Cooperative extension has had to adapt communication and outreach efforts for the past several years because of changes in funding, technology, farmer demographics, and overall industry demands and needs. Given decreasing resources, effective program planning is necessary to optimize output and impact. The Michigan State University Extension Beef Team conducted a needs assessment using an online producer survey. As an interdisciplinary team, the Beef Team was able to address all facets of the Michigan beef industry. Specifically, agricultural economists contributed to the needs assessment with core economic concepts, as well as survey design and analysis. Upon data collection, producers identified marketing, profitability, and animal health as the biggest challenges facing their operations in the next 5 to 10 years. The Beef Team utilized these results for program planning and to make staffing recommendations to administration.

Arbuckle, J.G., Jr. 2017. “Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll: 2016 Summary Report.” Extension Report SOC3081, Iowa State
University Extension.

Bitsch, V., and S. Thornsbury. 2010. “Building Teamwork into an Integrated Extension Program: Faculty Perspectives on Area
of Expertise Teams.” Journal of Extension 48(4). Article 4a2.

Boone, E., D. Safrit, and J. Jones. 2002. Developing Programs in Adult Education: A Conceptual Programming Model, 2nd ed. Long

Grove IL: Waveland Press.Growers in Hawaii.” Journal of Extension 46(3):3RIB5.

Buskirk, D., K. Gould, J. Schweihofer, P. Durst, S. Fronczak, C. Gondro, M. McKendree, E. Rogers, J. Rowntree, K. Thurlow, and F.
Wardynski. 2019. AABI Livestock: Beef Team 2020 Staffing Plan, Michigan State University Extension.

Cowley, J., D.D. Buskirk, G. Bednar, L.M. Cheney, D.L. Grooms, H.L. Person, and W.N. Osburn. 2000. “1999 Michigan Beef
Industry Priority Survey.” Beef Cattle, Sheep and Forage Systems Research and Demonstration Report, Research
Report 569, Michigan State University.

Diaz, J., C. Gusto, and D. Diehl. 2018. “Overview of Extension Program Planning Models.” Department of Agricultural Education
and Communication, UF/IFAS Extension, AEC627, University of Florida, Gainesville.

Dideriksen, S.M. 2018. “A Needs Assessment for Colorado Beef Producers: Understanding Rancher Priorities, Preferred
Communication Strategies, and Influential Factors on Prioritization and Relationships with Land Grant Universities.”
MS thesis, Colorado State University.

Donaldson, J., and K. Franck. 2016. “Needs Assessment Guidebook for Extension Professionals.” UT Extension Institute of
Agriculture, PB 1839, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Ellison, B., N.D. Paulson, M.K. Taylor, G.T. Tonsor, J. Coppess, and G.D. Schnitkey. 2017. “Evaluation of Educational Offerings
Associated with the 2015 Farm Bill.” Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy 39(4):547–558.

Franz, N.K. 2011. “Tips for Constructing a Promotion and Tenure Dossier That Documents Engaged Scholarship Endeavors.”
Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement 15(3):15–30.

Garst, B.A, and P.F. McCawley. 2015. “Solving Problems, Ensuring Relevance, and Facilitating Change: The Evolution of Needs
Assessment Within Cooperative Extension.” Journal of Human Sciences and Extension 3(2):26–47.

Gunn, P.J., and D.D. Loy. 2015. “Opportunities and Challenges in a Changing Beef Industry: Results of a Statewide Needs
Assessment in Iowa.” Animal Industry Report: AS 661, ASL R2946.

Jin, Y., and W.E. Huffman. 2016. “Measuring Public Agricultural Research and Extension and Estimating Their Impacts on
Agricultural Productivity: New Insights from U.S. Evidence.” Agricultural Economics 47:15–31.

Kobielus, J. 2018. “The Evolution Away from Conversational User Interfaces.” Retrieved from
https://www.informationweek.com/big-data/ai-machine-learning/the-evolution-away-from-conversational-user-
interfaces-/a/d-id/1331225.

Leagans, J.P. 1981. “A Concept of Needs.” Journal of Cooperative Extension:86–89.

Lee, J., L. Schulz, and G. Tonsor. 2019. “Swine Producers’ Willingness to Pay for Tier 1 Disease Risk Mitigation under
Ambiguity.” :36.

Leholm, A., L. Hamm, M. Suvedi, I. Gray, and F. Poston. 1999. “Area of Expertise Teams: The Michigan Approach to Applied
Research and Extension.” Journal of Extension 37(3):3FEA3.

Lippitt, R., J. Watson, and B. Westley. 1958. The Dynamics of Planned Change. New York: Harcourt Brace.

Lusk, J.L., and B.C. Briggeman. 2009. “Food Values.” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 91(1):184–196.

