at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Information:
http://www.foodsafetynetwork.ca/en/article-details.php?a=3&c=32&sc=419&id=874

June 17-20, 2006
“Brewing success.” 2006 Institute of the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) in Portland, Oregon.
Information: http://www.communicators.coop

Another look at food oxymorons.

We close this issue of ACDC News with another round of contradictory or incongruous words from the dinner table. Examples:

White chocolate
Grape nuts
Plastic glasses
Jumbo shrimp
Fresh frozen
Non-fat ice cream

Have others caught your eye? If so, pass them along to us. Thanks.

Best regards and good searching.

When you see interesting items you cannot find locally or online, get in touch with us at docctr@library.uiuc.edu. Tell us the titles and/or document numbers. We will help you gain access.

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions and ideas for the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communication documents we might add to this unique collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Com Documentation Center, 510 LIAC, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801 ) or electronic form at docctr@library.uiuc.edu.

May, 2006

“I am a water journalist.” (Why not?)

“Unless water-related issues are debated and resolved, water wars are inevitable. Enter the water journalist,” reads the subhead of a report from Media South Asia. Author Shangon Das Gupta of Bangalore, India, identified levels at which water journalism can operate. Gupta also described several examples of it in action.

“Water journalism is a young concept and certainly an ambitious one. Yet it is an idea whose time has come. Unless there is an effort to create social literacy on the issue of water and equitable distribution of water through policy change, ‘water wars’ are inevitable.”

Title: Water journalism
Posted at: http://www.thehoot.org/story.asp?storyid=Web21021491123Hoot15944%20PM1701&pn=1&section=S13

Internet no replacement for traditional information sources for farmers.

A recent survey evaluating the utility of the Iowa State Agriculture Extension Web site to farmers led researcher K. Clausse to conclude:

“Clearly, in the case of Iowa farmers, the Internet has not replaced traditional communication sources. The findings of this study provide evidence that Extension remains a valuable service to farmers. However, in the performance of its functions, it does not have to abandon traditional communication sources to disseminate information. If Extension continues to push the idea of streamlining information by simply putting it on the Web, many farmers are going to be without the valuable agricultural information they are looking for and need.”

Title: The utility of Iowa State University
Posted at: http://list.msu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0602a&L=aejmc&T=0&F=&S=&P=4385

Advice for agricultural freelancers.

Steve Werblow recently offered five tips to readers of the American Agricultural Editors’ Association newsletter, ByLine, based on his 10 years of experience in freelancing. He urged freelancers to diversify, seek professional help, get insurance, plan for retirement and enjoy their work.

Title: You a freelancer

Muddled messages in agricultural biotechnology.

This was Gaffe #3 in a list of 9 identified in a recent Nature Biotechnology commentary entitled “Ten years of biotech gaffes.”

Commentator John Hodgson explained: “What I deal with here are the ‘bio-bloopers’ that mattered, the events that had, or still have, repercussions for the life science industry or for those who depend on it.” His description of muddled messages touched on “media distortion” and willingness of scientific journals to widely publicize results that may be contentious or equivocal. He urged journal reviewers and editors to ensure that peer-reviewed data are reliable.

Title: Ten years of biotech gaffes

Tips for good neighboring by livestock operators.

We have added to the ACDC collection a research report about perceptions among neighbors of livestock operators in Ontario, Canada. Researcher Wayne Caldwell observed that findings provide an “important framework for the agricultural industry to develop approaches to prevent and deal with community issues more effectively.” Here are some of the tips he offered for a good neighbor policy:

• Prepare a communication plan that addresses concerns before building or expanding an operation.
• Advise neighbors of field activity, such as spraying fields or spreading manure.
• Hold Open Houses.
• Provide employment in the community.
• Have an open door policy toward neighbors.

Title: Positive perception of hog farms
Posted at: http://archives.foodsafetynetwork.ca/animalnet/2006/1-2006/animalnet_jan_23.htm#story4

Hitchhiker’s guide to rural telecom.

The ACDC collection also now contains a 16-page rural telecommunication glossary. It identifies and describes more than 100 terms – from ADSL [Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line] to Wireless Communication. The TeleCommons Development Group of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, created it in 1998 “to help you navigate the brave new world of information technologies for rural telecom.”

Title: The hitchhiker guide to rural telecom
Posted at: http://www.telecommons.com/uploaddocuments/telecommunicationsglossary5%2edoc

Continuing mixed reactions to food irradiation.

The new year seems to bring no new consensus about the desirability and future of irradiated foods. Here are two sample perspectives that have come to our attention:

Title: Broad failures signal weak future for irradiated foods
Posted at:
http://archives.foodsafetynetwork.ca/fsnet/2006/1-2006/fsnet_jan_23-2.htm#story4

Title: Food irradiation may start to take off
Posted at:
http://archives.foodsafetynetwork.ca/fsnet/2006/1-2006/fsnet_jan_9-2.htm#story0

Communicator activities approaching

April 19-21, 2006
“Jazzed!” Agri-Marketing Conference and Trade Show sponsored by the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) in Kansas City, Missouri, USA
Information: http://www.nama.org/amc

May 8-11, 2006
“NETC 2006.” National Extension Technology Conference at Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Information: http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/netc2006/

May 14-17, 2006
“International teamwork in agricultural and extension education.” Conference of the Association for International Agricultural Education and Extension (AIAEE) in Clearwater Beach, Florida, USA.
Information: http://www.aiaee.org/pdf/2006Announce.pdf

May 21-26, 2006
“Managing agricultural information for sustainable food security and improved livelihoods in Africa.” Conference of the International Association for Agricultural Information Professionals (IAALD) in Nairobi, Kenya.
Information: http://www.asareca.org/iaald-africa

June 13, 2006
“Getting the word out. Are we communicating effectively?” A food safety communicators conference hosted by the Food Safety Network at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Information:
http://archives.foodsafetynetwork.ca/animalnet/2006/2-2006/animalnet_feb_2-2.htm

Advice to young journalists – on sucking eggs. 

