Building Consumer & Producer Relations

It’s safe to say that during any conversation the notion of change will be brought up: “I remember when gas was only $1 a gallon.” “Most cars were standard transmissions, and now my car is going to drive ITSELF?” Some of us may or may not be familiar with these changes. But one change that affects us all is the change within our food. Whether you are a producer looking to stay afloat in a changing market or you are loading your cart up at the grocery store, we are ALL consumers.

handshake

If we are all consumers, then shouldn’t keeping up with changes in consumer demand be easy for producers? I mean, they can adapt right along with the market, right? Well, that may be the case if we all thought the same way and had the same preferences. Since there are numerous preferences and several production methods, how are consumers and producers supposed to be on the same page? Relationships. In a world where we can reach thousands of people via social media in a matter of minutes, everyone should know immediately when preferences shift and be able to adjust accordingly….well, not exactly.

Today, we are great at communicating, but how well do we converse? What’s the difference? On social media we communicate by displaying information about what we want or what we do, but this can leave that information open to different interpretations and lead to misconceptions about what consumers really want and what producers are actually doing. Sometimes this leads to more debate on who is right or wrong rather than allowing producers and consumers to work together. We all can do a better job of conversing to better understand each other’s ideas and practices. With so many different needs, ideas, and preferences, it may seem impossible to get everyone on the “same-page.” This is where Extension can play a huge role, and this is why I am so passionate about my job.

Recently, our team of Extension professionals has been conducting Beef Quality Assurance Trainings (BQA). I have been conducting these trainings with Brooke Beam of Highland County, Gigi Neal of Clermont County, and David Dugan of Adams County. At these trainings we converse about what consumer changes are developing and how we can meet those needs. We speak about practices that ensure producers can consistently provide a safe and wholesome product from start to finish. We also answer several questions about what consumers are wanting and what they are concerned about. A few Extension educators can’t answer all of the questions or tie up all of the loose-ends within the industry, but we give those who attend the ability to educate others and set good examples. Over the last three trainings we have trained close to 300 individuals.

cattle

Now that producers are being trained, how are consumers supposed to know what is going on within the industry and where their product is coming from? Just as a few educators cannot communicate with every producer, we cannot reach every consumer either. Companies such as Wendy’s and Tyson have helped serve as a voice for consumers by stating they will only accept beef from BQA certified producers. Wherever cattle are sold, producers will be able to prove they are BQA certified and follow the practices to provide a safe and high quality product. Consumers do not always get to meet the producer and discuss the product they are buying, but allowing everyone to become familiar with the guidelines of this certification will help bridge the gap between the unknown and serve as a common language for everyone. Even if several producers already implement these practices, the BQA certification can help pass on that information.

We are taking steps to build relationships in all areas of food production, not only within beef production. For example, in October the OSU Direct Food and Marketing Team along with the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service will be visiting Brown County to discuss how producers can enter various markets. They will share more about what consumers are looking for and how they can build relationships in several different markets.

As I talk about training producers to understand the needs of consumers, it is important too for us all to remember what I mentioned earlier. There are numerous preferences, and none is more right or wrong than another. There is no universal way to meet each other’s needs. This can only be understood through conversation. A group of Brown County families are making this happen after they formed the Buckeye Valley Beef Cooperative. This group provides locally grown beef to several grocers in Brown County as well as direct to consumer. The cooperative members stay in contact with the consumers and raise their product based on the demands of the surrounding communities.

As I get to work with the various producers and consumers, I notice there is not a refusal to work together but a stockpile of questions and misconceptions. There will always be a few bad eggs in almost any situation, but the good will always outweigh the bad. You hear plenty about the bad and the division between one another, but even more are working together to build relationships. Just as the changes I referenced earlier didn’t happen over night, we cannot expect this change to be any different. The importance to discuss our needs is not to prove a point or win an argument, but to create a better situation for those we care about. It doesn’t matter if you are caring for the family you have around the table or the animal you tend to everyday. We are all consumers and we all care for one another.


James MorrisJames Morris is a County Extension Educator, Brown County.

Successful Collaborations: Three Rules and Lessons Learned from a Lima, OH Project

Definition of "collaborate"Few community development projects can succeed without funding support and—ideally, successful collaboration. In Lima OH, a group of university and public/private sector partners had been loosely formed based on a two-year pilot research project led by Knowlton School working with OSU Lima and the City of Lima Land Bank. By fall 2017, the group had expanded to include Extension among a team of university researchers representing three academic departments and a dozen community-based organizations, including the City of Lima Land Bank. The groundwork had been laid to move beyond the research phase of the project with the group coalescing behind a general plan to utilize vacant city-owned land for a food systems intervention project.

