Browsing by Author "Drape, Tiffany A."

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    4-H Agent Longevity and Youth Participation and Perception: A Case Study
    Ransdell, Leona P. (Virginia Tech, 2018-12-13)
    This study examined the influence of the 4-H agent and how the length of time an agent is employed in a community affects the perception of the quality and visibility of the 4-H program based on the theory of Positive Youth Development. The objective of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between the length of time an agent has been employed in a county and what effect, if any, it has on the perceptions of the youth ages 14-19 that are enrolled in the 4-H program. A total of 138 youth participated in the survey from 21 different counties in Virginia. The study found the positive influence of the 4-H agent in a county and the 4-H program and that these employees are an important part of a youth’s 4-H career. Further research is needed to determine the time at which agents begin to make significant impact on the youth enrolled in their county programs. Programmatic recommendations include conducting a more in depth needs assessment including agents in the 8-11 year employment range and outside stakeholders.
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    4-H Presentation Contest in Homeschool Learning: A Case Study
    Estep, Taylor (Virginia Tech, 2021-03-08)
    The purpose of this project is to determine why homeschool teachers in Tazewell County, Virginia support and implement the Virginia 4-H presentations program and what potential life skills are learned by students. The theoretical framework for this study was the Experiential Learning Theory and Model. A qualitative case study was developed to determine why teachers utilize the contest and what potential life skills they feel students learn. The participants of this study were two Tazewell County homeschool teachers that implemented the program and subsequent contest each year with students. Teachers participated in a pre and post-interview that was audio recorded and transcribed. Themes that emerged included potential life skills learned and provided a better understanding as to why this contest has been supported for over 25 years. Recommendations from the research include conducting a similar study throughout the state to examine a larger sample. Practitioner recommendations include introducing new ways to implement the contest into teacher’s educational curriculum and share other teachers’ rubrics and lesson plans for this contest. Both would be beneficial in creating a more universal contest.
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    Accessing Virginia Market Sectors: Establishing a Market Perspective
    Vallotton, Amber; Battah, Alexandra; Knox, Ryan; Vargo, Adrianna; Archibald, Thomas G.; Boyer, Renee R.; Cook, Natalie E.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-11-27)
    Discusses marketing perspective, and emphasizes the importance of understanding the market, before investing lots of time, effort and money.
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    Accessing Virginia's College & University Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety Considerations
    Vallotton, Amber; Battah, Alexandra; Knox, Ryan; Vargo, Adrianna; Archibald, Thomas G.; Boyer, Renee R.; Cook, Natalie E.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-11-27)
    Highlights from a 2015-2016 market assessment survey are discussed in this document.
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    Accessing Virginia's Hospital Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety Considerations
    Vallotton, Amber; Battah, Alexandra; Knox, Ryan; Vargo, Adrianna; Archibald, Thomas G.; Boyer, Renee R.; Cook, Natalie E.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-11-27)
    Discusses hospitals as a potential market for locally grown foods and products. Identifies school purchasing priorities, and some of the likely barriers to purchasing.
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    Accessing Virginia's Market Sectors: Fresh Produce Purchasing Considerations
    Vallotton, Amber; Battah, Alexandra; Knox, Ryan; Vargo, Adrianna; Archibald, Thomas G.; Boyer, Renee R.; Cook, Natalie E.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-11-17)
    Discusses the results of a survey of colleges and universities, direct-to-consumer markets, hospitals, public schools, restaurants, retailers and regional wholesalers.
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    Accessing Virginia's Public School (K-12) Market Sector: Fresh Produce Safety Considerations
    Vallotton, Amber; Battah, Alexandra; Knox, Ryan; Vargo, Adrianna; Archibald, Thomas G.; Boyer, Renee R.; Cook, Natalie E.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-11-27)
    Discusses public schools as a potential market for locally grown foods and products. Identifies school purchasing priorities, and some of the likely barriers to purchasing.
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    Accessing Virginia's Regional Wholesale Market Sector: Fresh Produce Safety Considerations
    Vallotton, Amber; Battah, Alexandra; Knox, Ryan; Vargo, Adrianna; Archibald, Thomas G.; Boyer, Renee R.; Cook, Natalie E.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-11-17)
    Discusses wholesale market distributors and regional food hubs, and how to market locally grown food crops to them. Also notes the results of a 2015-2016 a Virginia statewide market assessment survey.
