Determining Effective Communication Strategies Used by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension to Educate the Uninformed, Uninvolved Public

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of communication strategies currently used by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension in reaching the portion of the population that is uninformed about and uninvolved in agriculture. Data for this study were collected using an online, self-administered survey instrument. Respondents were gathered using volunteer recruitment and an online snowball technique. The target population for this study included all who are not extensively familiar with or involved in agriculture, specifically Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, as determined by Section One of the survey instrument. Three-hundred and twenty-one surveys were completed; of those, one-hundred and ninety-five qualified as part of the uninformed, uninvolved public and were analyzed. Data were collected in three difference sections of the survey instrument: (1) eligibility questionnaire, (2) preference questionnaire, and (3) comprehension assessment. The instrument was designed to address communication strategies including print, digital, audio and video communication currently utilized by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, gathering audience preference and comprehension to determine effectiveness. Respondents preferred digital mixed (example: online articles or most social media) across various types of communication content (research/data drive, news/current events, entertainment). The best comprehended communication methods were digital graphic, video, audio and digital mixed, in that order.