We close this issue of ACDC News with a heads-up on 43 principles for young journalists. They come from Pranay Gupte, who was senior writer and global-affairs columnist for the Straits Times, Singapore, when he wrote them. You will note a rural ring in one:

“Don’t try and teach your grandmother how to suck eggs.”

Title: The Pranay Principles
Posted at: http://www.pranaygupte.com/articles/207/

Best regards and good searching.

When you see interesting items you cannot find locally or online, get in touch with us at docctr@library.uiuc.edu. Tell us the titles and/or document numbers. We will help you gain access.

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions and ideas for the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communication documents we might add to this unique collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Com Documentation Center, 510 LIAC, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801 ) or electronic form at docctr@library.uiuc.edu

April, 2006

“We are what we eat. So why can’t we get our recommended daily intake of agricultural news?” 

Karen Lewis asked that question in an article in the Ryerson Review of Journalism. She described how daily newspapers in Canada have eroded the farm beat in attempting to deal with a “shifting pendulum of issues.”

“For the most part we are a well-fed nation, but most of us are malnourished when it comes to knowing our food,” Lewis observed. She reported hope, however, in potentials for repositioning the agriculture beat to include the consumer beat.

Title: The dying art of talking crop
Posted at: http://www.rrj.ca/print/247/

Progress toward a high-speed always-on agricultural marketplace.

Conferees at InfoAg 2005 heard James Conner of Agristar Global Networks Ltd. describe the current state of the Internet, the adoption of broadband and the implications of this progress for agriculture and rural America.

Title: Broadband adoption and usage
Posted at: http://www.infoag.org/conferencebuilder/programdesigner/cb_showfile.asp?matid=280&file=mtrls_connerjames.pdf

Internet connections for the price of two old tin cans.

We have added to the ACDC collection a recent African Business article describing imaginative efforts to bring cheap Internet connections to rural Uganda. Professor Victor van Reijswoud of Uganda Martyrs University engaged the skills of a local blacksmith. The blacksmith connected tin cans and a small receiver to provide a point-to-point antenna with a 10 km range, all at a cost of less than $5.

“I am an appropriate technology expert,” van Reijswoud explained, “which means you make and repair tools within your own environment.”

Title: Internet connections for the price

Communicating the perils of eating trans fats.

A race is on to inform consumers about the new rule requiring companies to list the amount of trans fats on food labels.

The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) rule became effective Jan. 1, 2006. The FDA says the fats increase the risk of heart disease. Trans fats often are found in snack and fried foods and baked goods.

Initial reaction to the rule has been mixed. The rule “allows people to identify what foods are most important to them, look at the cost to their health, then … decide what’s worth it and what’s not,” said a nutrition advisor. But a spokeswoman for Publix Super Markets in Florida said: “Even just reducing a product’s trans fat [content] might change its integrity. A cookie or a turnover still has to taste the way it’s meant to taste. That’s the obstacle.”

You can monitor related documents in the ACDC collection by using Subject search terms like “nutrition labeling” and “consumer information.”

Some sample documents:

“Questions and answers about trans fat nutrition labeling”
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/qatrans2.html

“FDA to allow temporary exemptions to trans fat labeling”
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/ng.asp?id=64374

National Restaurant Association’s regulatory comments on trans fat labeling
http://www.restaurant.org/government/comments/hs2002_12_16transfat.cfm

Twelve new research reports about agricultural communications 

They were presented at a recent conference of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists (SAAS) in Orlando, Florida. Reports touched on teaching, listening, research and practice in communicating about a variety of agricultural topics. The titles:

• “Environmental groups identify barriers to agriculture in adopting water quality BMPs [Best Management Practices].”
• “A semiotic analysis of biotechnology and food safety photographs in Time, Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report.”
• “Teaching students to write: a review of history, movements and methods.”
• “Themes, authors and citations in the Journal of Applied Communications, 2000-2004.”
• “Evaluating genetically modified food labels: a focus group study.”
• “Podcasting agriculture news.”
• “Understanding the U.S. public’s lack of knowledge about agricultural biotechnology and its implications for print media.”
• “ ‘The stuff you need out here:’ a semiotic analysis of agricultural magazine advertisements.”
• “Bridging borders: organizing short-term agricultural communication study abroad programs.”
• “Cognitive and affective responses by Lubbock Chamber of Commerce affiliates to agricultural news.”
• “Communication efforts of Florida extension agents during the 2004 hurricane season.”
• “Local marketing and promotional efforts of Florida extension agents.”

