OMAF and MRA - University of Guelph Partnership Knowledge Transfer and Translation Casebook Volume 1, issue 1, Winter 2014
A publication from: OMAF and MRA-U of G Partnership, Office of Research, Knowledge Translation and Transfer (KTT) University of Guelph 1 Stone Rd. W. Guelph, ON N1G 4Y2
© University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario Partnership website: www.uoguelph.ca/ omafra_partnership/en/index.asp KTT website: www.uoguelph.ca/ktt Twitter: @AgFoodRuralLink
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons:
This casebook showcases the creative and innovative projects that have come about as a result of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food and Ministry of Rural Affairs—University of Guelph (OMAF and MRA—U of G) Competitive Knowledge Translation and Transfer Funding Program (KTT Funding Program). Each case is organized to highlight the KTT process while also serving as a reference guide for future projects. If you are a researcher, a policy-maker, a stakeholder in agri-food and rural sectors or a student with an interest in ensuring your research is relevant—there is something here for you
COVER AND BACK PAGE PHOTO — SPARK and iStock 2
Building new communication Evaluating the use of smartphones in Ontario Agriculture .............................. 8-9 The expert in your pocket A dynamic action threshold decision-making tool for producers .................... 10-11 CALF-ETERIA Using calf health and productivity as a template for research information for agriculture ............................................................................... 12-13 Eat local, taste global Discovering barriers and opportunities for growing ethno-cultural vegetables in Ontario ....................................................................................... 14-16 Learning by doing Experiential learning program trains future agri-food professionals ............... 18-19 Rural economic wellbeing Best practices in rural economic development and planning: a learning series for municipal councilors and practitioners ............................ 20-21 Good food for better aging Building connections and extending outreach within the agri-food, nutrition and health services ............................................................................ 22-24 Keeping poultry flocks healthy Developing an instructional DVD to increase poultry biosecurity ................... 26-27 Sharing the benefits of cover crops Development of a cover drop decision-making tool ........................................ 28-29 Enhancing access and uptake Bringing field crop production information to growers ................................... 30-31 Enhancing Equine Guelph’s KTT program Improved KTT program developed from industry survey ............................... 32-33 Controlling Johne’s Disease Using a participatory approach to controlling Johne’s Disease ....................... 34-36
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ccelerating research knowledge into use through effective and meaningful stakeholder engagement throughout the research process is a very important premise. In agriculture this approach of agriculture extension has historical roots at both the Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF) and Ministry of Rural Affairs (MRA) and University of Guelph (UoG). To up hold this priority, as part of the 2008-2013 partnership agreement between OMAF and MRA – UoG, the Knowledge Transfer and Translation (KTT) Program was established. The KTT Program is administered by the Office of Research - Strategic Partnerships at UoG, (known externally as the “Agri-Food and Rural Link.”) and acts as the hub for KTT activities related to partnership research. “Agri-Food and Rural Link” serves as a brand for events, print materials, social media and conventional communication. The Agri-Food and Rural Link website provides more information about the program as well as links to videos and further resources. You can also check us out on Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr and YouTube. What is Knowledge Translation and Transfer? KTT is an information exchange process that aims to get research knowledge “off the shelf” and into the hands of people who need it. The OMAF and MRA-U of G Partnership defines KTT as accelerating the transformation of knowledge into use through synthesis, exchange, dissemination, dialogue, collaboration and brokering among researchers and research users.
Summary of KTT Best Practices 4
Summary of the Agri-Food and Rural Link Knowledge Translation and Transfer (KTT) Funding Program 2010-2013
KTT Funding Program: One of the key elements developed through Agri-Food and Rural Link is a funding program for KTT projects and initiatives. This funding program is enthusiastically received by faculty and government collaborators alike, and each of the past four funding calls were over-subscribed and highly competitive. In total, between 2010 and 2012, 68 KTT projects have been approved with total investment of $3.1 million. The KTT projects have covered a broad range of topics within the agri-food and rural areas of interest and also employed a diverse range of KTT techniques and methodologies such as smartphone apps, workshops, videos, knowledge exchange groups, and plain language posters. More about this Casebook: This casebook is a collection of projects from the first and second calls for proposals of the KTT Funding Program (researchers may have leveraged additional funding). Each individual case in this book is drawn from project reports and includes: key messages, activities, outputs, outcomes and lessons learned. Acknowledgements Taylor Chamberlain, Barb Dillingham, Sara Fisher, Elin Gwyn, Katherine Heyland, Melissa MacKay, Duff MacKinnon, Sian Ringrose, Donna Shaw, Katharine Tuerke and Bronwynne Wilton
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The cases in this book are identified under four key categories:
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Case Study Legend: The target audience is key because the product of the research should be useful and have meaning to them. There is also the opportunity for the audience to help guide the research process.
KTT GOAL
COLLABORATORS
This green dotted box describes the main goal of the KTT project .
The collaborations made throughout these KTT projects are an important part of the goal. Without them, the goal would often not be attainable.
This “Key Message” box outlines the initial situation, the project’s objective and the main results .
Funding Partners
TO LEARN MORE Contact Please visit,
This text will acknowledges additional stakeholder funding partners who helped make these projects possible.
Lastly, to learn more about a project there is contact information to the lead researcher and online media tools at your disposal! 7
Janice LeBoeuf Keywords: social media, smartphone, communication, tools, web, decision-making, resources, agricultural technology
Producers, government staff, stakeholders, agricultural organizations and businesses
SCENARIO Web and smartphone technologies rapidly transfer information, enhance two-way communication, and are potential tools for engaging with knowledge users. As technology use changes within the agriculture sector, researchers, government, agricultural organizations and businesses need to adapt to new communication tools.
