Engaging with Consumers: How College of Agriculture Graduates Engage with Consumers After Graduation Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Stephanie Marie Leis, B.A. Graduate Program in Agricultural and Extension Education The Ohio State University 2015 Master’s Examination Committee: Dr. Emily Buck, Advisor Dr. Annie Specht Copyrighted by Stephanie Marie Leis 2015 Abstract Americans are more removed from agriculture than they have ever been in the nation’s history. While fewer people farm or live on farms today since more people have been moving to urban communities, the researcher wanted to interview College of Agriculture graduates to see if they were talking about their experiences growing up on a farm with the consumers they interact with every day. This qualitative study was conducted by reaching out to undergraduate alumni from The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). One hundred alumni were emailed, and 12 responded and participated in telephone interviews. The self presentation theory, cognitive dissonance theory, and schema theory guided this study. Findings included that five participants grew up on family farms, with three of the five saying they had considered moving back to their rural community to farm. One participant who grew up on a farm returned to his community to farm. The participants said the main reasons why college students do not move back to a rural community after graduating were because of a lack of jobs and the family farm may not be large enough to support more families. Ten of the alumni also said that they talked about agriculture with consumers often. Major themes that were seen when study participants were asked what types of ii conversations typically came up with consumers included food, organic foods, and food safety. Seven of the 12 participants (58.33%) said that they felt qualified to answer questions from consumers about agriculture. Eleven of the 12 participants said yes, it was important to talk to consumers about agriculture. After being asked what topics the participants believed farmers should be informing consumers about more frequently, the major themes from participants were that consumers should be informed about genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, and general information about agriculture. When the participants were asked what they believed were the biggest obstacles facing farmers trying to engage with consumers who are most likely not connected to agriculture, the major themes that emerged were a lack of education or ignorance, distance and lack of exposure to agriculture, and perception and culture. One finding from this study was that the people who left their agricultural backgrounds had very positive experiences. They didn’t move away because they did not enjoy being involved in agriculture, but either a lack of job opportunities in the area, not enough room for them to join their family’s current operation, or simply a desire to excel at something different led them away from agriculture. Recommendations for future studies include using the results from this study to make a survey and engage a larger audience to gain more data. Other recommendations include encouraging farmers to interact with consumers more frequently and consider doing agricultural entertainment, also known as agritainment or agritourism, to introduce consumers to what they do to raise livestock and grow food. iii Dedication To my maternal grandmother, Lois “Mildred” Fisher, for breaking the barriers of her time by earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The Ohio State University, all while prioritizing her marriage and raising five children. Grandma, thank you for your unconditional love. I miss you every day. I’m thrilled to be earning my master’s degree from the same university as you. and To my paternal grandfather, John Lewis Leis, of Ansonia, Ohio. You passed your love of agriculture and the fertile land of Darke County, Ohio, down to my dad, Steve, who passed it down to me. I’m very thankful that I received your distinctly German traits of stubbornness and the outgoing ability to talk to anyone I encounter. As the only grandpa I ever knew, I have missed you more than I can say. iv Acknowledgments - My parents, Steve and Jan Leis – Thank you for your support during this three- year journey and for all of your prayers and encouragement. I love you! - Robert, Chelsea, and Nicole Leis – You are the best younger siblings a girl could ever want. I love all of you, and I’m very thankful that God put us together in the same family. The six years we showed 4-H pigs together working on our farm before taking them to the Great Darke County Fair were certainly the bonding years for our family (pigs doing somersaults in the show ring and all!). As Mom likes to say, “We’re better together!” - My aunt, Mary Ann Fisher, for her support while I’ve been living in Columbus, pushing me when I felt unmotivated, and for Chick-Fil-A on Friday nights. This thesis would not have been completed without her encouragement. - Dr. Emily Buck, my advisor. Thank you for walking with me through this process and for always being flexible around my work schedule. Also, huge thanks to Dr. Annie Specht for being on my advisory committee and for her helpful edits. - My friends – specifically, the friends I have made during my three years of grad school, the ladies in the young women’s small group from church, and my friends from high school and undergrad – thank you for your friendship! - The Ohio Department of Natural Resources – I want to extend a large thank you to my supervisors, co-workers, and the rest of the administration for their support as I balanced working full-time and taking grad school classes. - The Starbucks on Bethel Road and the Barnes & Noble at Polaris. This thesis was written with the help of lots of chai lattes, and the encouragement and friendliness of the employees was always appreciated. - “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” – Ephesians 3:20-21 v Vita May 2006 ....................................................... Ansonia High School May 2009 ....................................................... B.A. Media Communication, Taylor University June 2009-May 2010 ..................................... University Relations/Advancement, Taylor University July 2010-January 2012 ................................ Staff Writer/Copy Editor The Daily Advocate Newspaper January 2012-present .................................... Public Information Officer Ohio Department of Natural Resources 2012-2015 ..................................................... Graduate Student The Ohio State University Fields of Study Major Field: Agricultural and Extension Education Area of Emphasis: Agricultural Communication vi Table of Contents Abstract ……………………………………………………………………………...ii Dedication …………………………………………………………………………..iv Acknowledgments …………………………………………………………………..v Vita ………………………………………………………………..…...……..........vii Table of Contents ……………………………………………………………...….viii List of Tables ………………………………………………………………...…….xii Chapters 1. Introduction .…………………………………………………….…………….…..1 1.1 Background ………………………………….….……….………......1 1.2 Jobs and Rural Communities ……...………………………………...2 1.3 Changing Landscape for Jobs in Rural America ……….…………...4 1.4 Agriculture Today ..…..……………………………………...…........6 1.5 Transition to Living in Urban Areas ………..………………….……7 1.6 Conflicting Expectations ……….………...……….............................9 1.7 Significance and Problem Statement …..………………….……..…14 1.8 Purpose ……………………………………………………..………15 vii 1.9 Research Objectives …………………………………….…......…...16 1.10 Summary ……………………………………………….…….….…16 2. Literature Review ………………………………………………...................18 2.1 Research Objectives ...……………….………….……...….….…....18 2.2 Self Presentation Theory ………..………………..……….….….…19 2.3 Cognitive Dissonance Theory ………..…….………....……......…..23 2.4 Schema Theory ……………………………….……………........….27 2.5 Additional Research ……………………………….……….............31 2.6 Summary …………………………………….…………………..…36 3. Methodology …………………………………………………….……….…37 3.1 Problem Statement ……………………………………....................37 3.2 Research Objectives …….…………………………...……..............38 3.3 Research Design ..….…………………………………......………...39 3.4 Population and Sample ……………...……………….…………..…40 3.5 Instrumentation ………………………………………...……….…..41 3.6 Data Collection ……….…………………….…………....................43 3.7 Data Analysis ....………………………………..….………….……45 3.8 Reliability and Validity ………………………..…….…….…….....46 3.9 Summary ……………………………………….………...….…..…49 4. Findings ………………………………………………………..........………50 4.1 Research Objectives ………………………………....……..…...….50 viii 4.2 Objective 1: To Examine the Reasoning Behind Individuals’ Decision on Whether or Not They Decided to Return to the Farm After College ….….……………………….…………..……...57 4.3 Objective 2: To Examine the Messages That Participants Share with Consumers They Interact with in Urban and Suburban Areas ………..………………………………….………...63 4.3 Objective 3: To Describe What Individuals With Agricultural Backgrounds Believe are the Biggest Obstacles Farmers Face as They Try to Engage Consumers …………………………............81 4.4 Summary ….…………………………………..…............…………96 5. Discussion and Conclusions