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    Accessing Virginia’s Restaurant Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety Considerations
    Vallotton, Amber D.; Battah, Alexandra; Knox, Ryan; Vargo, Adrianna; Archibald, Thomas G.; Boyer, Renee R.; Cook, Natalie E.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-11-17)
    Despite the growing demand and support for local food, there can often be significant barriers for growers trying to tap into new markets, given specific food safety expectations, policies, and requirements. This trend is particularly true for institutional buyers, who are often constrained by far-reaching institutional and/or corporate policies. While there are lots of market opportunities in Virginia, navigating the landscape for growers can be daunting, since buyer food safety requirements are not a “one size fits all” standard for all markets. To better understand current expectations and perceptions across multiple market sectors in Virginia, and help producers better align their on-farm practices with these marketplaces, the Fresh Produce Food Safety Team conducted a state-wide market assessment survey in 2015-2016. The purpose of this factsheet is to provide you with the results of that work, especially if you are considering selling produce to restaurants.
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    Accessing Virginia’s Retail Market Sector: Fresh Produce Food Safety Considerations
    Vallotton, Amber D.; Battah, Alexandra; Knox, Ryan; Vargo, Adrianna; Archibald, Thomas G.; Boyer, Renee R.; Cook, Natalie E.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Virginia Cooperative Extension, 2017-11-27)
    Despite the growing demand and support for local food, there can often be significant barriers for growers trying to tap into new markets, given specific food safety expectations, policies, and requirements. This trend is particularly true for institutional buyers, who are often constrained by far-reaching institutional and/or corporate policies. While there are lots of market opportunities in Virginia, navigating the landscape for growers can be daunting, since buyer food safety requirements are not a “one size fits all” standard for all markets. To better understand current expectations and perceptions across multiple market sectors in Virginia, and help producers better align their on-farm practices with these marketplaces, the Fresh Produce Food Safety Team conducted a state-wide market assessment survey in 2015-2016. The purpose of this factsheet is to provide you with the results of that work, especially if you are considering selling produce to retailers.
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    Accuracy of Intermittent Fasting Guidance in Blogs Used by Personal Trainers from a Gym in South Africa
    Disbergen, Shene (Virginia Tech, 2021-10-11)
    This project examined the accuracy of blog sources personal trainers in Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa use to educate themselves on the topic of intermittent fasting. Through literature review, different types of intermittent fasting were researched such as time-restricted feeding, periodic fasting, and alternate day fasting as well as the role intermittent fasting plays in weight loss and modifying risk factors for health conditions such as obesity and cardiovascular disease. A small convenience sample of five personal trainers were used to conduct one-on-one semi-structured interviews in a local gym to determine what sources of information they use to educate themselves on intermittent fasting and if they use any blog sources. The top three blog sources were determined based on frequency of mention and manual deductive qualitative coding was applied to blog articles from each blog source in order to determine accuracy of information in two key criteria: timing of feeding and fasting, and instructions on caloric intake. The third criteria, type of references used in each blog article, was recorded and combined with accuracy of the other two criteria to calculate an average reliability score. Accuracy in both timing of feeding and fasting, and instructions on caloric intake fell between 86 and 100%, for the three blog sites, and the average reliability scores fell between 85 and 95%. Another component of this project focused on a qualitative evaluation regarding statements of health benefits made in each blog article as well as the type of reference used to substantiate each health benefit claim based on a hierarchy of scientific evidence.1 There were sixty seven total unique health benefit claims made in the articles from all three blog sources. One hundred percent of those claims had cited references justifying each claim. Forty three percent of the cited references were either Meta analyses and systematic reviews or randomized controlled trials. The findings show that the blog sources these personal trainers use to educate themselves on intermittent fasting are accurate and use top tiers of the hierarchy of scientific evidence to substantiate health benefit claims that are made in the articles.
