Improved sustainable agriculture outreach through behavior-change focused outreach toolkit

Project Overview

ENC20-194
Project Type: Professional Development Program
Funds awarded in 2020: $86,391.00
Projected End Date: 03/30/2023
Grant Recipient: National Wildlife Federation
Region: North Central
State: Michigan
Project Coordinator:
Adam Reimer
Email
National Wildlife Federation

Information Products

Commodities

Not commodity specific

Practices

  • Crop Production: conservation tillage, cover crops, crop rotation, no-till, nutrient management
  • Education and Training: extension, workshop

    Abstract:

    This project continues efforts to improve sustainable agriculture outreach through a social science approach and an understanding of behavior change. The National Wildlife Federation has developed programs, the Conservation Champions and Grow More, that provide training and support for conservation professionals to incorporate the social-psychological components of behavior change into outreach approaches.  Building off the success of these programs, this project sought to deepen the effectiveness of NWF’s in-person trainings by developing an online conservation outreach toolkit that strengthens the use of social science principles in outreach efforts. These resources were developed in consultation with outreach professionals and farmers, pilot tested through multiple in-person training sessions, and evaluated through focus groups with conservation professionals. This project increased awareness of behavior-change principles, confidence to implement new communication strategies, and increased reach to non-conservation adopting farmers by training outreach professionals.

    Project objectives:

    This project sought to develop an outreach toolkit with materials designed to support NWF’s in-person outreach trainings and facilitate use of new and innovative communication strategies to reach new audiences, especially non-conservation adopting farmers. The objectives of this project were:

    • In consultation with an advisory council of conservation professionals and farmers, to develop an online toolkit of resources to assist outreach professionals in reaching new audiences;
    • Increase participant knowledge of behavior change concepts, communication principles, and messaging approaches to reach new audiences through three in-person Grow More trainings;
    • Pilot test toolkit materials through in-person trainings and focus groups with outreach professionals;
    • Increase awareness of the outreach toolkit through webinars, social media, and direct contacts with organizations in NWF’s network.
    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.