You can view these papers online at: http://agnews.tamu.edu/saas/saasproceedings.html

Communicator activities approaching

March 23-25, 2006
Spring meeting of the Agricultural Relations Council in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Information: Jeri Mattix Omernik of Rocky Mountain Marketing Communications at: jmo@rmmc.biz

April 19-21, 2006
“Jazzed!” Agri-Marketing Conference and Trade Show sponsored by the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) in Kansas City, Missouri, USA.
Information: http://www.nama.org/amc

May 8-11, 2006
“NETC 2006.” National Extension Technology Conference at Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Information: http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/netc2006/

May 14-17, 2006
“International teamwork in agricultural and extension education.” Conference of the Association for International Agricultural Education and Extension (AIAEE) in Clearwater Beach, Florida, USA.
Information: http://www.aiaee.org/pdf/2006Announce.pdf

May 21-26, 2006
“Managing agricultural information for sustainable food security and improved livelihoods in Africa.” Conference of the International Association for Agricultural Information Professionals (IAALD) in Nairobi, Kenya.
Information: http://www.asareca.org/iaald-africa

Oh, those ornery gremlins.

We end this issue of ACDC News with several examples of gremlins we have seen at work recently in agricultural writing and editing.

(Headline): “[ ] calls for hearings to look into lacks enforcement of Packers & Stockyards Act.”

(Expressing appreciation): “The authors thank [ ] for supporting this study while maintaining responsibility for any errors.”

(From a candidate for leadership of a farm organization): “I am a teem player, trust me.”

Best regards and good searching.

When you see interesting items you cannot find locally or online, get in touch with us at docctr@library.uiuc.edu. Tell us the titles and/or document numbers. We will help you gain access.

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions and ideas for the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents we might add to this unique collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Com Documentation Center, 510 LIAC, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801) or electronic form at docctr@library.uiuc.edu

March, 2006

Are nano-foods a great hope? Or a next round of the “frankenfood” debate?

Nano-rice, nano-cheese and hundreds of other food and nutrition products containing microscopic-scale additives are in the research stage, according to a report by John Feffer of AlterNet, a project of the Independent Media Institute. He examined potentials of this new science, including possibilities for stirring public distrust over health and safety concerns.

“… with often unlabeled products in a largely unregulated environment, nano might fall into the same trust gap.”

Title: The evolution of frankenfoods?
Posted at: http://www.alternet.org/module/printversion/23534

On images: “Frankenfood” most clever. “Factory farming” most powerful.

In a recent column, Dan Murphy observed that the phrase “factory farming” has entered the popular lexicon, “becoming in some journalistic quarters an ill-informed synonym for all of modern agriculture.” He offered two suggestions for U.S. livestock breeders, feeders, packers and processors:

•  Evolve toward more “enlightened” technologies related to livestock.
•  Change the terminology, perhaps to “managed production” as a better way to encompass the science, technology and animal husbandry inherent in raising cattle, pigs or chickens for food.

Title: Tearing down the “factory farm” fallacy
Archived 1/20/2006, at: http://archives.foodsafetynetwork.ca/animalnet-archives.htm

When the government contracts for information services.

A recent issue of ACDC News reported some concerns about government agencies (U.S. Department of Agriculture among them) hiring ghostwriters and freelancers. This matter touches on a related subject of contracts awarded by government agencies to public relations and advertising firms. You can see a list of USDA contracts/purchase orders awarded to public relations and advertising firms during 2001-2005 at:

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_10B?contentidonly=true&contentid=foia_orders.xml

“I feel that we as taxpayers are best served when the programs that have been funded for our public good are effectively utilized,”

Observed Warren Clark of CCI Marketing in a note to the Center. He called attention to case examples involving support for programs of the USDA rural development agency, including a branding effort, expansion of broadband and Internet service, and expansion of ethanol production in rural America. For your information, here are reports of two USDA media relations programs supported through contracts with commercial firms:

Branding change: USDA Rural Development battles lack of awareness
Posted at: http://www.agrimarketing.com/show_story.php?id=32042

Horizon Organic USDA organic standards media relations program
Posted at: http://www.accesspr.com/horizonorganic.html

USDA guidelines for quality of information.

You can view current USDA policy statements, including references to use of commercial sources, at sites such as:

USDA Quality of Information Guidelines
Posted at: http://www.ocio.usda.gov/qi_guide/index.html

Broadcast Media and Technology Policy
Posted at: http://www.ocio.usda.gov/directives/files/dr/DR1490-001.htm

How governments can help harness information for development.

A 1996 proposal to the World Bank by Eduardo Talero and Philip Gaudette identified five areas in which governments can help harness information technologies in developing countries:

•  Improve government efficiency, including better flows of information.
•  Set fair rules of the game.
•  Act as a catalyst in infrastructure projects to overcome barriers and meet the information needs of their societies.
•  Push the education agenda.
•  Jump start the private sector.

The authors cited examples of such efforts in nine countries.

Title: Harnessing information for development
Posted at: http://www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/harnessing/index.html

We face intimidating language barriers.

The Agricultural Communications Documentation Center contains information about agriculture-related communicating in more than 100 countries. However, most of the information is in English. We are sensitive, then, to the huge gaps in our coverage. Vikas Nath has described some of the language barriers facing efforts to close such gaps.

“Every day over two million pages are added to the Internet but there is very small content representation on the Net in the vernacular languages of the Southern countries. Statistics point out that over 85 percent of the content on the Net is in English, fewer than one in 10 people worldwide speak that language.”

