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Integrated pest management (IPM) is a system of pest control that uses a wide spectrum of cultural, biological, and chemical methods to maximize economic benefits while minimizing negative environmental impacts. This study examines the IPM practices for corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] adopted by Indiana farmers. The data used in this study were compiled from a questionnaire mailed to 7000 Indiana farmers in 1982. The data were analyzed statistically to determine the characteristics and behavior of farmers who hire scouting services (adopters) and those who do not (non‐adopters). Adopters were found generally to be middle‐aged farmers. Compared to non‐adopters, adopters of IPM practices had more years of schooling, operated larger farms, were much more likely to use reduced tillage systems, planted and harvested their crops earlier, and reported higher yields. While the percentage of adopters applying several popular pesticides was generally greater than for non‐adopters, the mean pesticide application rates were the same for both groups. Results of this study clearly indicate that farmers in Indiana who hire an IPM service, use a corn/soybean crop rotation, use chisel tillage, and plant and harvest earlier can expect to obtain higher yields. The positive relationship between the use of scouting information and higher yields could be used as a selling point by pest managment consultants to encourage a farmer to hire a scouting service. Agricultural chemical manufacturers also may find it advantageous to promote field scouting services. Since adopters of IPM practices are more likely to use soil conserving tillage practices, the excessive run‐off of pesticides associated with soil erosion should be reduced on their farms.

Background: Results from previous work indicated that when consumers make purchasing decisions, they pay more attention to freshness, taste and hygiene attributes of fruits and vegetables than price and nutritional value, when these attributes are considered individually. Methods: To shed light on the underlying factors that shape the pattern of reported preferences, researchers used five doubly censored Tobit models to analyze data generated from a fuzzy pairwise comparison model (FPC) to explain the pattern of reported preferences. In the model, nutritive value, hygiene, taste, price and freshness were separately regressed on a number of demographic and personal characteristics variables. For this study, a random sample was drawn proportionate to population size by county in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Data were collected from 412 respondents. Results: Higher levels of education and income did not affect how consumers rate the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables. This relative lack of difference among consumers as classified in the model, along with results that showed consumers giving a higher preference rating to hygiene, taste and price offer support for the notion that the nutritional value attribute plays a subsidiary role in consumers purchasing decisions. Conclusion: The multi-method approach used in this study provides information on the demographic characteristics of consumers that influence attitudes and behaviors toward fruit and vegetable attributes. Nutrition educators and marketers will be able to use this knowledge about consumers' attitudes and behaviors to customize programs that more accurately address consumers' preferences.

Land-grant universities’ philosophy of education assumes the triumvirate of education, research, and service will produce an improved quality of life and wealth-creating synergies disseminated to communities through Cooperative Extension (Gavazzi & Gee, 2019). In a simpler age, this philosophy worked well. In today’s global, technology-mediated, complex society, a transformational overhaul is necessary to amplify and broaden the impact of potential synergies through a robust engagement process. As a path forward, we propose building renaissance transdisciplinary teams, reimagining reward and evaluation systems, and elevating engagement to a position of primacy in strategy and structure. We could elevate Extension to university-wide status and foster engagement as a critical component of teaching (learning) and research (discovery).Using quantitative and qualitative data from the 1890 research directors, Extension administrators, and community stakeholders, we found strong support for greater university engagement with the community, especially for taking a deeper dive into long-term problem-solving by cocreating and codesigning viable solutions. There was also strong support for allocating additional technical and financial resources to build the university’s community engagement portfolio. These data also draw attention to the need to elevate community engagement to the level of teaching and research and to establish the presence of the university in the community.