KTT GOAL Help Ontario agricultural organizations, researchers and government improve online tools and communication with their stakeholders by learning which platforms and tools are most widely used by these stakeholders.
KTT ACTIVITIES and STRATEGY An online survey of Ontario agricultural stakeholders was developed in the winter of 2012 and promoted by OMAF and MRA, several provincial agricultural organizations, agricultural media and others through online and non-electronic channels. The survey was designed to measure the use of social media and smartphones in Ontario’s agri-food sector with participants including producers, agri-businesses, agriculture students, and government. Questions focused on the use of: social media, smartphones, internet and media and print resources for both agricultural and personal use. Results were then introduced at a workshop, various presentations and webcasts using slides, infographics and summaries. 8
OUTPUTS and OUTCOMES A total of 439 surveys were completed between February 6th and March 5th 2012. Approximately 95% of respondents indicated they go online daily, with more than 40% of those going online multiple times per day. Additionally, 69% have a smartphone (65% use Blackberry, 23% use Apple and 8% use Android) and 74% of these users have downloaded at least one agriculture related app. Responses also indicated that social media was very important, with 84% of respondents using social media—Twitter was indicated as the most popular forum. Importantly, 89% of respondents want government to use social media. The workshop where the survey results were presented was attended by 5 key organizational stakeholders and has supported collaborative efforts. Survey data has already been used within OMAF and MRA and the wider Ontario Public Service to support or guide their strategies. This project has also facilitated connections with other researchers that have projects with social media or smartphone components. Survey analysis has led to a better understanding of agriculture stakeholders’ attitudes, behaviours and practices regarding internet and smartphone technologies.
Evolving technologies create new communication forums and tools that can engage knowledge users. Developed an online survey to investigate which platforms and tools are most widely used by agricultural stakeholders. Survey data is being used within OMAF and MRA as well as the wider Ontario Public Service, the University of Guelph and others to support or guide their communication strategies.
LESSON LEARNED Agriculture stakeholders are using the internet and a growing percentage are using smartphones. Stakeholders are using social media, in particular Twitter, to get information and they want to receive more information via these platforms.
TO LEARN MORE Contact: Janice LeBoeuf OMAF and MRA Vegetable Crop Specialist Phone: 519-674-1699 E-mail: janice.leboeuf@ontario.ca Please visit, onvegetables.com
COLLABORATORS Collaborators for this project include: Ipsos Reid, Cheryl Trueman (University of Guelph) as well as Richard Hamilton, Kim DeKlein, Terry Dupuis and Adrienne DeSchutter (OMAF and MRA).
Photo Credit: iStock
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Rebecca Hallett Keywords: soybean, aphid, decision-making, management, smartphone app, technology, pesticide risk reduction
SCENARIO Soybean aphids first appeared in North America in the early Agri-food Industry, soybean 2000s and are a natural pest to the soybean plant. Aphid farmers, crop consultants, outbreaks can be devastating; causing reduced soybean scientists, government staff production and financial loss. Sometimes naturally occurring and mobile app developers enemies (such as the lady beetle) can help control infestation but not always, so pesticides need to be used. Making the decision to use pesticides can often be challenging, so to help solve this problem a research team developed a dynamic action threshold calculator that helps growers and crop consultants make decisions about whether or not to use pesticides on their soybean field.
KTT GOAL Create a user friendly application of the calculator to help producers make real-time pesticide application decisions regarding whether to treat aphid infestations or not in their soybean crops.
KTT ACTIVITIES and STRATEGY Since there is a high use of smartphone technology in the agricultural sector, the research team decided a smartphone app would be the most effective communication tool. The research team hired an external app development team. It cost approximately $35,000 for phase 1 development and hosting costs and approximately $15,000 for phase 2. The phase one app was created for Blackberry users and was promoted at several targeted events, including conferences and presentations. During this phase, field trials determined that, while some improvements were needed, there was high interest in using the app as a field crop management decisionmaking tool. With this feedback, feature enhancements like user-entered temperature data were created in the second phase of development so location-specific output could be generated. To broaden the user audience, the app was developed for iPhone users. Promotion of the app was done via public presentations, interviews, articles, scientific conferences, and a video. 10
OUTPUTS and OUTCOMES The launch of Aphid Advisor was met with a high level of interest among growers, agri-business and knowledge mobilization/extension professionals. As of July 2013, the app has been downloaded 683 times; one video has been viewed more than 400 times while the second video has been viewed more than 200 times. The research team has also received input data from 7 countries. Soybean growers, crop consultants and extension personnel were provided with a pest management decision support tool for hand-held and in-field use.
Soybean aphids can harm crops leading to financial loss but producers try to avoid unnecessary pesticide use. With stakeholder input, developed a tool which can be used to make in field decisions regarding the application of pesticides and allows for data collection. A smartphone app that has been downloaded almost 700 times and which in real time takes into consideration location specific conditions (i.e. natural pest control) and provides pesticide use recommendations.
LESSON LEARNED There is an increasing demand for mobile technologies because they allow for real-time decisions to be made in the field.
COLLABORATORS Collaborators for this project include: Tracey Baute (OMAF and MRA) as well as Cara McCreary and Christie Bahlai (University of Guelph)
TO LEARN MORE Contact: Rebecca Hallett Associate Professor School of Environmental Sciences Phone: (519) 824-4120, Ext.54488 E-mail: rhallett@uoguelph.ca Please visit, http://www.aphidapp.com
Aphid Advisor, developed by Hallett’s team , will help take the guessing out of soybean aphid pest control.