Title: Heralding ICT enabled knowledge societies
Posted at: http://www.cddc.vt.edu/knownet/articles/heralding.htm

Communicator activities approaching

March 6-8, 2006
“Practice change for sustainable communities.” Conference of the Australasia-Pacific Extension Network (APEN) in Beechworth, Victoria, Australia.
Information: http://www.apen.org.au/

March 23-25, 2006
Spring meeting of the Agricultural Relations Council in Memphis, Tennessee.
Information: Jeri Mattix Omernik of Rocky Mountain Marketing Communications at: jmo@rmmc.biz

April 19-21, 2006
“Jazzed!” Agri-Marketing Conference and Trade Show sponsored by the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) in Kansas City, Missouri, USA.
Information: http://www.nama.org/amc

Opera-loving sheep grow golden fleeces.

An Australian flock of merino sheep has produced a bale of the world’s finest wool, with help from opera. According to a recent Reuters news report, an Italian designer bought the bale for $232,500 (Australian) – or 357 times the normal market price for wool. Is that what one could call “value-added?”

According to the report, this special flock in New South Wales is kept mostly indoors in small groups. The sheep listen to music, including Italian opera and recordings of Italian singer Andrea Bocelli. They are fed a secret diet of grains and specially grown hay.

Title: Operatic Aussie sheep
Archived 1/26/2006 at: http://archives.foodsafetynetwork.ca/animalnet-archives.htm

Best regards, good searching – and keep singing.

When you see interesting items you cannot find locally or online, get in touch with us at docctr@library.uiuc.edu. Tell us the titles and/or document numbers. We will help you gain access.

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions and ideas for the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communication documents we might add to this unique collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Com Documentation Center, 510 LIAC, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801) or electronic form at docctr@library.uiuc.edu.

February, 2006

On farmers knowing less and less. 

Industrialization of agriculture and other forces are boosting concerns about farmers knowing less and less in the scheme of things. For example, concerned observers note that increasingly, producers understand less about a total process and become more dependent on the few who understand it as a whole.

A growing body of literature about this issue often speaks in terms of the “deskilling” of farmers and loss and underuse of “traditional knowledge.” You can track some of this interaction by conducting Subject searches in the ACDC database, using terms such as deskilling and traditional knowledge. Here are a few sample documents that include references to farmer deskilling:

The impact of agricultural biotechnology on social cohesion
Posted at: http://www.genomecanada.ca/ge3ls2005/proceedings/06_03.asp

Biotechnology and agricultural skilling in India
Posted at: http://law.wustl.edu/centeris/confpapers/stone.html

Opening spaces through relocalization: locating potential resistance

“I am at a loss about where to begin.” 

This college student who contacted us recently was preparing a speech on the topic: “Agriculture and the media: how should our story be told?” We may have overwhelmed her with suggestions because rural-urban communicating and media coverage of agriculture are strong suits in the ACDC collection.

Here are some of the terms we suggested for an online Subject search, using the Database Search page of the ACDC Web site:
“rural-urban communication”
“media effectiveness”
“media relations”

Are we blowing food safety out of proportion?

Jon Bell, chief executive of the Food Standards Agency, United Kingdom, recently said he does not believe so. Presenting the Society of Food Hygiene Technology Annual Lecture, he used three case studies to illustrate how the Agency is approaching food safety issues:

• BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) or mad cow disease in cattle
• Sudan 1, a non-approved red azo dye that has turned up in some imported spices and oils
• South Wales E.coli outbreak

Title: Are we blowing food safety out of proportion?
Posted at: http://www.foodstandards.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/societyhygienelecture2005.pdf

Clear Channel defends remote news.

That headline topped an event summary we added recently from the Institute of Rural Journalism and Community Issues, University of Kentucky. The summary covered a panel discussion at the 2005 annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Two executives of Clear Channel Communications and a University of Colorado faculty member took part.

The discussion touched on a 2004 instance in which the central production hub system used by Clear Channel resulted in late coverage of important local news (including forest fires and weather warnings) by an unnamed Clear Channel radio station. Executives of the group placed blame not on the system but on poor program execution at the station. One executive noted that “any one of the company’s 900-plus local program directors can decide what stories go on the air.” They also cited advantages of the hub concept.

Title: Clear Channel defends remote news
Posted at: http://www.uky.edu/CommInfoStudies/irjci/ruralradio.htm

Agricultural journalism has come of age in the Philippines

According to a news report we added recently, Reporter Rudy A. Fernandez cited examples of ways in which agricultural journalism has become “a big plus factor in the country’s efforts to push farther the frontiers of national development.” A professional organization, the Philippine Agricultural Journalists Inc., has contributed in this process, according to the report.

Title: Agri journalism in RP comes of age 
Posted at: http://www.newsflash.org/2004/02/ht/ht005599.htm

How you can gain access to documents. 

When you search the ACDC collection you should be aware that it often can serve you mainly as an alert system – a starting point. For a variety of reasons, citations often will not give you full-text electronic access. For example, they may have been published under copyright or prior to digital formatting. So here are some strategies you can use to gain access to documents you identify through your ACDC searches:

• Check the “Notes” section of the citation. Sometimes/Increasingly we can provide URLs that link you to the full-text document.
• Check to see if your local library or reference center subscribes to the journal involved or has the book or report on the shelf.
• Try title searches on search engines such as Google.

