Analysis of selected factors associated with participation of Iowa young farmers in agricultural extension programs
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The Department of Agricultural Education and Studies was formed in 1989 as a result of the merger of the Department of Agricultural Education with the Department of Agricultural Studies. Its focus includes two these fields: agricultural education leading to teacher-certification or outreach communication; and agricultural studies leading to production agriculture or other agricultural industries.
History
The Department of Agricultural Education and Studies was formed in 1989 from the merger of the Department of Agricultural Education and the Department of Agricultural Studies.
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1989–present
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- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (parent college)
- Department of Agricultural Education (predecessor, 1911–1989)
- Department of Agricultural Studies (predecessor)
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Abstract
The primary purpose of this study was to determine and analyze selected factors associated with awareness and participation of young farmers in agricultural extension activities. A secondary purpose of the study was to determine perceptions held by young farmers regarding various agricultural programs offered by the Cooperative Extension Service (CES). The study revealed information regarding the characteristics, types of contact and participation in agricultural extension activities, and needs of Iowa young farmers;The population of the study was the membership (400) of the Iowa Young Farmers Educational Association (IYFEA). A total of 102 members of IYFEA completed the questionnaires. A survey instrument was developed by the researcher and used to collect the data. A five-point Likert scale was used for the first part of the questionnaire. Descriptive statistical procedures of the subprogram for Statistical Package for Social Science was used to analyze and summarize the data. The reliability of the survey instrument was tested and an alpha score of .94 was obtained for the entire instrument on the following scales: importance of planning, program areas and extension method;The major findings of the study were: (1) the majority of the respondents had participated in meetings sponsored by the CES, (2) nearly three-fourths of the respondents indicated that they were satisfied or very satisfied with services/information provided by the CES, (3) the mean importance rating of all planning activities were all above 3.00, ranging from 3.44 to 4.15, (4) topics related to agribusiness education received a rating of 4 or higher, and (5) the highest rated extension methods were local community meetings, newspapers, and county meetings;The results of this study suggested that the CES should increase the involvement of young farmers in planning and conducting educational programs. More emphasis should be placed on the educational topics with the highest priority such as marketing, financial planning, and production management.