Communication successes, challenges, and needs among extension and outreach professionals engaging small-scale and non-intensive swine farmers

An introduction of a foreign animal disease (FAD) could greatly harm the United States' (U.S.) swine industry and cost billions of dollars in losses. Private and public stakeholders have invested heavily in the development of programs to educate swine producers about FAD threats, but their reach to small-scale and non-intensive farmers may be limited. In the U.S., there is a significant contingent of farmers that fall under a wide variety of farm practices, such as small-scale, pasture-raised, and homesteaders. We postulate that research and outreach with these farmers poses unique challenges compared to intensive farmers. To enhance our research-based perspective, agricultural extensionists and educators from 11 U.S. states were interviewed (17 interviewees across 15 interviews) on their experiences working with this audience. Their practice-based perspectives were gathered on the challenges, successes, and ongoing needs of both producers and extension/education professionals. Major challenges included finding this widely dispersed audience, creating engaging materials applicable to diverse production methods and experience, and building relationships with communities that may be distrusting of outside organizations and professionals. Success was found through taking time to listen, adopting communication and education approaches that match specific audience needs, working with trusted partners, and integrating FAD content into broader animal husbandry topics. Ongoing needs include investment of funding and time from industry partners, more personnel, updated educational materials, and a format for broader collaboration. This perspective highlights the needs and opportunities to enhance preparedness and awareness of small-scale and non-intensive swine farming, with the ultimate objective of contributing to mitigate the impact of hypothetical FAD incursions into the U.S.