No luck finding them locally or online? 

Please send us the titles and document numbers. All are available here in the Center or elsewhere within the University of Illinois Library, so we can help you gain access to them. Depending on the number and size of documents, copyright regulations and other factors, we may be able to scan them for electronic transmission or photocopy them for delivery to you by mail or fax. Services such as these are available on a cost-recovery basis. You may be able to borrow books of interest through interlibrary loan services.

Communicator activities approaching

February 15-16, 2006
“Food Labelling Conference 2006” in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Organized by the Dutch Ministry for Health, Welfare and Sport and the Food Standards Agency ( United Kingdom ) with support of the European Commission. Features presentations from the food manufacturing, food retail, consumer and small business perspectives.
Information: http://www.foodstandards.gov.uk/foodlabelling/rotterdam/

March 1, 2006
Registrations due for the 2006 conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education in Clearwater, Florida, May 14-17, 2006.
Information: http://www.aiaee.org/pdf/2006announce.pdf

March 6-8, 2006
“Practice change for sustainable communities.” Conference of the Australasia-Pacific Extension Network (APEN) in Beechworth, Victoria, Australia.
Information: http://www.apen.org.au/

March 23-25, 2006
Spring meeting of the Agricultural Relations Council in Memphis, Tennessee.
Information: Jeri Mattix Omernik of Rocky Mountain Marketing Communications at: jmo@rmmc.biz

Some rural computer language.

We close this issue of ACDC News with a few computer terms featuring rural definitions that roam the Web.

Download: Getting the firewood off the pickup
Mega Hertz: When you are not careful downloading
Hard drive: Getting home in mud seasons
Byte: What black flies do
Main frame: The part of the barn that holds the roof up

Title: Humor 153: rural computer language
Posted at: http://www.ptg.org/pipermail/humor/1997-July/000062.html

Best regards and good searching.

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions and ideas for the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communication documents we might add to this unique collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Com Documentation Center, 510 LIAC, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801 ) or electronic form at docctr@library.uiuc.edu.

February, 2006

The fog started to burn off.

Robert Derham observed that phenomenon several months ago during the BioValley Green Biotech Event in France.

The auditorium vibrated with exciting research reports and proposals, Derham explained, while subdiscussions broke out about concerns, such as how transgenic research was being misunderstood and politicians were not helping. Nothing cleared the fog, however, until one of the speakers “offered a paradigm shift.”

“You have to take the time to communicate to the public,” said the speaker. “If we don’t, the activists will.”

“And with that,” Derham observed, “people settled back into their chairs and side conversations almost immediately ceased – the fog of doubt and disbelief had abruptly cleared the room.”

Citation: Communicate to the public
Archived October 24, 2005, at: http://archives.foodsafetynetwork.ca/agnet-archives.htm

Update on U.S. public sentiment about genetically modified (GM) food.

During November the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology reported results of the fourth (2005) comprehensive survey involving a national sample of American consumers. Among the findings:

• Americans continue to know relatively little about GM foods and biotechnology.
• Awareness of transgenic animals is quite low and people are opposed to research into genetic modification of animals.
• Consumers most strongly support GM uses designed to protect against disease.
• Although consumers know little about the potential importation of GM products from abroad, they favor American regulation.
• Consumers strongly believe that ethical and moral considerations should be part of the animal cloning regulatory equation.

Citation: Public sentiment about genetically modified food: November 2005 update
Summary posted at: http://pewagbiotech.org/research/2005update

Communicating about avian flu. 

Given the global threat of avian/bird flu, we are beginning to actively scout for documents about public perceptions, media coverage and other communication aspects of this issue. You can monitor the ACDC collection by using the Subject search term, avian flu. Here are samples of documents being added to the collection:

Infectious diseases
Posted at: http://www.pollingreport.com/health3.htm

Avian flu pandemic could be massive disaster and few are noticing
Posted at: http://www.jsonline.com/bym/invest/may05/322853.asp?format=print

Superb flu pandemic risk communication: a role model from Australia
Posted at: http://www.psandman.com/col/abbott.htm

Consumer group calls on federal government to calm fears, criticizes animal rights groups for fueling needless panic
Posted at: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?acct=104&story=/www/story/11-08-2005/0004210594&edate=

Legacy of farming methods comes home to roost
Posted at: http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/legacy-of-farming-methods-comes-home-to-roos/2005/12/04/1133631143093.html

To help strengthen this new and important part of the ACDC collection, please send us documents about the communication aspects of avian flu, or refer us to them. Thank you.

Covering the meth epidemic in rural America.

A special report from the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues describes efforts by nearly two dozen newspapers and broadcast stations to report on the complexity, severity, and personal and social fallout of methamphetamine abuse in rural areas. One reporter was cited as adding to her coverage with a poem titled “Ms. Crystal Meth.” It concluded:

Now that you’ve met me
What will you do?
Will you try me or not?
It’s all up to you.
I can show you more misery
Than words can tell.
Come, take my hand.
Let me lead you to Hell.

