Agricultural communicators ’ use of mobile devices and social media in USA

Social media platforms and other new technologies support the communication of many topics, both beneficial and controversial to the development of the agriculture industry. Agricultural communicators’ use of these platforms is critical for engaging with stakeholders and communicating information beneficial to agriculture. The purpose of this study was to explore agricultural communicators’ use of devices and social media platforms in the United States. Researchers administered an online, descriptive questionnaire to collect data from members of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. A majority of respondents used social media for work, with smartphones being the most common device used. Facebook and Twitter were used more than blogs and YouTube to interact with farmers/ranchers. Respondents agreed that social media allowed them to quickly and conveniently communicate with others. Significant relationships existed between perceived usefulness and Pinterest, blogs, and Instagram, while one significant correlation existed between perceived ease of use and Instagram. Respondents should continue to use Facebook and Twitter to engage their stakeholder groups in conversations about agriculture.