Photo Credit: Rebecca Hallett Photo By: Martin Schwalbe
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Ken Leslie Keywords: dairy, calf, management, health, calf growth, online, survey, learning module, club
SCENARIO Newborn calf management is crucial for long-term health and survival of dairy cattle so management programs are very important. Nevertheless, leading producers, dairy veterinarians, extension educators and dairy researchers have been largely unsuccessful in making noteworthy improvements on an industry-wide basis.
KTT GOAL To test Calf Management clubs and web-based learning modules as methods for producer education and as tools to promote awareness and adoption of dairy management programs that improve newborn calf health and survival. Dr. Ken Leslie
KTT ACTIVITIES and STRATEGY A survey of Ontario dairy producers was used to establish benchmark levels for common pre- and post-birth complications and show preferred management approaches used in Ontario dairy production systems. Information from the survey was then used to refine and prioritize the specific content of the Calf Management Clubs and web-based learning modules. Awareness of the program was raised at producer meetings, veterinarian meetings, through the internet, displays at various dairy events as well as through articles in the Milk Producer magazine. Calf management clubs met regularly and were held in 4 locations with the producers themselves giving presentations. These presentations were then used for the web-based learning modules. Throughout the clubs and modules participants were encouraged to implement management changes and to record changes. 12
Producers, veterinarians, extension educators, dairy industry, scientists and stakeholders
OUTPUTS and OUTCOMES The survey was completed by 954 participants and provided key farm management statistics including: employment, time dedication, calf housing, cleaning practices, assistance during calving and access to water; providing a baseline understanding of dairy producers’ calf management behaviours and practices. In total there were 44 participants in the four clubs, who each held four sessions. Attendance at the sessions did vary with the weather, season, length and topic. The web-based learning modules had 56 producers enrolled primarily; however, module viewings did decreased over time. During follow up visits 30 producers indicated that they were inspired to make changes on their farm; ranging from testing colostrum quality to housing considerations (ventilation, growth monitoring, etc.). These results have indicated that the clubs are a more successful tool for calf management communications than the web-based learning to change dairy producers’ attitudes and modify their behaviour.
Newborn calf management is important for long-term health and survival of dairy cattle and yet optimal management practices are not being adopted industry wide Distributed a survey to understand current calf management statistics and used this information to test clubs and web-based learning as methods to improve and encourage adoption of known optimal calf management practices. During follow up visits 30 producers indicated that they were inspired to make changes and the clubs were deemed the more successful tool. The survey also provided key farm management statistics.
LESSON LEARNED Gaining consistent participation from producers is difficult so timely, effective and interesting events are critical for successful KTT. This research was co-funded by Canwest DHI, the Dairy Farmers of Ontario and BoehringerIngleheim.
COLLABORATORS Collaborators for this project include Brian Lang, Tom Wright, Harold House, Mario Mongeon and Betty Summerhayes (OMAF and MRA) as well as Trevor DeVries (University of Guelph).
TO LEARN MORE Contact: Ken Leslie Professor Emeritus Phone: 519-824-4120 Ext. 54035 E-mail: keleslie@ovc.uoguelph.ca Please visit: http://www.calf-eteria.com/ Photo Credit: CCSAW
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Glen Filson Keywords: workshop, blog, social media, documentary, focus groups, ethno-cultural vegetables, production systems
SCENARIO The cultural diversity of Ontario has created a demand far exceeding Ontario’s current supply for vegetables like okra, Asian eggplant, bitter melon, bok choy, pak choi and Chinese broccoli; collectively known as ethnocultural vegetable (ECV). This is a $60 million a month missed opportunity for Ontario crop producers; leaving consumers to rely on imports from Mexico, Dominican Republic, India and China.
KTT GOAL Raise awareness about the large demand for locally-sourced ethno-cultural vegetables and help Ontario producers learn how to grow them through collaborations with key stakeholders.
KTT ACTIVITIES and STRATEGY A team was formed with representation from the ECV supply/value chain to collect data in the Greater Toronto Area and Guelph. In 2009 the team Consumers, producers, retailers, interviewed 750 ethnocultural primary grocery wholesalers and government purchasers at ethnic grocery stores in the GTA. The questions focused on vegetables choices and costs. Using statistics from Stats Canada this information was extrapolated to understand the demand for ethnocultural vegetables in Ontario. Following these interviews a focus group was held with farmers from FarmStart, an incubator business with farms in Brampton, Guelph and Hamilton, to understand how ethnocultural vegetables are produced, marketed and distributed. During both the interviews and focus groups video commentary was collected which was used for videos and presentations and to supplement blog posts, Facebook, Twitter, and email updates to targeted ECV agricultural/ marketing stakeholders and consumers.
This research was also supported by FarmStart, and the Greater Toronto Area Agricultural Action Committee. 14
Glen Filson is working with Bamidele Adekunle (right) and Sridharan Sethuratnam (left) to raise awareness about growing ethno-cultural vegetables in Ontario.
Photo By: SPARK
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OUTPUTS and OUTCOMES With increased knowledge of the ECV market in Ontario three seminars were given, an ECVOntario workshop with 100 attendees was done, lectures in 8 courses at 3 universities across Canada were taught, team members participated at conferences and horticultural tradeshows and 3 journal articles have been written. The project has been in 13 popular press articles and has received cable news coverage. The 22 blog posts have had more than 800 views and there are nearly 600 Twitter followers. With these outputs ethno-cultural vegetables awareness has been increased, moving towards a change in practice.