Citation: Special report: Covering the meth epidemic in rural America
Posted at: http://www.uky.edu/CommInfoStudies/IRJCI/reports/reportsmeth.htm

Communicator activities approaching

March 1, 2006
Registrations due for the 2006 conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education in Clearwater, Florida, May 14-17, 2006.
Information: http://www.aiaee.org/pdf/2006announce.pdf

March 6-8, 2006
“Practice change for sustainable communities.” Conference of the Australasia-Pacific Extension Network (APEN) in Beechworth, Victoria, Australia.
Information: http://www.apen.org.au/

March 23-25, 2006
Spring meeting of the Agricultural Relations Council in Memphis, Tennessee.
Information: Jeri Mattix Omernik of Rocky Mountain Marketing Communications at: jmo@rmmc.biz

“Things my mother taught me.”

In closing, we pass along to you these food-and-farm insights from Annabelle who posted them on Fortune City:

My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
“If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up.”

My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
“Shut your mouth and eat your supper.”

My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
“Close that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?”

Reference: http://members.fortunecity.com/panforum/compend/c050118.html

Best regards and good searching.

When you see interesting items you cannot find locally or online, get in touch with us at docctr@library.uiuc.edu. Tell us the titles and/or document numbers. We will help you gain access.

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions and ideas for the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communication documents we might add to this unique collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Com Documentation Center, 510 LIAC, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801) or electronic form at docctr@library.uiuc.edu .

 January, 2006

Happy New Year.

Welcome to this first 2006 issue of news from the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center. If you are new to ACDC News, we hope you find it interesting and useful.

Our basic mission continues:

Work hard to be a valuable resource for better communicating about agriculture, food, natural resources and related endeavors of societies worldwide.

Mixed messages about tomatoes-for-health claims.

How is this for a mixed message, pointed out in a recent Boston Globe article?

• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently ruled that food companies can tell consumers that eating as little as one-half cup of tomatoes and tomato-based products weekly reduces the risk of prostate cancer.
• However, companies must also tell consumers the FDA does not believe the science behind that message.

Citation: It’s good for you, but …
Posted at: www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2005/11/30/its_good_for_you_but?mode=PF

Three new songs promote 4-H in Canada.

Three original songs by a country rock band are helping promote 4-H in Ontario, Canada, as part of a 90th anniversary celebration of the youth organization. These new songs reflect the “Learning To Do By Doing” motto of 4-H:
“I Am Home”
“Four Good Reasons”
“Giving Back”

All members of the group, called The GMOs, have either been 4-H members or associated with 4-H. “We all drew on our positive experiences to help bring the songs together,” explained GMO drummer and co-founder Len Kahn.

Citation: 4-H Ontario commissions three original songs
Posted at: http://www.4-hontario.ca/press2.cfm?documentid=3694

Empowering women farmers with information.

The Agricultural Communications Documentation Center recently added documents to its collection that highlight information programs for women farmers in Uganda and The Ukraine. These documents further enhance the extensive Center collection about communications in the lives and activities of women farmers globally.

In Uganda, women are using an interactive CD-Rom to become better farmers, according to the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC). “The CD gives advice on ways to improve yields from crops and livestock, how to market what is produced, and helps the farmers think about new products they can make and sell.” The information tool is available in Uganda ‘s local languages.

Meanwhile, in The Ukraine, a project responds to women farmers “who identified lack of information as the major obstacle to becoming successful entrepreneurs in a new market economy.” The project provides the farmers with computer training and Internet access at eight “telecentres,” where they obtain a variety of agricultural information.

Citation: Ugandan women farmers go hi-tech 
Posted at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sci/tech/2078444.stm

Citation: A CD-Rom for Rural Women in Africa 
Posted at: http://www.wougnet.org/News/cdupdate.html

Citation: Sustaining women farmers in Ukraine
Posted at: http://www.undp.org/info21/pilot/pi-ukr.html

“My stab at a couple of new word/terms.” 

Thanks to Chuck Zimmerman of ZimmComm for sending these timely agri-terms:

Agriblogging – Posting agricultural information that includes links to various kinds of media content like audio, images, documents and video on a Weblog.

Farm podcasting – Making audio and/or video files that contain farm information available for Web access subscription via an RSS feed that allows the subscribers to capture the file on their computers and digital audio/video players.

ZimmComm is doing both agriblogging and farm podcasting on several sites, including AgWired at http://www.agwired.com

Encouraging words we appreciate.

Thanks to all who shared with us reactions such as these during recent months, along with suggestions about how to make the Center more useful:

• “I appreciate your quick response to my question.”
• “This is very helpful. Thank you!”
• “You have a tremendous database.”
• “Once again, thank you so much for the contacts.”
• “Thanks for producing ACDC News. A great service to agricultural communications.”
• “Your database has been a wonderful tool in my work.”
• “Have put your Web site in my Favorites file!”

Communicator activities approaching

February 1, 2006
The Agricultural Communicators in Education Research SIG issued a Call for Graduate Student Award Competitions (research proposal, outstanding thesis, and outstanding dissertation). The calls are located on the Research SIG Web site (http://www.aceweb.org/sigs/research/new.html ), which includes award submission guidelines, scoring rubrics, and direct links to all three online submission portals. Award winners will be announced at the ACE Annual International Meeting in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Please forward this information to colleagues and graduate students. 