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    Agricultural Education and Training in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Three-step Approach to AET Institution Building
    Cletzer, D. Adam; Rudd, Rick D.; Westfall-Rudd, Donna M.; Drape, Tiffany A. (Macrothink Institute, 2016)
    Educational institution building for agricultural education and training (AET) in sub-Saharan African has struggled, leading to many false starts and only islands of success. This review examines relevant literature related to carrying out AET in developing countries, the historical successes or challenges of developing AET institutions, and the need for establishing AET institutions. Numerous factors hampering the development of AET emerged, including: shrinking national budgets, reverse return, donor congestion, fixation on a linear model of science, and political instability. Recommendations for building AET institutions in SSA are presented using Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory as a framework, and include: (a) develop strategic relationships for political support of agriculture, (b) creating a more flexible framework for structuring institutions of higher learning, and (c) utilizing the SAFE model to reform curriculum to meet today’s learners’ needs.
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    Agricultural Grading Manual Training Tools: An Evaluation
    Hall, Kierra (Virginia Tech, 2020-05)
    The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) implements federal regulations and guidelines to ensure that the food supply is safe for consumers. The job roles for inspectors who work for USDA include in-plant inspections, lot sampling, and conducting audits in plants, on farms, and at entry ports. In order to efficiently complete each task, all inspectors must be thoroughly trained. This work examined current USDA applesauce grading manuals in order to evaluate and offer recommendations to improve the quality of the training materials that are used to train USDA inspectors. Utilizing an implementation evaluation, participants were given a questionnaire pertaining to the applesauce grading manual. The participants in the study determined that the overall applesauce grading manual was easy to navigate. However, some participants found the manual difficult to understand and needed some modifications. It was recommended that adding supplemental documents like color charts, and more specific measurements would make the manual more efficient. These changes could produce more efficient and confident inspectors.
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    Agritourism Safety in Virginia
    Preisser, Afton (Virginia Tech, 2017-11-17)
    Safety is a concern for agritourism venues because an operating farm may expose visitors to many unfamiliar conditions, situations, and/or animals, which opens the farm operation to potential liability risks during these interactions. The purpose of this research was to review current safety protocols on Virginia agritourism operations and seek information that was needed to improve for the future. Based on a survey sent to Virginia operators, numerous areas were identified which would benefit from further education and risk management information. Insurance offerings tailored to agritourism operations are needed, in addition to improved employee screening and training for operations management. The survey found that 25.24% of responses do not do any type of pre-employment screening while over 7% do not participate in walkthroughs before events. The purpose of this research was to document specific protocols already in place, identify, and describe critical areas of improvement for Virginia agritourism event, venue, and visitor safety practices.
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    Alternative Control Methods for Verticillium wilt: A Literature Review
    Washburn, Morgan (Virginia Tech, 2018-11-30)
    Verticillium wilt (V.albo-atrum and V.dahiae) is a soil-borne fungus that is causing economic losses and lower yields for farmers across the country. The disease has a wide host range and can live in the soil without a host for a decade or more. Finding effective and reasonable control methods has been difficult for some industries. Some methods such as sanitation, chemical application and crop rotation have not been completely effective at suppressing or eliminating the disease. Alternative control methods have been researched and tested, with some completely eliminating the disease, but these methods have to be continuously implemented and monitored in order for them to be effective. This literature review investigated the availability of scientific research on effective alternative control methods for Verticillium wilt. Potential effective alternative control methods were identified, including anaerobic soil disinfection, soil solarization, broccoli incorporation, mustard incorporation, compost and green manure. Further research is needed to fill knowledge gaps related to successful implementation of these controls in suppressing or eliminating Verticillium wilt.
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    Analyzing the Imposter Phenomenon Through Recruitment and Retention of Underrepresented Minorities in Agricultural and Natural Resource Related Fields: The Keys to Diversity and Inclusion
    Lawrence, Courtney McIvor (Virginia Tech, 2021-12-06)
    The recruitment and retention for underrepresented minority (URM) students in agriculture and natural resources have been minimal. The importance of elucidating the lack of representation of students of color and underrepresented minority (URM) students in these fields suggests that appropriate actions at the secondary school and collegiate level need consideration. According to Silas (2016, p.iii), "students of color are currently underrepresented in agricultural disciplines when examining the increasingly diverse make-up of the United States." Examining the recruitment and retention strategies institutions are currently implementing is critical because of the narrative of these particular fields in the treatment of students of color and URM students over time. Many students of color and URM students that are currently matriculating a degree or currently in a career in these respective areas have possibly experienced the imposter phenomenon and imposter syndrome. People may feel like an imposter regarding accomplishments they believe they do not deserve or questioning their ability to receive such accolades. When an individual inhibits these feelings, this is an example of the imposter phenomenon or imposter syndrome. The imposter phenomenon, first recognized by Clance and O'Toole (1988), is a motivational disposition in which persons who have achieved some level of success feel like fakes or imposters. Individuals likely experiencing these imposter feelings during a period were examined using a lens based on the Critical Race Theory (Bell; 1987, Crenshaw, 1989; Delagado andStefancic, 2012) and Racial Identity Development Theory (Helms, 1990; Helms, 1993). The phenomenological study examines the effects of IP/IS in URM graduate students in agricultural and natural resource-related majors and fields. This method focuses on the participants' lived experiences regarding this phenomenon. The study itself examined how URM graduate students dealt with these particular feelings in their respective environments and what solutions were suggested or needed. The researcher interviewed ten participants regarding their perceptions of diversity and inclusion in agriculture, natural resources, and STEM-related fields.
