Division of Agriculture experts bring podcasting to producers with Row Crops Radio
By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts:
- Row Crops Radio brings timely recommendations and updates in 5-10 minute segments
- Podcast episodes have more than 500 downloads
- Free to access through mobile apps or CES website
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LITTLE ROCK — Agronomists and researchers with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture are making timely recommendations and professional insights even more readily available to producers, consultants and anyone who cares to listen through Row Crop Radio, a new podcast series.
Podcasting — a media platform that makes audio recordings available for episodic download over the Internet — has grown in popularity since its inception in 2004, and podcasts can now be accessed through a wide variety of free mobile apps, as well as through the Division of Agriculture’s website.
Jarrod Hardke, extension rice agronomist, has hosted four of the five episodes currently available, discussing topics related to the 2019 rice harvest and milling issues. Trent Roberts, extension soil fertility specialist and associate professor of crop, soil and environmental science for the Division of Agriculture’s Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, recorded an episode as well, dealing with spring and fall nutrient applications.
The episodes are intended to be timely updates on current issues important to growers, Hardke said, without bogging the listener down in lengthy explorations of arcane subject matter.
“We don’t intend for them to be lengthy podcast episodes,” he said. “They’re going to be primarily geared toward shorter bites of information that will be easy for growers, consultants and industry stakeholders to just listen to going down the road, on the tractor, or wherever they may be, instead of stopping to read something.
“With a five- to 10-minute podcast segment, we can say a lot in a short amount of time,” Hardke said. “There’s an ease of explaining things verbally, that can become much more difficult when written.”
As of this week, Hardke said the podcast had been downloaded more than 500 times.
“Considering we just began it in August, I’m fairly pleased with that number,” he said. “It takes time to develop a following, and there’s just less to talk about at this time of the year, in the world of agriculture.
“Our next step is to get some content related to other commodities up,” Hardke said. “Right now, we’re in the middle of trying to get the crop out, as opposed to a lot of major production issues. It might be that the winter is a better time to post some slightly lengthier podcasts, perhaps more open-ended conversations.”
To access Arkansas Row Crops Radio, visit https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/crops-commercial-horticulture/RowCropsRadio.aspx, or search for it in your preferred podcast listening app.
To learn about row crop agriculture production in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow the Cooperative Extension Service on Twitter at @uaex_edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact your (insert appropriate office) as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
Media Contact: Ryan McGeeney
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2120
rmcgeeney@uada.edu
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