The document discusses the history and evolution of agricultural communication and media from the 1800s to present day. It outlines key milestones such as the establishment of land grant colleges in 1862, the creation of the cooperative extension service in 1914, and the rise of radio and television broadcasts starting in the 1920s. The document also examines current trends in agricultural media including the growth of podcasts and use of digital platforms and social media by organizations to communicate with farmers.

2. 3 Cs of Media Convergence
• Computing
• Communications
• Content

3. LAYING THE FOUNDATION
• Shared farm and home information to rural areas.
• Traced back to 1800’s in the U.S.
• Those in the profession were often influential leaders in agriculture.
• In the 1900’s the craft became a highly competitive industry.
• Movies and radio was not seen as a threat to agricultural publications in the
1920’s.
(Tucker, Whaley, & Cano, 2003)

4. LAYING THE FOUNDATION
• The 1980’s saw a dramatic downturn in the farm economy.
• Farm audiences dwindled for farm publications.
• Consolidation of farm publications.
• Discussion of ag communicators ability to report on controversial topics.
(Tucker, Whaley, & Cano, 2003)

5. 21st CENTURY PREPARATION
• Private and public sectors.
• Training to address complex issues:
• Controversial contemporary issues
• Food Safety
• Environmental Conservation
• GM of plants and animals
• Who is our audience in these issues and what mediums do we use?

7. Agricultural Education
• Agricultural Education as early as
1607.
• Native Americans teaching colonists
how to produce crops.

8. Land Grant Institutions
• 1862 Morrill Act:
• Land Grant Colleges
• Focused on agriculture and
mechanical arts

9. Extension- Research
• Hatch Act 1887
• One experiment station at each Land
Grant institution.

10. 1890 Institutions
• Morrill Act of 1890
• Designated 19 colleges as land grant
institutions.
• Others prove that race was not admissions
criteria
• Alabama A&M University
• Alcorn State University
• Central State University
• Delaware State University
• Florida A&M University
• Fort Valley State University
• Kentucky State University
• Langston University
• Lincoln University
• North Carolina A&T State
University
• Prairie View A&M
University
• South Carolina State
University
• Southern University
System
• Tennessee State
University
• Tuskegee University
• University of Arkansas
Pine Bluff
• University of Maryland
Eastern Shore
• Virginia State University
• West Virginia State
University

12. Cooperative Extension
• 1914 the Smith-Lever Act:
• Created Cooperative Extension
Service.

13. Extension Communication
• Topics:
• Crops
• Livestock
• General Ag
• Horticulture
• Ag Mechanics
• Economics
• Phone calls
• Bulletins/Newsletters
• Demonstrations/Instruction

15. Commodity Organizations
• Agricultural commodities:
• staple crops
• animals produced or raised on farms
or plantations
• Represent their respective
industries.

16. Checkoff Programs
• Checkoff (research and promotion)
programs:
• provide research and information
without reference to specific producers
or brands
• Some are mandatory, others are
voluntary.

18. Looking Back
• 1915- first radio broadcast of weather and crop reports
• 1920- first regular agricultural radio broadcast began
• 1921- first vocal broadcast—weather report
• 1921- first daily program for farmers
• 1922- first radio commercial
• 1923- first full-time farm broadcaster, Frank Mullion, took the air

19. Broadcast Today
• By 2000, agricultural media in the U.S. had exploded. The main sources of ag
media that year:
• 101 agricultural newspapers
• 432 magazines
• 1,001 AM stations
• 745 FM stations
• 12 state and 3 regional radio networks
• 3 television stations

21. Podcasts
• According to 2018 data from Edison Research:
• 44% of Americans have listened to a podcast
• 26% of Americans listen to podcasts monthly
• 33% of Americans ages 25-54 listen to podcasts monthly

22. Podcasts
• Versatile
• Accessible
• The decline in Farm Radio has given rise to new technologies:
• Satellite
• Podcasts

24. Looking Back
• 1950s- number of tv stations were increasing
• 1951- first regular farm tv show began

25. Television
• Uses both sight and sound
• Farm- primarily morning hours and weekends
• Most ag companies do not invest much into tv commercials
• Satellite TV dominates the farm tv category.

26. Communication Specialist
• The Communications Specialist
should be a motivated individual with
a passion for agriculture and should
work well alone or in teams.
• You are expected to serve a number
of different roles.
• Expected Skills:
• Digital development
• Web design
• E-publications,
• Virtual events
• Online video
• Mobile applications
• Podcasting
• Social media

28. Why I Farm
• Website
• Blog
• SM
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Video
• YouTube
• Vimeo

29. American’s Farmers: Bayer Fund
• Website
• Social Media
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Video
• YouTube
• Media Kits

30. Harvest Public Media
• Website
• SM
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Video
• YouTube
• Podcast
• Broadcast
• KCUR 89.3

31. U.S. Farmers & Ranchers
• Website
• SM
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Video
• YouTube
• Newsletter