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    Assessing Consumer Preferences and Intentions to Buy Edamame Produced in the US
    Carneiro, Renata C. V.; Drape, Tiffany A.; Neill, Clinton L.; Zhang, Bo; O'Keefe, Sean F.; Duncan, Susan E. (Frontiers, 2022-01-18)
    Due to the growing consumer demand for edamame (vegetable soybean) in the U.S., the domestic production of this specialty crop has been promoted in several Mid-Atlantic and Southeast states as an economically attractive alternative to replace the decreasing tobacco production. For the edamame agrobusiness to be successful in the U.S., consumer studies are as needed as new commercial cultivars that are developed for the U.S. environment. Thus, in this exploratory study, we investigated consumers' preferences and intentions to buy edamame products in the U.S., especially domestic products. Data was collected through a web-based survey distributed through Qualtrics(XM) and a convenience sampling method was chosen. Volunteers who completed the survey (N = 309) were 82% female, 57% residents of the South Atlantic area, and 79% daily consumers of vegetables. Survey respondents had a positive attitude toward domestically produced vegetables and valued supporting U.S. producers. Overall, domestically grown, in-shell edamame products were preferred compared to shelled edamame or imported products. Regarding future purchasing, respondents exhibited higher intention to buy fresh edamame relative to frozen edamame. Additionally, respondents considered price, availability, and familiarity with the vegetable brand, respectively, as the most important factors in their decision-making process to buy edamame products. Our study confirmed there is a market potential for domestically produced edamame and it also provides valuable information to support future studies, production decisions, and the growth of the edamame agrobusiness in the U.S.
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    Assessing the Role of Cyberbiosecurity in Agriculture: A Case Study
    Drape, Tiffany A.; Magerkorth, Noah; Sen, Anuradha; Simpson, Joseph; Seibel, Megan M.; Murch, Randall Steven; Duncan, Susan E. (Frontiers, 2021-08-19)
    Agriculture has adopted the use of smart technology to help meet growing food demands. This increased automation and associated connectivity increases the risk of farms being targeted by cyber-attacks. Increasing frequency of cybersecurity breaches in many industries illustrates the need for securing our food supply chain. The uniqueness of biological data, the complexity of integration across the food and agricultural system, and the importance of this system to the U.S. bioeconomy and public welfare suggests an urgency as well as unique challenges that are not common across all industries. To identify and address the gaps in awareness and knowledge as well as encourage collaborations, Virginia Tech hosted a virtual workshop consisting of professionals from agriculture, cybersecurity, government, and academia. During the workshop, thought leaders and influencers discussed 1) common food and agricultural system challenges, scenarios, outcomes and risks to various sectors of the system; 2) cyberbiosecurity strategies for the system, gaps in workforce and training, and research and policy needs. The meeting sessions were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative methodology. The most common themes that emerged were challenges, solutions, viewpoints, common vocabulary. From the results of the analysis, it is evident that none of the participating groups had available cybersecurity training and resources. Participants were uncertain about future pathways for training, implementation, and outreach related to cyberbiosecurity. Recommendations include creating training and education, continued interdisciplinary collaboration, and recruiting government involvement to speed up better security practices related to cyberbiosecurity.