Collaborators

With a loose collaboration and a general project in mind, the group decided to seek out an OSU Connect and Collaborate grant to design and implement the project. The challenge had begun to organize and formalize a successful collaboration behind one project with very specific parameters. The research team started by inviting stakeholders back to the table to begin writing the grant and planning the implementation project. Over the next year, with the aim of congealing a collaborative group to reach consensus on the project, a location, and partner commitments, researchers followed three rules resulting in (mostly) success. Our general rules and lessons learned follow.

Rule #1:  Establish a communications plan.

At an initial October 2017 stakeholder meeting, we set the stage by establishing a communications plan, and sticking to it. After a review of the existing research project and an overview of the grant expectations, a communication plan was discussed and agreed to. The communications plan included regularly scheduled or as-needed face-to-face meetings that would be announced by e-mail at least a week ahead of time. The meetings would keep partners up to date with the grant process but also provide ample opportunities for input. They would be scheduled in the evening, include food and generally last two hours. An e-mailed summary of the meeting discussion and action steps would follow shortly after the meeting took place. One-on-one time was frequently needed with some partners to work through tasks or answer questions. Finally, partners expected full transparency about issues or concerns.

Rule #1 helped to build and retain trust among the collaborators. Trust was essential for partners to reach a consensus on the project. Lesson learned:  Partners are on the hook to attend every meeting, or send a representative. When one stops showing or communicating, anticipate a problem, then reach out to find out what it is and work to correct it. In one instance, our response to a no-show was slow, and we almost lost an important partner!

Rule #2:  Clarify expectations up front.

Anyone who has been involved with the Connect and Collaborate Grants Program knows that the program leverages university teams aligned with public/private sector partners to address challenges, and the partners have to be all in. So, rule #2, which applies to this grant or any successful collaborative project, requires teams to clarify expectations up front. Partners are expected to do more than just meet; they need to come up with what their organizations can commit to, whether it be matching funds, in-kind time, or other resources, and then put it in writing. This expectation is easier said than done. Partners need to know what is expected up front and be reminded along the way. No surprises!

Rule #2 kept everyone accountable and on task. Lesson learned: Verbal commitments can be different than written commitments, and the written ones are usually not as exciting! Get written commitments in draft form so they can be reviewed and agreed on before formalizing the final commitment. That is, give development of commitment letters more than a couple days at the end of a project…allow for at least a week or more.

Rule #3:  Be flexible, prepare for change and potentially, difficult discussions.

Even the most well laid out plan can (and will!) change, so teams must be flexible. 30 research team conference calls, 8 stakeholder meetings and 4 community events later, our project looked different, was located on a different site, included a new partner, and involved an entirely new component that took us down a new funding path.

Rule #3 made possible an improved project, stronger commitments and greater potential for sustainability. Lesson learned: Change doesn’t have to be a negative, it can actually help strengthen a project. In order to get there, though, difficult discussions had to take place and one partner was almost alienated entirely.


Nancy Bowen is an Associate Professor & Extension Field Specialist, Community Economics.

Get Habitattitude . . .

Habitattide

It’s a mouthful, but a very important concept for our aquatic natural resources. Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are one of the biggest issues plaguing our waterways, altering ecosystems and costing billions of dollars annually across the globe. (Learn more about AIS by reading my previous blog Alien Invaders, and check out our fact sheet Aquatic Invasive Species in the Great Lakes.) They get to new locations in a variety of ways, but one major pathway is the pet and aquarium trade, including ponds and water gardens. If you have a hobby that involves aquatic animals or plants, be a responsible owner! Never release or allow these organisms to escape into our aquatic habitats.

Some real life examples from right here Ohio include:

-Goldfish- One of the world’s most popular pets, and one of the world’s most widespread invasives. Originally from eastern Asia, these attractive fish are cheap, hardy, and easy to find (or win at fairs). They often outlive their welcome, and unknowing owners may release them instead of disposing responsibly. In the wild they can grow to the size of a two-liter bottle, and are responsible for declines in many native fish, invertebrate, and plant species. They are found throughout North America, including all of Ohio.

