A stakeholder-driven education effort on odors from animal feeding operations

Many federal grants require the involvement of stakeholder advisory teams to provide guidance for project development and implementation. This paper describes a process of meaningful engagement used with stakeholders for the educational outreach component of a grant funded project. The multi-disciplinary, multi-state stakeholder team was asked to identify critical audiences and key science-based messages to be communicated about airborne emissions from animal feeding operations. The stakeholder advice was to produce short videos to provide easy-to-understand science-based information about odors and gaseous emissions from animal feeding operations. Video topics included: policy considerations, neighbor relations, setback estimation tools, health impacts, covers and biofilters. The videos were expected to be useful for community leaders, policy makers, health officials, and neighbors wanting to learn more about new or expanded animal feeding operations; and to animal feeding operation owners and managers considering whether to invest in odor-reducing technologies. The videos were posted on the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center's extension website. Program evaluation was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the video series in conveying information and the stakeholder engagement process. Evaluation results indicate positive reactions to the video series and overall effort. The project team successfully integrated scientific, communications and evaluation expertise to promote public understanding of a complex agricultural issue.