From its beginnings in the early 1800s, the profession of agricultural communications was born out of the practical need to share important farm and home information with isolated rural audiences. Some 200 years later, agricultural communications has evolved into a diverse industry responsible for developing and disseminating news and marketing information related to food, agricultural, and environmental systems. Professional preparation for such careers is often provided through academic programs that are housed in departments of agricultural education. This administrative arrangement provides both benefits and challenges to the future development of agricultural communications programs, which need to strike important balances in teaching, outreach, and research programs and in collaborative relationships within and outside of the academy. The potential for success is greatly enhanced if agricultural communications development strategies are coordinated with agricultural education to build synergies between the programs while maintaining unique strengths. This philosophical paper uses elements of the sociology of education to address some of the benefits and challenges posed by agricultural communications’ close relationships with private industry and other academic departments, including agricultural education. The paper concludes with a list of implications and courses of action recommended for discussion by academicians in the two disciplines.

Agricultural Education and Agricultural Communications: Striking a Proper Balance in the Academy.

Although trade publications produce half as many copies as consumer magazines and twice as many as daily newspapers, there has been little study of their role and performance in the U.S. media system. This study compared coverage of an industry-related policy proposal, the National Information Infrastructure, by the communication-industry trade press, non-communication-industry trade press, and newspapers. The study found that trade media appear to function as an insider channel of communication in the early stages of industry-related policy processes, but that they are less likely than nonindustry-related media to cover the social implications of industry policy proposals.

The Specialized Business Press and Industry-Related Political Communication: A Comparative Study

Agricultural communications is an academic program area that has evolved from its early beginnings in print-based agricultural journalism. Due to the changing nature of technology and the need to communicate to diverse, increasingly urbanized audiences, agricultural communications has evolved to include public relations, marketing, broadcasting and Webbased communications, consequently impacting the role and responsibilities of many professional agricultural communicators. Although most of the research that has been conducted on agricultural communicators has focused on their perceptions as to how to improve educational programs and curricula, few studies have looked at the job satisfaction of graduates once they leave the programs that prepared them for their subsequent careers. A descriptive survey of a population of recent graduates of the University of Florida’s agricultural communications program was conducted to assess how satisfied respondents were with their jobs, as well as explore the relationships between facets of job satisfaction and graduates’ perceptions as to the effectiveness of their educational preparation. Results of the study indicated that the majority of respondents were generally satisfied with their positions. Respondents’ perceptions of their opportunities for promotion, their co-workers and the work itself were also positively correlated with their evaluations of the effectiveness of the university’s educational preparation.

Job satisfaction as an outcome measure of the effectiveness of an agricultural communications academic program

The purpose of this study was to describe agricultural communications freshmen perceptions of agricultural communications curriculum by describing selected personal characteristics, curriculum expectations and career aspirations of agricultural communications freshmen at Oklahoma State University, Texas Tech University and Texas A&M University. This study also described agricultural communications freshmen’s interests and perceived importance of agricultural communications skills at the selected institutions. The population for the study was 100 agricultural communications freshmen enrolled in an entry-level agricultural communications course during the 2010 Fall Semester. To assess the perceptions of the population, a 54-question instrument was developed and sent to each University and administered on site. Data was collected from each site using scantron sheets and was analyzed using descriptive statistics.

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Perceptions of agricultural communications freshmen regarding curriculum expectations and career aspirations

Career Choices And Factors Influencing Career Change Amoung Oklahoma State University Agricultural Communications Graduates

Is there a meed for graduate studies in agricultural communication? This research is available in Journal of Applied Communications: https://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol77/iss1/4 Graduate Education in Agricultu1·al Communication: The Need a n d Role Krist.ina M. Boone Curtis E. Paulson R. Kirby Bar,·ick Is tl1ere a need for graduate 6to d ies in agricultural com· municatioo? If so, \\\\•hat. is t,hc role . or this ed ucation'? Th s study asked opinion-leading professional praclit.ioners a nd aeademfoians tJ1es,e ques lions . Both popuJat.ions gave the ~eed' and 'role' variables posit i vQ rat ings. Within the noo d v3rfr1 b}e , professional proiicienc.y was rated highly by both populations. '!'raini ng in research, teaching and technical s k ills wa!:i, rated higher by academicians. With.ii\\ th~ role vari9.ble, both populations gave moderately high ratings for communicaL i <m systems, <.·omm unicatfon skills. and h\\1man rela tions education. Rei;ponscs l o open-ended questions s trong ly recommended th a t gra duate programs should be flexible and tailored to each .st .. 1dc.nt.

