Utilizing Web Based Survey Tools to Assess Knowledge and Support for Cooperative Extension and Local Agriculture

For the past nineteen years, the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) Snyder Research and Extension Farm has hosted “The Great Tomato Tasting,” (http://snyderfarm.rutgers.edu/), a consumer outreach and farm open house to address consumer agricultural and horticultural education needs.  These open houses strive to increase public awareness, appreciation and education of proper horticulture techniques, NJAES research, and of local agricultural products, farms, and farmland preservation efforts.  The programs feature informal tastings of seasonal produce and more formal research evaluations of produce from experimental plots.  Wagon tours led by farm staff and NJAES researchers highlight ongoing Rutgers NJAES agricultural and horticultural research trials.  Master Gardener volunteers from surrounding counties participate by answering visitors gardening questions and serving more than 80 varieties of heirloom and hybrid tomatoes grown on the farm.  This event attracts more than 1,500 visitors for the four-hour open house.  Previous attempts at conducting surveys completed during the event were of little value due to low return rates.  Following the open houses in both 2008 and 2009, a visitor survey was developed utilizing Survey Monkey® online resources, http://www.surveymonkey.com.  A 10-question multiple choice survey was developed which also included some open ended comment sections.  The unique survey web link was then distributed via emails that were collected as part of the event registration.  In 2008, the survey was emailed to 400 addresses, while in 2009, 668 e-mail addresses received the survey.  The response rate in 2008 was 61.8 % and 35.9% in 2009.  This decline in response rate might be attributed to the fact that many attendees are repeat visitors each year.  In both years (2008, 009) a majority of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they had increased their understanding of Rutgers, NJAES Cooperative Extension and its programs (89%, 90%), improved their gardening knowledge (65%, 65%), their awareness of local produce varieties and availability (78%, 79%),  and favored efforts for farmland preservation and agricultural viability (90%, 91%).  With appropriate questions and proper timing following large educational public events such as the Great Tomato Tasting, Web-based surveys appear to be an effective and efficient tool to measure outreach impact and public opinion.