DESCRIBE ANY UNEXPECTED RESULTS OF THE PROJECT:

Using “teachable moments” because of serious new pests worked well for informing and educating targeted producers on topics that might otherwise be of little interest. This was shared in a poster presented at the 2023 ERME National Conference.

Webinars were very successful in reaching the target audience, especially in providing the ability to view materials at their convenience and according to their own schedules. However, at times, webinar enrollment was lower than expected when pre-recorded presentations were made available online. In addition, without the need to register to receive the event presentation or information, viewers could not be identified or reached to complete a post-event or retrospective survey to record changes in understanding, intent, and adoption of technologies and information learned. Requiring participants to register with their email or mailing address helped to obtain contact information for follow-up reminders. Unfortunately, even with reminders, there was little incentive for such participants to respond to surveys, especially once they left the site or event. 

The challenges in reaching viewers of recorded presentations and webinar participants resulted in slightly lower than expected survey results for Results #7: Producers will calibrate their sprayers, Results #10: Producers will implement concepts from worker protection standard training, Results #14: Producers will sign up for three types of crop insurance as is applicable to their operations, and will keep appropriate records, and Results #16: Producers will share the information learned from events with other producers (topic involves all risks previously mentioned).

Regarding Results #14: Producers will sign up for three types of crop insurance as is applicable to their operations, and will keep appropriate records:

We had lower than expected response rates so relatedly, did not meet all the targets.

Given our weak crop insurance and record keeping survey response rates, the FCIC/RMA Annual Summary of Business reports are also used as an indirect measure of the project’s impact.  For the four commodity years from 2020 to 2023, RMA reported the following changes in the numbers of policies: 

Incentives might encourage more survey participation.

HOW WOULD YOU IMPROVE THE PROJECT IF YOU WERE TO DO IT AGAIN?

Other than problems with the surveys, we are pretty satisfied with the results.

WHAT WERE THE KEYS TO SUCCESS FOR YOUR PARTICIPANTS?

We utilized “teachable moments” by piggybacking less appealing topics onto other topics and activities (serious new pests and management strategies) of great concern to participants. See the list of activities and outputs below.
Partnering with RCIS, RMA, and crop insurance agents provided an opportunity for direct communication and informational exchange with producer participants instead of a middle man such as the extension agent.
Because of project funding, we were able to provide participants with the following activities, informational resources, and publications. 

One-on-one, small group consultations, and farm visits - 102 (total)

Website, newsletters, flyer postings, mailers, and other indirect communications with producers.

Related Extension Publications (not including newsletter articles)

March 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023 Events and Activities

INDIVIDUAL STORIES / EXAMPLES OF SUCCESS / QUOTES

Stories

In 2021, farmers in Maui and Kona were devastated by defoliation and crop loss caused by drought and CLR. In speaking with a couple of farmers with crop insurance and who had attended the project's CLR-related management webinars and field days, they were able to prove that they attempted to manage CLR and were able to claim their losses.

Coffee producers who took over a farm from their father a few years back, were devastated with CLR in 2021. As a result of attending the project's CLR management webinar, participating in farm doctor visits, and having direct communications with the project PI, they were able to properly stump prune their trees thereby reducing CLR incidence and severity, and regain control of the farm situation. They were educated on spraying for CLR, what fungicides to use, how to calibrate their sprayer, how much product to mix per tankful of water, and were able to keep CLR at a manageable level in 2022. This year (2023), they will have their first harvest from these trees since stumping and have maintained a low level of CLR throughout their farm.

 

Quotes

Examples of feedback from event participants:

Sprayer Calibration Event - "I was able to understand how to properly calibrate a sprayer"

CLR Research and Extension Update Webinar - "Excellent summaries of very complex and scientific data. Lay coffee farmer with basic agronomy background could understand."

WPS Webinar - "Webinar/zoom access made it easier for myself to fit into my work schedule."; "Posting up a chart/calendar of pesticides applied, location, details about REI, labels, safety, potential symptoms, emergency info. I need to order the safety poster."

Crop Insurance Webinar with Live Q&A with Presenters - "Experts at the "table." Competently answered crop insurance questions."; "Ability to interact with people who work with crop insurance."