Lyford, C.P., D.J. Ricks, H.C. Peterson, and J.A. Sterns. 2002. “A Framework for Effective Industry Strategic Planning.” Journal of
Agribusiness 20(2):131–146.

Martin, M.S., S.A. Grau, B.W. Rutherford, T. Grandin, and L.N. Edwards-Callaway. 2019. “Survey of Cow-Calf Producer
Perspectives on Management Strategies and Industry Challenges. Part 1: Handling Practices, and Health and Industry
Challenges.” Translational Animal Science 3(1):195–203.

McKendree, M.G.S., G.T. Tonsor, and C.A. Wolf. 2018. “Animal Welfare Perceptions of the U.S. Public and Cow-Calf Producers.”
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics 50(4):544–578.
Michigan State University. “About [MSU Extension].” Retrieved from https://www.canr.msu.edu/outreach/about/

Qualtrics. “Survey Protection.” Retrieved from https://www.qualtrics.com/support/survey-platform/survey-module/survey-
options/survey-protection/

Redfearn, D., J. Parsons, and M. Drew. 2016. “Multidisciplinary Research and Extension Team Evolution: Processes, Outcomes,
and Strategies.” Agricultural and Environmental Letters Commentary.

Roubal, A. 2017. “Needs Assessment for Idaho Beef Programming.” MS thesis, University of Idaho.

Schmitt, S.M., S.D. Fitzgerald, T.M. Cooley, C.S. Bruning-Fann, L. Sullivan, D. Berry, T. Carlson, R.B. Minnis, J.B. Payeur, and J.

Sikarskie. 1997. “Bovine Tuberculosis in Free-Ranging White-Tailed Deer from Michigan.” J. Wildlife Diseases
33(4):749–758.

Schulz, L.L., and G.T. Tonsor. 2010. “Cow-Calf Producer Preferences for Voluntary Traceability Systems.” Journal of Agricultural
Economics 61(1):138–162.

Schweihofer, J.P., M.G.S. McKendree, and C.B. Lineback. 2020. “Michigan Beef Industry Needs Assessment Results.” Michigan
Cattleman 35(1):18–19.

McKendree, M.G.S., J.P. Schweihofer, C. Lineback, M. Suvedi, D. Buskirk, K. Gould, P. Durst, K. Thurlow, and F. Wardynski.
February 14 2020. “Needs Assessment of the Michigan Beef Industry.” East Lansing: Michigan State University
Extension. https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/need-assessment-of-the-michigan-beef-industry

Seevers, B., and D. Graham. 2012. Education through Cooperative Extension, 3rd ed. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas.

Stock, P., and R.J.F. Burton. 2011. “Defining Terms for Integrated (Multi-Inter-Trans-Disciplinary) Sustainability Research.”
Sustainability 3(8):1090–1113.

Suvedi, M., M.K. Lapinski, and S. Campo. 2000. “Farmers’ Perspectives of Michigan State University Extension Trends and
Lessons from 1996 and 1999.” Journal of Extension 38(1): Features Article 1FEA4.

Suvedi, M., E. Jeong, and J. Coombs. 2010. “Education Needs of Michigan Farmers.” Journal of Extension 48(3):Research in Brief
3RIB7.

Taylor-Powell, E., and M. Renner. 2003. “Analyzing Qualitative Data.” Madison: University of Wisconsin-Extension.

Troxel, T.R., K.S. Lusby, M.S. Gadberry, B.L. Barham, R. Poling, T. Riley, S. Eddington, and T. Justice. 2007. “The Arkansas Beef
Industry—A Self-Assessment.” The Professional Animal Scientist 23:104–115.

Tyler, R. 1949. Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction. Chicago IL: University of Chicago Press.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2017. 2017 Census of Agriculture. Washington DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National
Agriculture Statistics Service. http://www.nass.usda.gov/Census_of_Agriculture/index.asp

 

Verteramo Chiu, L.J., L.W. Tauer, R.L. Smith, and Y.T. Grohn. 2019. “Assessment of the Bovine Tuberculosis Elimination
Protocol in the United States.” J. Dairy Sci 102(3):2384–2400.

Wang, S. L. 2014. “Trends and Economic Impacts on U.S. Agriculture.” Choices 29(1):1–8.

Wright, A.D., E.A. Greene, and D.B. Faulkner. 2017. “Establishing Cooperative Extension Directions for Arizona Beef Producer
Programs.” Journal of NACAA 10(2).

Wright, K.B. 2005. “Researching Internet-Based Populations: Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Survey Research, Online
Questionnaire Authoring Software Packages, and Web Survey Services.” Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication
10(3). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2005.tb00259.x