Online meetings have become the norm for Cooperative Extension personnel and many other professionals across the country during this unprecedented time of COVID-19.  Meetings traditionally held in person with stakeholders too have shifted to this virtual landscape.  The role of extension associates, agents and assistants has expanded to include not only the dissemination of content specific information, but also to teach the skills necessary to receive said information. Farmers, small business owners, homemakers, and parents of 4-H youth now seek instruction on the intricacies of Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Facebook Messenger Rooms and other applications in order to gain access to many of the services, including Extension, to which they have grown accustomed to receiving.  

Such was the case on June 24 when the fifth of five focus groups to gather information from farmers, educators and support service professionals was held utilizing Zoom. As an Extension Associate tasked with securing a diverse group of participants to share of their experiences integrating technology in agriculture, I was forced to rely on new tools to reach an old audience.  By old, I do not mean in age, but rather a group long used to personal visits initiated and concluded with handshakes - meetings that typically included the breaking of bread and sharing of stories in close proximity.  Attending virtually, or even arranging to meet virtually, is a new and often uncomfortable position for farmers, who coincidentally are not averse to technology in their production practices.  The use of global positioning systems, remote sensing, and precision chemical applications is a part of their daily life.  But conducting group meetings from their smartphones, notebooks or laptops is not…at least it wasn’t until recently. 

So after securing a group of individuals representing the broad demographic of stakeholders Kentucky State University services, the mission shifted to ensuring their ability to comfortably and competently participate in this meeting.  After all, the purpose of the focus group was to gather the experiences of the farmers. It is somewhat fitting that new technology had to be mastered by participants in order for researchers to gather information on what technologies this group is utilizing in their production and marketing endeavors.  I set up one-on-one practice zoom meetings with farmers prior to the scheduled focus group.  This allowed them to familiarize themselves with the features such as mute and video as well as reactions and chat.  I even saw one farmer’s Facebook post from earlier in the day announcing he was excited about getting ready to participate in his first zoom meeting.  Coincidentally, this focus group was this farmer’s first official interaction with Kentucky State University. The message below, received from him after the conclusion of the focus group meeting, sums up the positivity of this collaborative Agriculture Food Research and Investigation (AFRI) funded Extension/Research effort.  

“Mason,

Thanks for the invitation and including me in the group.  I'm always interested in such groups to learn about new tools being utilized as well as what others are doing in their own endeavors.  I thought my first zoom meeting was a success.  I learned all the tools on the app to be able to communicate, how and when I should and not when I shouldn't!  I appreciate your interest to help as well.  Thanks again.

Casey”