LESSON LEARNED Aligning with strategic partners can help identify needs and gaps in research and can help communicate knowledge gained.
Ontario crop producers are missing a $60 million dollar a month demand for ethnocultural vegetables. Use social media as well as conventional communication activities to inform the agriculture sector of this demand . Multiple communication channels, a workshop and a documentary have helped raise awareness about the potential market for ethno-cultural vegetables and the barriers and opportunities associated with growing and selling them.
COLLABORATORS John Kelly (Erie Innovation and Commercialization), Michael Brownbridge and Ahmed Bilal (Vineland Research and Innovation Centre), Sridharan Sethuratnam (FarmStart Up), Janet Horner (Greater Toronto Area Agricultural Action Committee), Evan Elford (OMAF and MRA), as well as Bamidele Adekunle and Gopinadhan Paliyath from the University of Guelph.
TO LEARN MORE Contact: Glen Filson Professor School of Environmental Design and Rural Development Phone: 519-824-4120, Ext. 56231 E-mail: gfilson@uoguelph.ca 16
Please visit, www.youtube.com/user/ECVOntario? feature=watch www.uoguelph.ca/~gfilson/ www.farmstart.ca/wp-content/uploads/ Growing-International-EthnoVeg-6.pdf www.researchgate.net/profile/Glen_Filson/ publications/
To learn more about OMAF and MRA-U of G Partnership research, use our Research Link search tool. You will find many different formats including videos, clear language research snapshots, and detailed information about specific research projects and their results.
Photo Credit: iStock
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Andy Robinson Keywords: undergraduate mentoring program, agriculture development, production systems, leadership, skill development
SCENARIO Agriculture has a long history of extension and technology transfer activities which fall under the umbrella of Knowledge Translation and Transfer (KTT). In order to develop the next generation of professionals who are able to translate and transfer technical research knowledge to producers and agri-food stakeholders, senior undergraduate students from the Ontario Agriculture College (OAC) need practical experience.
Undergraduate students, Agri-food industry, government, educators and University of Guelph
KTT GOAL To engage undergraduate students in the area of knowledge translation and transfer for the agri -food industry through an experiential summer job placement program with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF) and Ministry of Rural Affairs (MRA) staff from the Agriculture Development Branch.
KTT ACTIVITIES and STRATEGY To facilitate practical career training and enhance KTT deliverables across the agri-food sector, a mentorship program called the Experiential Learning Program was developed between OMAF and MRA and UoG. The program ran from May to September and provided senior undergraduate students an opportunity to gain hands-on experience with KTT initiatives by working directly with mentors from the Agriculture Development Branch on projects that transfer knowledge directly to producers and stakeholders in the agri-food industry. Students strengthened their leadership, project management, and communication skills and also increased their awareness of the value of KTT in the agri-food sector. The students developed skills on how to share research findings by designing electronic materials such as online newsletters, website content and presentations to producer groups and other stakeholders.
COLLABORATORS Collaborators for this project include Rob Gordon, Dean, Ontario Agriculture College, Aileen MacNeil, Director, Agriculture Development Branch, and Joanne Handley, Manager of Sustainable Production at OMAF and MRA. 18
OUTPUTS and OUTCOMES 10 students have completed the program participating in field days and meetings, contributing to articles and newsletters and helping to manage data. Surveys of students’ skills before and after the program were used to evaluate the program’s impact. During the past three years, students have consistently demonstrated improved understanding and development of new skills in communication and knowledge-transfer. The students also revealed in their post-survey that they feel as if they gained valuable hands-on experience and learned more about the career opportunities available in knowledge mobilization and industry outreach. Skills that they attained were leadership, communication, project planning, and project management.
“This position gave me the opportunity to use the skills I have acquired during my education and, in turn, improve upon them.” Student
An opportunity existed to provide undergraduate students from OAC with practical experience while also enhancing KTT deliverables for agri-food stakeholders. Placement of third-year undergraduate students with OMAF and MRA mentors to work on targeted KTT deliverables for Ontario producers and agri-food stakeholders. Students had a unique opportunity to be directly involved in knowledge mobilization and gained highly transferrable skills.
LESSON LEARNED Undergraduate students can play a very significant role in mobilizing research knowledge while at the same time gaining valuable training and exposure to potential career opportunities.
TO LEARN MORE Contact: Dr. Andy Robinson Associate Professor Department of Animal and Poultry Science Phone: 519-824-4120, Ext. 53679 E-mail: andyr@uoguelph.ca
Photo Credit: iStock
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Wayne Caldwell Keywords: workshops, municipalities, rural, economic development, best practices, population decline, rural planning, innovative community-based approach
SCENARIO Many rural communities in Ontario in close proximity to large urban centers face economic development challenges while other more secluded communities Municipal councilors, economic struggle to maintain their existing population. Among development practitioners, policy these municipalities, some have developed an integrated -makers, municipal officials and and innovative community-based approach to planning OMAF and MRA and economic development. Past research supported by the OMAF and MRA- U of G Partnership has identified innovative practices used by those municipalities and could be of good use to others (and lead to new approaches and collaborations).
KTT GOAL Raise awareness and provide training for municipal officials and economic development practitioners on a rural economic guide– a “how-to� best practices guide developed through previous research projects.
COLLABORATORS Collaborators for this project include: Norm Ragetlie (Rural Ontario Institute) as well as Jennifer Ball (PhD) and Kate Procter (Masters) (University of Guelph). It was co-funded through a grant from the Rural Ontario Institute.