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    Assessment Of Consumer Perceptions About Food Processing Technologies For Cooperative Extension Educational Initiatives
    Arnold, Nicole Leanne (Virginia Tech, 2019-09-25)
    New food processing technologies are needed to create safe, high-quality food products that are still considered "fresh" by consumers. Despite the numerous benefits attributed to 'food processing', consumers continue to perceive the term negatively. Consumer acceptance of foods processed with different technologies generally increases when factual information is provided to the consumer. Educators working within Cooperative Extension are a resource for public dissemination of food information. By working directly in the community, Extension educators often cultivate positive relationships with local clientele. Therefore, Extension educators can dispel myths related to food processing technologies and deliver science-supported information to the general public. Consumer knowledge, perceptions, and purchasing intentions associated with both conventional and emerging food processing technologies were assessed through a nationwide telephone survey administered by Virginia Tech's Center for Survey Research Center. A similar version of the telephone survey was disseminated in an online format to Virginia Extension agents. An additional section of the online survey served as a needs assessment for educational materials related to food processing technologies. A grounded theory methodology was used for qualitative coding in both surveys. Approximately 67% of consumers expressed concerns towards the term "processed foods." The majority of Extension agents (67.4%) expressed concerns about foods that had been processed, citing additional ingredients, preservatives, and additives; safety; and health implications. Both the consumer and Extension agent groups were more likely to be supportive of light-exposed foods to enhance food safety and quality, in comparison to gas-exposed foods. Although agents may be familiar with some food processing technologies, they may not have the resources to understand the scientific mechanisms for which a technology is able to increase food safety. Consumer education regarding emerging technologies is necessary to anticipate potential consumer concerns; however, agents still lack resources and information about existing and frequently used food processing technologies. Educational interventions are needed to provide information to consumers and increase their acceptance of new and currently used processing technologies so that the food industry can effectively target emerging issues related to food.
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    Assessment of Farmers Market Practices and Characteristics to Inform the Development of Tailored Educational Materials
    Duong, Minh Dao (Virginia Tech, 2021-09-21)
    Farmers markets (FM) have become increasingly popular almost tripling over the past two decades due to the rising interest in local and/or organic foods. Within this same time period, notable farmers market foodborne illness outbreaks; such as E. coli O157:H7 and strawberries and Salmonella and peas; have occurred, and emphasize the importance of food safety practices at farmers markets. Some farmers may be encouraged to follow Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) to limit the contamination of fresh produce; however, GAPs programs are complex and also very driven by wholesale buyers. Furthermore, many FM growers are unfamiliar with GAPs or do not believe it is applicable to them. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was passed in 2011, and shifted the food safety paradigm from a reactive to proactive approach introducing seven different rules including the Preventive Controls for Human Foods (PCHFR) and the Produce Safety Rule (PSR). Each FSMA rule does contain exemptions for smaller-scale operations (e.g., farms, facilities) that allows them to be excluded from the rule, or excluded from certain aspects of the rule. Generally, most FM vendors may satisfy exemptions from the FSMA regulations (e.g., be exempt from the FSMA Produce Safety Rule because of commodities); however, to our knowledge, no studies have assessed the regulatory compliance requirements of FM vendors to the FSMA regulations. This dissertation explored the regulatory requirements of FM vendors, and the accessibility of FSMA materials for these audiences. Additionally, due to the sudden and unprecedented global COVID-19 pandemic, an objective was added that explored how COVID-19 influenced behavior changes among this audience. Interviews were conducted and found that all vendors (100%) were exempt from the PCHFR and that most vendors (67%) were exempt from the PSR, some were qualified exempt (28%), and a few (5%) were covered. This study also found that farmers market vendors received information mainly from University Cooperative Extension sources. The COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted hygiene and health practices at FMs. Market personnel (managers and vendors) implemented many different hygiene and health practices at their markets. The major source of COVID-19 food safety information for market personnel was local and federal government; as well as University Cooperative Extension. Accessibility analyses showed that many FM or COVID-19 resources were not accessible due to populations that rely on produce safety resources generated by Cooperative Extension due to (i) navigation or web accessibility errors, (ii) high literacy level requirements, and (iii) lack of keep (i.e., resources were not up-to-date, or continuously managed or monitored). These findings will inform the development of FM targeted resources, that are also, accessible to a more diverse and inclusive audience. One example is a produce safety resource on the updated agricultural water requirements that is developed to an 8th grade reading level, with no broken links or additional navigations errors, and if a PDF version is available, proper headers and titles.