February 4-8, 2006
Annual meeting and conference of the Agricultural Communications Section, Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists (SAAS), in Orlando, Florida.
Information: http://www.saasinc.org/orlando2006/orlando_mainpage.asp

March 1, 2006
Registrations due for the 2006 conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education in Clearwater, Florida, May 14-17, 2006.
Information: http://www.aiaee.org/pdf/2006announce.pdf

March 6-8, 2006
“Practice change for sustainable communities.” Conference of the Australasia-Pacific Extension Network (APEN) in Beechworth, Victoria, Australia.
Information: http://www.apen.org.au/

March 23-25, 2006
Spring meeting of the Agricultural Relations Council in Memphis, Tennessee.
Information: Jeri Mattix Omernik of Rocky Mountain Marketing Communications at: jmo@rmmc.biz

Please let us know if you would rather not receive ACDC News.

Information technology – a channel to narcissism? 

This challenging question emerged from a rural case study reported in Management Communication Quarterly. Through four years of discourse analysis, researcher Shev Ganesh examined the role and use of information and communication technology (ICT) within an India-headquartered non-governmental organization devoted to rural development.

Discourse revealed a change of focus for an online ICT system, DVLINK, which the organization established. “Tracing the development of DVLINK is interesting because it documents a process where the initial emphasis was on the needs of other organizations, to a state where emphasis was on DV’s own needs.” Focus shifted to “preservation and enhancement of the organization’s own capabilities, with little attention to larger questions of ethics and accountability.”

Let us know if you have seen other studies or examples of this phenomenon.

Reference: Organizational narcissism

Considerably more attention to labeling.

Labeling is clearly a growth area in agricultural communication literature. The ACDC collection now contains more than 450 documents about labeling, most of them published within the past decade. What began in this collection as primarily information about pesticide labeling has shifted during the years to other kinds of labeling, such as:

• Nutrition labeling
• Labeling of organic food
• Labeling of genetically modified food
• Country of origin labeling (COOL) of food products
• Systems for tracking origins, locations and inventories of food products (for example, Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems)

We welcome your help in identifying and gathering articles, reports and other documents about labeling, as related to food and agriculture.

Reference: On the ACDC Database Search page, conduct Subject searches using terms such as:
<Labeling>; <RFID>; <organic labeling>; <COOL>; and <biotechnology labeling>.

Junk the jargon.

Nalaka Gunawardene, director of the non-profit organization, TVE Asia Pacific, offered that advice recently to those involved in development.

“…development workers speak in jargon, using countless acronyms that obfuscate rather than communicate,” he observed. “Scientists, who often complain that the public does not understand their work, tend to make exactly the same mistake – with similar results.”

“We just need to better engage the human beings we are trying to empower.”

Reference: Simpler words are needed 
Posted on the Science and Development Network at:
http://www.scidev.net/content/editorials/eng/simpler-words-are-needed-to-get-mdg-message-across.cfm

Great need for cancer information in rural areas.

A 2005 article in the Journal of Health Communication reported the results of research among residents and physicians in rural Kansas. Authors concluded: “There is a great need for widespread dissemination of cancer information resources in rural areas.”

Reference: Cancer information needs in rural areas

Who will speak up for modern agriculture? 

Gary Truitt of Brownfield Network raised that question recently in Farm World. He argued that “agriculture needs some popular books that tell the true story of modern agriculture. This is not a ‘how your food is produced’ book, but one that explains to people that they will live longer, eat better, and enjoy a more profitable and sustainable world thanks to modern agriculture, technology, and the farm families who use it.”

Reference: Who will speak up

Communicator activities approaching

January 6, 2006
Deadline for proposing presentations, panel discussions, workshops or posters to be presented at the 2006 National Extension Technology Conference (NETC), University of Florida, Gainesville, May 8-11.
Information: http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/netc2006

February 4-8, 2006
Annual meeting and conference of the Agricultural Communications Section, Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists (SAAS), in Orlando, Florida.
Information: http://www.saasinc.org/orlando2006/orlando_mainpage.asp

March 1, 2006
Registrations due for the 2006 conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education in Clearwater, Florida, May 14-17, 2006.
Information: http://www.aiaee.org/pdf/2006announce.pdf

March 6-8, 2006
“Practice change for sustainable communities.” Conference of the Australasia-Pacific Extension Network (APEN) in Beechworth, Victoria, Australia.
Information: http://www.apen.org.au/

March 23-25, 2006
Spring meeting of the Agricultural Relations Council in Memphis, Tennessee.
Information: Jeri Mattix Omernik of Rocky Mountain Marketing Communications at: jmo@rmmc.biz

Other needed agri-words? 

Thanks to a kind reader who alerted us to several possibilities among the 2005 winners of The Washington Post Mensa Invitational. This mental exercise involves taking any word from the dictionary, altering it by adding, subtracting or changing one letter, and supplying a new definition. We close this issue with a few potential agri-words from the Mensa Invitational:

Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
Caterpallor: The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you are eating.

Can you add others? If so, let us know.

Posted at various sites, including: http://members.fortunecity.com/panforum/compend/c050118.html

When you see interesting items you cannot find online or locally

Get in touch with us at docctr@library.uiuc.edu. Tell us the titles and/or document numbers. We will help you gain access.

Best regards and good searching. 

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions, and ideas for ACDC. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communication documents we might add to this unique collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Com Documentation Center, 510 LIAC, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801) or electronic form at docctr@library.uiuc.edu.

December, 2005

Lots of literature about plant transgenic science.

