•  
  •  
 

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether Cooperative Extension Service agents and United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) personnel used a dialogic model of communication in their interactions with cattle producers in the Southwest and Mountain West regarding the topic of climate change. Findings indicated that dialogic communication is being used, with a focus on discussing best management practices, avoiding the term “climate change,” and focusing on local data and weather events. The study suggests that Extension agents and NRCS personnel recognize the need to adapt their communication strategy and tactics to suit the cognitive needs and beliefs of the cattle producers with whom they converse. Additionally, findings suggest that climate change should be described in terms that are observable to cattle producers, such as weather events (drought or flooding), possibly minimizing the need to name such events as climate change.

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.