Using digital platforms and communication methods to share nutrient management research
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — The University of Minnesota Extension’s nutrient management communications outreach consists of many things, including a podcast, video, social media, blogs and newsletter.
“Basically, we are just kind of trying to get the word out about how to apply nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, micronutrients, manure, all of these things in the most environmentally friendly way as possible, while also maximizing profitability for the farmer,” said Paul McDivitt, communications specialist for University of Minnesota Extension.
It’s all about delivering the content in a way that reaches as many people as possible.
Paul McDivitt, communications specialist, University of Minnesota Extension
Contributed / Jason Wachter
“People are accessing information in all new ways, and we’re always trying to keep up,” McDivitt said. “We’ve been getting into kind of those TikTok style videos on YouTube and Facebook lately, Facebook Reels and YouTube Shorts, and those have been popular. I think our audience is just continuously evolving and the nice thing about the internet is a lot of these things will live on for a while.”
Another benefit to the electronic content is that it reaches a larger audience.
“We have some YouTube videos that are up around 20,000 views, more than you can with an in-person meeting where you’re having, you know, 50 people maximum, maybe 100 for some of our bigger conferences,” McDivitt said. “Those are still great because we get kind of in-person interactions and more dialog, but I think kind of the new media is the way to go as far as reaching larger audiences.”
They also have a quarterly handout that goes out to all members of the
Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council.
“AFREC is made up of farmer members from all over the state, from various different commodity groups, from corn and soybean to sugarbeet, potato, irrigation, all these different groups are represented at the table,” McDivitt said. “That handout is a good way to kind of recap what we’ve been doing and what’s going on in the future for on the AFREC nutrient management communications side.”
The Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council is funded through fertilizer checkoff dollars in Minnesota. It mostly funds research, but also helps with these communications efforts. Northarvest Bean Growers Association is among the groups involved in AFREC.
“Because it is really important that we get the research out there to farmers and to ag professionals so that they can put the research into practice, as opposed to just letting the research sit on an academic shelf,” McDivitt said.
The council was recently renewed for another five years and will continue through 2029.
If producers would like to see this research content, they can subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News blog email newsletter or visit the AFREC website www.MNsoilfertility.com.
Ariana is a reporter for Agweek based out of South Dakota. She graduated from South Dakota State University in 2022 with a double major in Agricultural Communications and Journalism, with a minor in Animal Science. She is currently a graduate student at SDSU, working towards her Masters of Mass Communications degree. She enjoys reporting on all things agriculture and sharing the stories that matter to both the producers and the consumers.
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