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KTT ACTIVITIES and STRATEGY A series of workshops were held across rural Ontario for municipal officials and economic development practitioners. These 8 workshops created a forum for the exchange of success stories, allowing for the cross-fertilization of ideas and experiences, and resulted in creative and innovative thinking. 20 success stories for rural economic development were presented during the workshops, and participants had the opportunity to share their own stories. Additionally, a series of seven articles were published in Municipal World magazines which reaches more than 50,000 readers and graduate students trained and supported by the project presented at 5 nonacademic conferences such as the Association of Municipalities of Ontario Annual General Meeting.
Changing rural populations in Ontario provide a learning opportunity for municipal officials and rural economic development practitioners. A how-to guide for rural economic development was developed and shared through a series of workshops and communication channels.
The guide helps rural municipalities adopt an innovative and integrated approach to economic development.
OUTPUT and OUTCOMES The practical resource manual – “A Guide to Rural Economic Development: Best Practices for Your Community” was tested through the workshop series and is currently being used in practice. It has been presented at 8 workshops and included in 7 articles It can be found at www.ruralplanninganddevelopment.ca.
LESSON LEARNED Storytelling can be a very effective way to share information; providing guidance to others and stimulating creative ideas and innovative strategic thinking for all involved.
TO LEARN MORE Contact Wayne Caldwell Professor School of Environmental Design and Rural Development Phone: 519-824-4120, Ext. 56420 E-mail: wcaldwel@uoguelph.ca
Please visit, www.waynecaldwell.ca Photo Credit: Clip Art
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Alison Duncan Keywords: agri-food, nutrition, health, functional foods, aging, older adults, social media, webinars, online toolkit
Health care sector, food sector, nutritionists and health professionals
SCENARIO As people in the population age it puts stress on support systems— for example chronic disease puts stress on the healthcare system. In healthcare many of these burdens could be eased by prevention methods such as exercise and nutrition. Agri-food for Healthy Aging, or A-HA, is a collaborative group dedicated to improving the health and well-being of aging adults through the innovative use of food. It is a network of researchers, health professionals, farmers, food producers and other stakeholders focused on translating research results that demonstrate the linkages between nutrition, health and agriculture, as well as realizing business opportunities for the Ontario agri-food sector.
KTT GOAL Share knowledge and build a network to improve the health and wellbeing of the aging population. 22
KTT ACTIVITIES and STRATEGY Social media, newsletters and events were used to increase awareness and understanding of the linkages among agriculture, food and nutrition and to promote healthy aging. Twitter updates are sent on average 30 times per month and autopopulate to the Facebook page. A-HA also maintains a website and blog is updated 2-4 times a month. A-HA hosts events and regular teleconferences to engage target audiences. A highly qualified personnel team was created by pairing graduate students in health areas with A-HA researchers. The online Functional Foods for Health Aging Toolkit was developed to help health professionals promote the use of functional foods to the aging population.
OUTPUTS and OUTCOMES Electronic annual newsletters distributed to the A-HA listserv and posted on the A-HA website and blog reach more than 1000 agri-food and health stakeholders. Since 2010, A-HA has seen dramatic changes: website visits and page views increased by approximately 100% , 100 new twitter followers and 25 new Facebook likes, the listserv has more than tripled and there are 300400 views of the blog each month. A-HA has also has 6 published articles, 4 peer reviewed and 2 popular press. A-HA acts as a co-lead in the Seniors Health Research Transfer Network’s Nutrition - Community of Practice which builds relationships with new stakeholder groups and now has more than 600 members. Additionally, A-HA has hosted and co-hosted a number of events. The Innovation Breakfast had approximately 100 participants, each year the Health Professionals’ Day is attended by 125 people and more than 480 people partook in the Healthy Aging Toolkit launch. Survey results from the 2012 Innovation Breakfast and Health Professionals’ Day have shown that 90% of respondents learned something new, 88% will share what they have learned and 82% can apply what they have learned.
Photo Credit: iStock
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The aging population is growing and health concerns are putting a financial burden on the healthcare system. Agri-food for Healthy Aging has resources that could be used better to ease this burden. Use blogs, Twitter, events and highly qualified personnel to communicate research on healthy aging in the agriculture, food, health and nutrition sectors. Increased awareness and understanding about research on healthy aging and the linkages between agriculture, food and nutrition.
LESSON LEARNED Provide materials to professionals in your field—use many different channels including face to face events, etc. to inform them about your resources, which allows them to share with their networks and reach direct end users. COLLABORATORS Collaborators for this project include: Lisa Duizer (University of Guelph) as well as Heather Keller, Mike Sharratt and Hilary Dunn (University of Waterloo). This project is also supported by the Schlegel-University of Waterloo Research Institute for Aging, the Guelph Food Technology Centre, Dietitians of Canada, and the Journey to Your Good Health Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.
TO LEARN MORE Contact: Alison Duncan Professor Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences University of Guelph Phone: 519-824-4120 Ext. 53416 E-mail: amduncan@uoguelph.ca a-ha@the-ria.ca Please visit A-HA’s, Website - http://aha.the-ria.ca/ Blog - http://aha.the-ria.ca/blog/
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The goal of the Agri-Food and Rural Link is to accelerate the transfer of research knowledge into use. Some examples of how we have done this over the last 3 years are:
KTT Funding Program
Clear language summaries
Videos
Research Link
Agri-Food Yearbook
The Buzz
Research highlights events
Photos By: iStock and SPARK
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Michele Guerin Keywords: biosecurity, poultry, DVD, factsheet, poster, video, producers, industry, education, seminar
SCENARIO Biosecurity is an important issue for all areas of livestock production as disease costs can be devastating. Good biosecurity procedures are critical to maintaining a healthy and productive poultry industry in Ontario. Some producers and industry members are reluctant to adopt the most current biosecurity best management practices (BMPs) and though first hand experience is the best method of learning, the inherent biosecurity risks associated with having multiple visitors to a farm makes this difficult to achieve.
