Describe the Issue or Situation.

The goal of the Cooperative Extension Service is to bring the University to the people.  Research-based and evidence-based information is shared with the public in a variety of formats including both print options and electronic means, like podcasts, social media posts, and radio and TV segments. Agents then use this information along with provided activity ideas, print and electronic resources, marketing materials and more to offer programming to their community. Members of the community turn to Cooperative Extension to be a reliable source of information for a variety of topics. Agents are not expected to have the answer to questions ranging from sewing materials to parenting to health-related topics. Instead, Extension Specialists and Associates with subject-matter expertise are available to support Agents. 

In the Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition (DHN) within the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment, Extension faculty and a Senior Extension Associate provide evidence-based nutrition information through written Extension publications. In some cases, non-Extension faculty expertise is leveraged to support the development of written materials. These publications cover broad topics including specific nutrients, nutrition that supports the prevention and management of chronic conditions, and food safety. When asked about the most often used food and nutrition resources, agents overwhelmingly mention peer-reviewed Extension publications. Agents identify that publications and other forms of written material are the preferred teaching tool for their programming. These publications are also public-facing and available to anyone to access and download. In addition, DHN Extension routinely disseminates written content through other digital platforms such as social media campaigns, podcasts, and TV segments. 

Describe the Outreach or Educational Program Response (and Partners, if applicable).

To date, over 250 publications focused on food and nutrition are accessible for agent and public use. Publications are routinely reviewed and revised to ensure that up-to-date information is shared, within the ever-changing field of nutrition. At the end of 2023, the Food and Nutrition Team began an initiative to update available publications to improve the quality of information shared. At that time, 225 publications were flagged for revision or archival. Publications were labeled with high priority (n=17), medium priority (n=31), and low priority (n=50) related to revision needs. New, relevant topics and gaps in available topics were also documented.

Provide the Number and Description(s) of Participants/Target Audience.

To date, over 250 publications focused on food and nutrition are accessible for agent and public use. Publications are routinely reviewed and revised to ensure that up-to-date information is shared, within the ever-changing field of nutrition. At the end of 2023, the Food and Nutrition Team began an initiative to update available publications to improve the quality of information shared. At that time, 225 publications were flagged for revision or archival. Publications were labeled with high priority (n=17), medium priority (n=31), and low priority (n=50) related to revision needs. New, relevant topics and gaps in available topics were also documented.

Provide a Statement of Outcomes or Program Impact. Please note that the outcomes statement must use evaluation data to describe the change(s) that occurred in individuals, groups, families, businesses, or in the community because of the program/outreach.

Extension publications are the preferred material by Extension agents for use in programming and to share evidence-based information with their community. Podcasts, TV, radio, and social media are other efficient ways to share reliable information across the state. Nutrition is an ever-changing field of research requiring frequent revision of existing educational materials, including new and revised publications, and the production of resources for media outlets. Extension Specialists, Associates, faculty, and students in DHN provide up-to-date, reliable information to support agents in the field fulfilling the land-grant mission.