Goldfish

This large specimen was caught in Cooley Canal near the new Howard Marsh Metropark in Lucas County during a wetland sampling project.

-Hydrilla- Animals aren’t the only thing that can be spread via release. Many plants used in aquaria are non-native, and some can be incredibly aggressive and easy to spread in a new environment. Hydrilla is one of those. It can reproduce vegetatively, meaning small fragments can be carried to new places and start new infestations. It forms thick mats that interfere with water intakes, clogs waterways used for recreation, and blocks sunlight from getting down into the water column. It likely established through aquarium release, but recreational activities have spread it through much of the U.S. In Ohio it is currently found in the Ohio River, Pymatuning Reservoir, and some Cleveland Metroparks waters.

Hydrilla

Hydrilla on outboard boat motor. (http://www.auburn.edu/~webbeec/limnology/hydrilla.htm) 

-Red swamp crayfish- This rather large crayfish native to the southern U.S. has been popular in the pet trade, for classroom study specimens, and as a food item. Each of these pathways has resulted in released animals, and the red swamp crayfish can cover relatively long distances over ground to invade new areas. They eat just about everything they can find, competing with native crayfish and many other wetland species. It’s now throughout much of the U.S. and has a patchy range throughout Ohio, unfortunately including my backyard.

Red swamp crayfish

A red swamp crayfish from my backyard, and it just wants a hug.

-Purple loosestrife- Water gardens are another potential AIS pathway, and this plant is a good example of a bad choice. It was brought to North America in the 1800s because of its brilliant purple flowers, but it soon took over wetland areas (again, including my backyard.) It’s prolific, and can reproduce vegetatively as well as producing millions of seeds each year. Like other AIS, it outcompetes native species and alters the ecosystems that it invades. If you have a water garden, wetland area, or similar, plant native species! We have some native plants that are just as attractive, and a natural part of the ecosystem. You can find some options from the Ohio Invasive Plants Council, or our fact sheet.

Purple loosestrife

A wetland amidst a purple loosestrife invasion. (By liz west (Flickr: loosestrife close) [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)

Ohio Field Guide to AISThose are just a few examples of the many AIS we are dealing with in Ohio. If you’d like to learn more, you’re in luck! I recently partnered with John Navarro from the ODNR Division of Wildlife and our OSU Extension colleague Eugene Braig to develop the Ohio Field Guide to Aquatic Invasive Species. It provides in-depth descriptions and range maps of 61 species of AIS of concern in Ohio, and tells you how to report them if necessary. If you find yourself in the field often, or know someone who is, please check it out. It can be a great tool to help us protect our aquatic resources.

And remember to get Habitattitude: Never release pets, plants, or bait into the environment!


Tory GabrielTory Gabriel is the Extension Program Leader & Fisheries Outreach Coordinator for the Ohio Sea Grant College Program.

Life Advice Still Resonates from Covey

I’ve been reflecting back to 2001, a time when I felt like I had a fairly good handle on life. I was college-educated, had a successful career, and a marriage partner who enjoyed volunteering in our church work, and helping me remodel our 90-year old farm house. (I also had a 1968 MGB-GT and a 1970 P-1800 Volvo in the barn!) Life was good.

Then, our first daughter was born. On that very day (while still in the hospital), I clearly remember coming to the realization that I knew absolutely nothing. I was frightened beyond belief. How could I possibly raise a child? What was I supposed to do when she cried?

That humbling moment drove me to learn all I could about parenting. Though several books helped, I soon discovered that other parents had great experiential knowledge and advice. And though the challenges change, whether in parenting or life in general, we can benefit by going back to the basics and listening to proven wisdom.

prioritiesI caught this article on the Forbes website a while back. It presented pertinent reminders for both work and home life. These are seven quotes from Stephen Covey that “have the power to completely change the direction of one’s life.” These are some of the basics that can help us through anything. I hope they will be helpful to you.

 

Covey’s Advice:

  1. The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.
  2. The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.
  3. Live out of your imagination, not your history.
  4. Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.
  5. Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.
  6. I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.
  7. You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage—pleasantly, smilingly, non-apologetically, to say “no” to other things. And the way you do that is by having a bigger “yes” burning inside. The enemy of the “best” is often the “good.”

References: Advice from Covey — Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2012/07/16/the-7-habits/


Brian Raison

Brian Raison is an Associate Professor and Extension Field Specialist, Community and Organizational Leadership.