KTT GOAL Develop a comprehensive DVD which highlights biosecurity best management practices and tips for the poultry industry in Ontario so BMP will be used.
KTT ACTIVITIES and STRATEGY Formal and informal discussions on biosecurity techniques were held with researchers, veterinarians, producers and Producers, veterinarians, representatives from the various sectors of the poultry poultry industry, poultry industry to develop the material for the DVD. A panel of researchers and government ambassadors was selected from the poultry producers to poultry specialists represent their peers and promote the program. The panel also worked with students from the Ontario Agriculture College and Ontario Veterinary College Student Poultry club to develop the DVD. The DVD format was chosen as a tool because it allows producers to consult and review the information at home. The DVD was also broken into segments that are housed on the Poultry Industry Council's website and are shared through tweets as a biosecurity tip of the month. The DVD was physically given to stakeholders, posted to YouTube and promoted at conferences and events.
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OUTPUTS and OUTCOMES The 23 minute long video has been distributed to nearly 6,000 poultry producers and stakeholders and has been viewed on YouTube more than 300 times. The DVD has been viewed in South America, Europe, Africa and Asia by mobile, Facebook and YouTube. It has been promoted at 4 regional updates events with 250 attendees, 5 biosecurity training events with more than 250 attendees and a poultry industry conference with more than 200 in attendance. Other commodity groups use the videos to assist in their own biosecurity programs promotion and recommendations. Industries focused on developing their own biosecurity standards and recommendations use this DVD as a model.
The cost of disease in the poultry industry can be extreme. Biosecurity can help mitigate disease, yet it prevents practical on farm demonstrations Develop a convenient tool that producers can use from their own premise that provides tips without breaching biosecurity in the process. Developed a DVD that shows best management practices for poultry biosecurity and that will ultimately help maintain a healthy poultry industry in Ontario.
LESSON LEARNED When working as a team with contributors from different organizations it is very important to have a detailed KTT work plan and have designated champions or leaders. This facilitates networking, mentorships and teamwork as well as ensuring that objectives and goals are reached.
TO LEARN MORE Contact: Michele Guerin Assistant Professor Department of Population Medicine Phone: 519-824-4120, Ext. 54486 E-mail: mguerin@uoguelph.ca
Please visit, atrium.lib.uoguelph.ca/xmlui/ handle/10214/5428 www.uoguelph.ca/omafra_partnership/ktt/en/ aboutourresearch/resources/ KTTincreasingpoultrybiosecurity.pdf
Photo By: Martin Schwalbe Photo Credit: Michele Guerin
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Laura Van Eerd Keywords: decision-making tool, web-based, growers, focus groups, workshops, cover crops, vegetable production
SCENARIO Cover crops are beneficial for vegetable production but with over 25 varieties to select from, knowing which variety to choose is a daunting task for producers. Each cover crop has its own benefit and use (minimizing erosion, forage for livestock, adding organic matter, etc.), and is highly specific to soil, climate and type of production management system.
Industry, general public, stakeholders, producers, crop consultants and scientists
KTT GOAL Provide and make producers aware of an online tool that provides specific cover crop recommendation customized for their unique conditions and management style.
KTT ACTIVITIES and STRATEGY After the initial development of the Ontario Cover Crop Tool (an extension of the tool developed by the Midwest Cover Crop Council) the research team cohosted a workshop in 2013—Making Sen$e of Cover Crops– which allowed them to spread word about the tool and gain important feedback for improvements. The tool was made available on-line because that allows growers to input their farm’s specific and unique conditions from anywhere. It was and is promoted by word of mouth (workshops, presentations, blogs, etc.), and posters during key times in the growing season.
COLLABORATORS Collaborators involved in this project include Anne Verhallen (OMAF and MRA), Dean Baas (Michigan State University) as well as Lindsey Cartier and Christine Brown from the University of Guelph.
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OUTPUTS and OUTCOMES The Making $ense workshop had 265 participants of which 92% agreed or strongly agreed that the workshop information will influence their work/farm within the next 1-2 years. Posters developed for the tool were distributed to 375 people at the Southwest Crop Diagnostics Days conference as well as at agriculture retail outlets. The research team have increased exposure by highlighting the tool during growers’ meetings, reaching more than 1000 and through the publication of 15 articles (three peer reviewed and 12 popular press). Eight cover crop innovator profiles have been created which provide a validation and example for other producers. Two of the cover crop growers profiled have applied for Ontario Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence.
With over 25 varieties of cover crops available, a decision –making tool will help Ontario producers decide which option is best for their farm. Developed and promoted an on-line cover crop decision tool with Ontario specific information. The Ontario Cover Crop Tool gives producers customized information they can use for farm management .
LESSON LEARNED A multi-facetted KTT approach is key because it allows you to address different user needs. A face-to-face component is important because it develops networks to form and grow.
Going Forward An Eastern Canada Vegetable Crop Decision Tool is being developed and the tool is being adapted for DVD/CD.
