1. U2U Extension Programming: What Have We Learned
2014 Extension Energy & Environment Summit
Ames, Iowa
Sept. 24, 2014
Chad Hart
Iowa State University

2. A Little Bit about U2U
Slide starts with graphic of university/institution logos, click to show 2013 team photo (putting faces to universities/institutions), click to reveal USDA-NIFA logo (point out funding source), then click to reveal overarching goal of project.
Our goal is to help producers make better long-term plans on what, when and where to plant, and also how to manage crops for maximum yields and minimum environmental damage.

3. Information Transfer
Social science team decided to explore who had influence over farming decisions
Conducted two surveys across the study region
One targeted corn producers
The other targeted agricultural advisors
Received responses from nearly 5,000 producers and over 2,000 advisors
Responses have shaped U2U’s approach to extension programming

4. Survey Areas

5. Producer Results
Full report at

6. Advisor Results

7. Putting It Together
Survey results indicate a “train the trainer” approach may be appropriate
Producers are heavily influenced by crop advisors (seed, chemical, and fertilizer representative)
Crop advisors rely on extension services for trusted information
So U2U has targeted crop advisors as its major audience

8. Reaching Audiences
Working meetings that are already a part of advisors & producers rotation
Certified crop advisors conferences
Producer agronomic conferences
Nebraska Crop Production Clinics
Missouri Crop Management Conference
Linder Farm Network Meetings

9. Creating Educational Opportunities
Providing information in a variety of ways
Decision support tools
Factsheets
In-person meetings to web-based dissemination
Addressing multiple issues from a variety of fronts
Agronomic
Climatic
Economic

10. Corn Growing Degree Days
This tool puts current conditions into a 30-year historical perspective and offers trend projections through the end of the calendar year. GDD projections, combined with analysis of historical analog data, can help you make decisions about:
Climate Risks – Identify the likelihood of early and late frosts/freezes.
Activity Planning – Consider corn hybrid estimated physiological maturity requirements, along with GDD projections when making seed purchasing and other growing season decisions.
Marketing – Look at historical and projected GDD when considering forward pricing and crop insurance purchases.

11. Corn GDDDST

12. What questions do you have?
Thank you for your time!
What questions do you have?