According to an analysis of CAB Abstracts and ISI Web of Science, 30,624 articles or other records were published about plant transgenic science between 1973 and 2003. Of these:

• 4,545 focused on the development of plant transgenic technology
• 21,843 focused on the applications of those technologies
• 4,236 focused on the development of genetically modified (GM) crops

Researcher Philippe Vain also analyzed trends in the number of articles (a) over time and (b) by region of the world.

Reference: Published literature on plant transgenic science
Posted at: http://www.merid.org/fs-agbiotech/more.php?ts=20051107175351

How much literature about the communication aspects of biotechnology? 

Researcher Philippe Vain’s findings (above), published in Food Security and Ag-Biotech News from the Meridian Institute, did not show numbers to answer that question. We might report, however, that the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center now contains more than 1,300 articles and reports about communications, as related to agricultural and food biotechnology. Moreover, we feel this total only scratches the surface of literature published about this vital dimension of a timely topic.

Reference: You can identify these documents via the Online Search page. Conduct a Subject search on the term “biotechnology.”

When youngsters choose broccoli over chocolate. 

It happens, according to Sesame Workshop, when Elmo of “Sesame Street” promotes broccoli. A preliminary report of research indicated that one-half of the observed pre-schoolers chose broccoli over chocolate when the broccoli had an Elmo sticker on it. Only about one in four youngsters chose broccoli over chocolate with no character stickers.

Reference: Atkins funds study of veggie-character connection
Posted at: http://promomagazine.com/research/atkins_elmo_092105

Ghostwriters and freelancers promoting government programs.

We have added to the ACDC collection two mid-2005 reports about government agencies that have stirred concerns by hiring ghostwriters and freelancers.

“EPA: Agency hires PR firm to ghostwrite articles.” Posted at: http://www.eenews.net/index.php. Search by title.
This report from Environment and Energy Publishing describes a five-year, $5 million contract between a public relations firm and the Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The firm will “ghostwrite articles ‘for publication in scholarly journals and magazines.'” “Appalling,” according to the editor of Science magazine.

“Agriculture Department paid freelance writer to promote conservation.” Posted at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20050511-1529-paidfreelancer.html
“The Agriculture Department paid a freelance writer to produce stories promoting the agency’s conservation efforts and then offer the articles to hunting and fishing magazines.” A Department spokesman said the Department is working on a formal policy on the issue. “We don’t think that paying journalists to promote government programs is a proper use of funds.”

Moving specialty meats beyond niche markets. 

A recent analysis involving bison meat revealed some problems in trying to do so. E. William Nganje and associates analyzed how consumers and bison processors perceived the risk associated with eating bison meat. Survey data identified gaps in the risk perception of those two groups and highlighted “difficulties in moving specialty meats beyond niche markets.”

Reference: Multinomial logit models comparing consumers

Renewal of rural community radio in Africa.

“Rural broadcasting is experiencing a renewal, thanks to a new generation of broadcasters, improvements in technology that are slashing operating costs, and government policies that are relinquishing the airwaves to local communities and the private sector.” So reported researcher Helen Hambly, International Service for National Agricultural Research (ISNAR), in a news feature we added recently to the ACDC collection. Uganda, for example, now has more than 70 new FM radio stations, many of them community operated and broadcasting in local languages.

Hambly said she believes a window of opportunity now exists to use radio to bring news and information about sustainable agriculture to millions of people previously beyond the reach of government extension services.

Reference: In Africa communication means radio
Posted at: http://www.isnar.cgiar.org/activities/PrintVersion.cfm?I=2597&P=1

Agricultural communicator activities approaching

January 6, 2006
Deadline for proposing presentations, panel discussions, workshops or posters to be presented at the 2006 National Extension Technology Conference (NETC), University of Florida, Gainesville, May 8-11.
Information: http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/netc2006

February 4-8, 2006
Annual meeting and conference of the Agricultural Communications Section, Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists (SAAS), in Orlando, Florida.
Information: http://www.saasinc.org/orlando2006/orlando_mainpage.asp

March 1-3, 2006
Members of the Midwest Region, Cooperative Communicators Association, join with the Missouri Association of Publications in the second annual Publishing Summit in Columbia, Missouri USA.
Information: Gail Miller at gmiller@growmark.com

March 6-8, 2006
“Practice change for sustainable communities.” Conference of the Australasia-Pacific Extension Network (APEN) at Beechworth, Victoria, Australia.
Information: http://www.apen.org.au

March 23-25, 2006
Spring meeting of the Agricultural Relations Council in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Information: Jeri Mattics Omernik of Rocky Mountain Marketing Communications at jmo@rmmc.biz

Perils of rural campaigning.

We close this issue of ACDC News with a report from the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

The candidate stumping for Congress was loud in his reasons why his rural audience should vote for him.

“As a practical farmer myself, I am one of you,” he boasted. “I can plow, harvest, shoe horses, milk cows and the like. Indeed, I should like any of you to mention one thing about a farm I cannot do.”
A momentary silence was impressive until a voice in the rear inquired, “Can you lay an egg?”

When you see interesting items you cannot find online or locally

Get in touch with us at docctr@library.uiuc.edu. Tell us the titles and/or document numbers. We will help you gain access.

Best regards and good searching. 

Please pass along your reactions, suggestions, and ideas for ACDC. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communication documents we might add to this unique collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Com Documentation Center, 510 LIAC, 1101 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801) or electronic form at docctr@library.uiuc.edu.

December, 2005