TO LEARN MORE Contact: Laura Van Eerd Associate Professor Plant Nutrition and Soil Fertility Phone: 519-674-1500 Ext. 63644 Email: lvaneerd@uoguelph.ca
Please visit, http://mcccdev.anr.msu.edu http:// onspecialtycrops.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/ ontario-cover-crop-selector-tool-now-available
Photo By: Martin Schwalbe
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Francois Tardif Keywords: field crops, production systems, profit maximization, agronomy, social media, smartphone apps, decision-making, online archival tool, videos, marketing
SCENARIO Field crop producers seek expert advice and information from research and extension programs that benefit their Field crop farmers, government operation. OMAF and MRA field crop staff receive crop specialists, crop consultants, questions and comments from thousands of producers agricultural knowledge brokers each year. The challenge is that factors affecting and researchers production systems (pests, fertility, and agronomy) are often unpredictable and vary from year to year. Field crop staff and individuals involved in KTT must access historical information quickly and easily. Additionally, they must also allow field crop producers access to this information within hours of their initial request so that clients are able to make informed decisions.
KTT GOAL To provide field crop farmers with timely information to assist in making informed management decisions that improve profitability, while minimizing environmental impact.
KTT ACTIVITIES and STRATEGY The research team developed a blog – www.fieldcropnews.com – where information on key current and applied field crop information is shared. In addition to this channel, videos, plain language factsheets, infographics, a Twitter account, mobile apps and audio and interactive presentations (including quizzes and podcasts) were created. The diverse formats help target different learning styles, and each has a feedback mechanism for users to share their experiences using the information. The blog has been marketed to the target audiences through agricultural publications, social media, meetings and presentations. 30
OUTPUTS and OUTCOMES Weekly crop reports are shared on the blog and Farms.com, and reach more than 30,000 Ontarians. The use of social media to promote the blog content tripled traffic to the blog during the first month it was live; and mobile traffic increased by 224% after an app was developed which allows farmers to make crop rotation decisions. There have been approximately25,000 visits to the site, representing more than 1000 hours of active engagement. Other KTT products include: 381 articles/posts, 1000 images, 11 videos and interactive presentations, 1 infographic, 60+ crop reports published in Ontario Farmer and more than 150 podcasts. The use of interactive presentation software has proven to be highly engaging with the target audience, attracting more than 550 people. The blog success is confirmed by the number of highly popular agricultural online news sources such as Farms.com pulling information regularly to post on their websites nationwide. These relationships along with social media have increased viewership of some topics by 1000%, for example one video has been viewed more than 4000 times and some articles thousands of times.
Field crop producers require expert advice and information from research and government programs to ensure a productive and efficient operation.
Develop a blog which provides field crop production information in many interactive and appealing formats which are easily accessible The blog provides a common platform for OMAF and MRA staff and researchers, to display material and information on an ongoing basis, providing field crop producers with applied information to improve production and efficiency.
LESSON LEARNED Social media engagement is essential to see what questions are being asked so that resources are provided when of highest impact. Uptake of KTT tools can be exponential when social media is embraced.
Going Forward Since 20% of visitors are accessing the blog via a mobile device the research team is developing a smartphone application that will allow mobile users complete access to the information.
COLLABORATORS Mike Cowbrough (OMAF and MRA).
TO LEARN MORE Contact Francois Tardiff Assistant Professor Department of Plant Agriculture Phone: 519-824-4120, Ext. 53395 E-mail: ftardif@uoguelph.ca Photo Credit: iStock
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Gayle Ecker Keywords: social media, survey, equine industry, knowledge mobilization program, horses, farmers, communication
SCENARIO Equine Guelph is a not for profit organization located at the University of Guelph, serving horses Equine industry and associations, and the industry through education, research, academia, equine regulatory bodies healthcare promotion and industry development. and associations, horse owners; With approximately 400,000 horses spread managers; riders; farriers, amongst 65,000 farms in Ontario, delivering veterinarians, racing and non-racing information that horse owners can easily access equine disciplines and understand will substantially impact the overall care of the horses and can also benefit horse owners financially.
KTT GOAL To identify the needs and priorities of the Ontario horse industry and assess the current knowledge translation and transfer model effectiveness within this sector
KTT ACTIVITIES and STRATEGY An online survey was created to evaluate the effectiveness and weaknesses of Equine Guelph’s existing knowledge transfer program. During the survey’s development input from stakeholders and industry was used to ensure relevance. The survey was made available through industry and stakeholder websites, blogs, emails, social media and the Equine Guelph website.
COLLABORATORS Other collaborators on this project are Jeff Thomason, Jackie Bellamy and David Finlay (from the University of Guelph). 32
OUTPUTS and OUTCOMES Equine Guelph sent out media releases to over 300 media partners to help promote and distribute the survey, resulting in its pick up by partner websites and fostering new relationships. The survey was completed by 2077 individuals, with participation from 13 countries (90% from Canada). The survey identified that there is a lack of awareness among the equine industry about Equine Guelph, and showed the need to expand the communication channels to increase the reach within the industry. The vast majority of respondents wanted to receive information from Equine Guelph . The top 5 desired communication channels identified: E-news (email), internet searches, magazines, audio/visual tutorials and live seminars. The survey also indicated what topics the stakeholders were most interested in, such as breeding, health and behaviour.
Identify the needs and priorities of the Ontario equine industry, and evaluate the current KTT program’s effectiveness in order to better serve the industry. Create a survey to identify the areas for improvement needed and develop a new KTT program plan based on industry input. Survey results provided Equine Guelph with the framework to enhance and expand its KTT program to maximize reach and impact within the industry and bridge the gap between industry and university.
LESSON LEARNED Surveys are a KEY tool to determine what stakeholders are looking for in terms of KTT and provides a place to start when developing a KTT work plan.
