{"id":9245,"date":"2016-08-10T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-08-10T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress-dev.library.illinois.edu\/funkaces\/16_08\/"},"modified":"2018-03-04T02:22:39","modified_gmt":"2018-03-04T02:22:39","slug":"16_08","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/funkaces\/16_08\/","title":{"rendered":"ACDC News – Issue 16-08"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Talking about agriculture \u2013 or listening to consumers? <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Both approaches are important, but the latter are more so. Agricultural economists Andrew and Paul W. Barkley offered that perspective in their recent book, <\/span> Depolarizing food and agriculture: an economic approach <\/em> . Their analysis prompted them to conclude: <\/span><\/p>\n

“Educating others about agriculture provides new information and knowledge. In a market-based economy, however, the only source of prosperity is providing consumers with what they desire. \u2026 Therefore, economic theory and analysis suggest that the flow of information from consumers to producers may be more important than providing consumers with knowledge about agriculture.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

You can read the description and other information about the book here <\/a> . Please contact us at <\/span> docctr@library.illinois.edu <\/a> for help in gaining access by inter-library loan, or for selective searching. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Update on adoption of agricultural innovations <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Adoption of agricultural innovations stands among the topics of highest interest in the ACDC collection. We have collected nearly 2,400 documents about this subject. They date back 110 years – to 1906 when the innovations involved farmer adoption of telephone service and creation of rural free delivery of mail. <\/span><\/p>\n

Our latest addition is an update by Professor Philip Pardey, University of Minnesota. His presentation at the 2016 USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum included data from 1930-2010 involving U.S. corn growers\u2019 adoption of hybrid seed, nitrogen, herbicides, insecticides and irrigation. His presentation also featured global trends and challenges in public and private funding for agricultural research <\/span><\/p>\n

You can view his presentation here <\/a> . <\/span><\/p>\n

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Is public relations without a future? <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Yes — if organizations fail to guard against the ravages of spin. Researchers offered that perspective from southern Africa in the journal, <\/span> Sociology Mind <\/em> . They cautioned against: <\/span><\/p>\n