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Graduate Education in Agricultural Communication: The Need and Role

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Characteristics, Educational Preparation, and Membership In Professional Organizations of Agricultural Communicators

To build efficient curricula that will attract and retain students, agricultural communications faculty and administrators must identify students' needs and interests. Although previous research has documented characteristics of agricultural communications curricula and views of agricultural communications professionals, there has been little published information about characteristics or views of agricultural communications students themselves. We surveyed 66 agricultural communications students at Texas Tech University to generate information on student characteristics, interests, and career objectives. Findings indicate that such students have high levels of interest in both agricultural and mass communications subjects. However, these students are more likely to prefer agricultural classes, internships, and club affiliations over those offered in mainstream communications. If the agricultural communications option were not available, more than half of the students would find another major in the College of Agricultural Sciences. This and other information will help us build the agricultural communications curriculum and know more about our students. This research is available in Journal of Applied Communications: https://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol71/iss3/3 A Descriptive Study Of Characteristics, Interests And Career Objectives Of Agricultural Communications Students by Mark Tucker and Curtis Paulson To build efficient curricula that will attract and retain students, agricultural communications facuity and administrators must identify students' needs and imerests. Although previous research has documented characteristics of agricultural communications curricula and views of agricultural communica[ions professionals, there has been little published information about characteristics or views of agricultural communications students themselves. We surveyed 66 agricultural communications students at Texas Tech University 10 generate information on student characrerisfics, interests, and career objectives. Findings indicate that such students have high levels of interest in bolh agricultural and mass communications subjects. However, these swdems are more likely to prefer agricultural classes, internships, and club affiliations over those offered in mainstream communications. If Ihe agricultural communications option were not available, more than half of the students would find anolher major in the College of Agricultural Sciences. This and other information will help us build the agricu/wrai communications curriculum and know more about our students.

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A Descriptive Study Of Characteristics, Interests And Career Objectives Of Agricultural Communications Students

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the ethical issues facing agricultural communicators. Members of seven agricultural communication professional organizations, including AAEA, ACE, ARC, CCA, LPC, NAAJ, and NAFB were surveyed and asked to respond to 51 statements based on whether they felt each statement was an ethical issue facing agricultural communicators. Twelve major, ethical issues rose to the top of the list. The results also showed major ethical issues facing agricultural communicators as recognized by each organization. A factor analysis identified four factors which influenced how the agricultural communicators evaluated the ethical issues. This research is available in Journal of Applied Communications: https://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol79/iss3/3

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An Examination of the Ethical Issues Facing Agricultural Communicators in Seven Agricultural Communication Organizations

A sample of 254 ACE members was surveyed to determine the components of a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Communication. Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. This research is available in Journal of Applied Communications: http://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol75/iss2/5 Perceptions Of A Master Of Science Degree In Agricultural Communication By Agricultural Communicators In Education (ACE): A National Study Colleen Wilson Curtis E. Paulson Janet L. Henderson A sample of254 ACE members was surveyed to determine the components of a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Communication. The highest ranked components included: writing. communication technology, understanding and evaluating research. and mass conununlcation theory. The majority of ACE members indicated that a Master of Science degree was needed. that the degree should provide a broad spectrum of cormnunicaUon and agricultural subject areas. that introductory communication and agricultural courses should be taken as conditional requirements, that the primary focus of the degree should be conununicaUon skill development. and that the program should be housed in Agricultural Communication. INTRODUCTION Little Infonnation Is available concerning graduate level degree programs in agricultural communication. Undergraduate degree programs exist in numerous colleges and universities across the nation: however, only one university currently olTers a master's degree in Agricultural Communication. Several other schools offer graduate programs that combine agriculture and communication interests, but the majority of available courses are Colleen Willon is a graduate of the master's program In Agrteultural Education at The Ohio State University. Cwtls E. Pawon is an assistant professor, Agricultural Communication at The Ohio State University. Janet L, Hendenon is an associate professor, Agricultural EducaUon at The Ohio State University. The arucle was presented a s a paper at the 1991 International Meeting of the Agricultural Communicators in Education (ACE) Annual Meeting. Rapid City. South Dakota. June 29 -

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Curtis E. Paulson

Papers

Graduate Education in Agricultural Communication: The Need and Role

Characteristics, Educational Preparation, and Membership In Professional Organizations of Agricultural Communicators

A Descriptive Study Of Characteristics, Interests And Career Objectives Of Agricultural Communications Students

An Examination of the Ethical Issues Facing Agricultural Communicators in Seven Agricultural Communication Organizations

Perceptions Of A Master Of Science Degree In Agricultural Communication By Agricultural communicators In Education (ACE): A National Study