Going Forward With these survey results Equine Guelph is going to use new KTT tools focusing on direct email, media and magazine articles and website design to engage with stakeholders in order to continuously improve the effective translation and transfer of research knowledge.
TO LEARN MORE This research was also supported by Equine Guelph.
Contact Gayle Ecker Director of Equine Guelph Phone: 519-824-4120, Ext. 56678 E-mail: gecker@uoguelph.ca Photo Credit: Clip Art
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David Kelton Keywords: focus groups, animal disease control, management, participatory action learning, dairy herd health, Johne’s Disease
SCENARIO Johne’s disease is a wasting in dairy cattle that costs the Canadian dairy cattle industry more than 20 million dollars annually. Key farm management practices that could control the spread of Johne’s Disease within and between farms have been identified but although key farm advisors are recommending these practices their uptake is low.
KTT GOAL Determine dairy producer-preferred channels for knowledge translation and transfer and barriers to the adoption of Johne’s disease control best management practices
TO LEARN MORE Dairy producers, dairy industry, Dairy Farmers of Ontario, CanWest Dairy Herd Improvement, veterinarians, government and dairy researchers
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Contact David Kelton Professor Department of Population Medicine Phone: 519-824-4120, Ext. 54808 E-mail: dkelton@ovc.uoguelph.ca
KTT ACTIVITIES and STRATEGY In order to better inform dairy producers about best management practices to control and prevent Johne’s Disease, a new approach to knowledge translation and transfer (KTT) was required. Based on the previous research, a novel approach using participatory action was implemented, Focus Farms—interactive sessions which use round tables, farm walks, farm assessments, power point presentations and guest speakers, compared to traditional extension such as print materials. The Focus Farms were led by veterinarians trained in the participatory action approach with input from content experts. The veterinarians identified knowledge gaps among their groups and focused their education towards these gaps. Before beginning the Focus Farm groups participants and a control group (who receive traditional extension materials) were given a survey to assess the level of knowledge of prevention and control best practices for Johne’s Disease. Upon completion of the Focus Farm groups the participants and control group were surveyed again to understand change in knowledge. After that information was gathered, follow-up focus groups were conducted for Focus Farm participants and control participants to get a better understanding of learning preferences.
“Johne’s disease is a wasting disease in dairy cattle that costs the Canadian dairy cattle industry more than 20 million dollars annually.” OUTPUTS and OUTCOMES 176 Ontario dairy producers participated in the Focus Farms. The Focus Farms were conducted in two 12 month cohorts. Overall there were 14 groups comprised of 10-12 members whom met 5-6 times throughout the year. 91 of the 176 Farm Focus participants completed the pre-survey and 70 of these completed the post-survey. 62 producers representing the control group completed the pre-survey of which 52 completed the post-survey. Analysis of the surveys has shown that the change in knowledge and the decrease in on farm risk of Farm Focus participants were both significant — the control group showed no significant change in knowledge or on farm risk. Follow up interviews indicate that 38% of control producers reported making changes on their farms while 73% of Focus Farm participants reported making changes. Results from this project have been shared at international events, 4 popular press articles, 5 peer reviewed articles and a SPARK video. The outcomes of this research has been that Focus Farms have been identified as an effective producer-centered KTT approach to increasing knowledge, changing attitudes or perspectives, increasing adopting and subsequently, decreasing on-farm Johne’s Disease risk. The key component of this process was that it employed a participatory action learning approach that empowered dairy producers to get involved in knowledge creation and sharing. Photo By: SPARK
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Johne’s Disease can be catastrophic to the Canadian dairy industry affecting 50% of herds and costing $20 million a year; yet, veterinary recommended practices for prevention and control are not being adopted on some farms. Focus groups of dairy farmers were created to identify the knowledge gaps in communicating management practices to producers, as well as provide an education platform for Johne’s Disease. A participatory action approach to dairy producer education is effective at facilitating increases in knowledge and behavior change.
LESSON LEARNED Create a diffusion plan not a dissemination plan; only a select portion of the audience will uptake information without getting actively involved - dialogue gets users engaged, encourages them to achieve success and gets the best results.
Going Forward A series of whiteboard videos which provides producers with management tips and protocol. The first video tells the story of Bob whose cow Belle becomes sick and how he discovered simple housekeeping tricks to prevent Johne’s disease. Look for the next two videos spring and summer 2014.
http://youtu.be/u0Y0ew5yMo8
COLLABORATORS Timothy Nelson (The Poultry Industry Council), Richard Cantin and Bill Grexton (CanWest DHI), Neil Anderson (OMAF and MRA), George MacNaughton (Dairy Framers of Ontario), Rod Wieringa (Ontario Association of Bovine Practitioners) as well as Andria Jones and Steven Roche (University of Guelph).
This research was also supported by CanWest Dairy Herd Improvement, Agricultural Research Management Systems, Dairy Farmers of Ontario, and the Ontario Association of Bovine Practitioners.
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This casebook provides an overview of the projects, please check out the links provided for more information on the individual projects. The Agri-Food and Rural Link website provides more information about other projects as well as links to videos and further resources for your own project.
Contact info: OMAF and MRA-U of G Partnership, Office of Research, Knowledge Translation and Transfer (KTT) University of Guelph 1 Stone Rd. W. Guelph, ON N1G 4Y2 Partnership website: www.uoguelph.ca/omafra_partnership/en/index.asp KTT website: www.uoguelph.ca/ktt Twitter: @AgFoodRuralLink
Look for new casebooks of projects in the future.
Photo Credit: iStock
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http://www.uoguelph.ca/ktt