A sample of 731 farmers was surveyed to identify perceptions regarding selected soil and water conservation practices. The sample was stratified and proportioned by conservation district to have a representative group of respondents across Iowa. Items on the mailed questionnaire were designed to assess perceptions regarding issues in soil and…

Dissemination of technologies to increase agricultural production using the conventional transfer of technology system has often failed to consider the natural environment, indigenous knowledge systems, and resource endowments around which resource-poor farmers normally operate. A sample of 96 agricultural extension professionals in 2 districts in…

Since the advent of the 1980s, the economic viability of many farm operations has been severely jeopardized. Although attention has been directed primarily to the Midwest, in many respects farm stress has been greater in the South than in any other region. What is clear, however, is that the crisis is not strictly an agricultural one. Rather, a…

A continuing education program to provide technical training or consultation for laboratory technologists practicing in rural and urban Utah has been established by the Centers for Disease Control and the Utah State Department of Health under the name Project PEER (Pursuing Excellence through Education Regionally). The core of the program is a…

Growing concern that the Cooperative Extension Service was failing to adequately reach small farmers with education materials through regular extension channels led to the implementation of Missouri's Small Farm Family Program. In this program, education assistants, many of whom are small farmers themselves, link the educational resources of the…

The recent conceptualization of organizations as "open" adaptive systems rather than "closed" systems has lead to increased interest in the relationship between the organization and its significant environmental influences. In order to study the perceived sources of internal (organizational) and external (environmental)…

The role of education in the human development of rural areas is considered by some to be the single most important thing that can be done to raise rural standards of living. Recognizing this need, the Federal government has sponsored three types of training programs relative to rural development; each is the responsibility of a different agency.…

In 1988, Shepherd College-South Branch (SC-SB), a rural institution serving primarily place-bound adults, began offering non-nursing courses that would transfer to three regional nursing programs. Student requests, however, and a recognized shortage of registered nurses led to the establishment of a two-year rural nursing program in 1993. A county…

Data were gathered from Community Resource Development (CRD) field staff and from knowledgeable citizens, to obtain multiple indicators of the impact of CRD projects on economic and noneconomic changes and to assess the degree to which special client/audiences had shared in positive and negative consequences resulting in part from the CRD program.…

Common problems and possible solutions in communication with rural villagers in developing countries are discussed in terms of communication extension strategies, mass communication media, the use of simple communication technology in place of the more sophisticated and expensive methods, a case study of a successful communication project in…

In most countries, agricultural research (AR), institutions of higher education in agriculture (HEA), and agricultural advisory services (AAS) function as separate agencies. So far, in most countries, AR, HEA, and AAS have not had a common vision for rural development. In Finland, domination of agricultural production in Finland has led to a lack…

This paper examines the role that colleges and universities play in the economy of rural northern New York. It is based on a 1992-93 survey of 20 of the 21 colleges and universities in the region. Parts of the survey were updated in 1997. The study found that the institutions played a vital role in assisting businesses and community organizations…

The diminishing role of the federal government in rural development has created an opportunity for new initiatives in this area. One potentially useful response is the creation of a state-rural policy center. Such centers can combine the efforts of land grant institutions, extension services, and state universities in the development and…

The topic of this lecture is building a base of support for research and development in agriculture. First discussed is some of the history of agriculture education in America, including (1) the Morrill Act, which gave public lands to states for agricultural colleges; (2) the Hatch Act, the purpose of which was to promote investigation,…

The "digital divide" refers to inequitable access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) between wealthy and poor countries and between privileged and underprivileged social groups within all countries. This presentation outlines global parameters of the digital divide, discusses the use of ICTs in education in…