This paper analyzes data from a survey of Extension Agents in the Southern Great Plains. The survey explores agents' views on climate change, interactions with their constituents, and information needs regarding climate change and beef cattle production in the region. The vulnerability and resiliency of beef cattle production systems in the region are affected at the macro level by key social institutions and at the micro level by knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of agents and producers. This paper is an effort to better understand the social factors that contribute to system vulnerability and resilience. The paper explores socio-cultural dimensions influencing attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors regarding climate change and ultimately management practices. A survey was administered to Extension Agents in the region exploring attitudes regarding climate change. We explore the notions of habitus, self- and cultural identity, place, social/ knowledge networks, as explanatory possibilities. The implications of this research will inform capacity-building resources, including decision-making support, as well as adaptation and mitigation management practices that will assist and empower producers and other stakeholders in the region to employ risk- and evidence- based information in their decision-making.

1. Attitudes of Extension
Educators Regarding
Climate Change
Dr. Terrie A. Becerra Dr. Gerad Middendorf
Great Plains Grazing USDA-AFRI-CAP
Kansas State University The Noble Foundation
Oklahoma State University University of Oklahoma
Tarleton State University
This project was supported by Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive
Grant no. 2012-02355 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture

2. Overview
 Rationale
 Vulnerability and resiliency of beef cattle production systems in
the Southern Great Plains
 Social factors can be a source of vulnerability and resilience
 Objectives
 To better understand the attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of
Extension educators regarding climate change
 Identify gaps in information and/or materials
 Method
 Results

3. Method
Online survey
Study Population: Extension Educators in Kansas and Oklahoma
Response n %
Surveys e-mailed
KS: 228 (36%) OK: 410 (64%)
638 100%
Surveys opened –
Successfully delivered
370 370/638
58%
Adjusted Response: Surveys
Completed of Surveys Opened
226 226/370
61%
By State Response
KS: 90/228 (40%) OK: 112/410 (27%)

4. Demographics
Gender (n=127) Response %
Female 40 31%
Male 82 65%
No Response 5 4%
Length of Service
(n=127)
Response %
5 years or fewer 44 35%
6 to 10 years 12 9%
11 to 20 years 31 24%
21 years or more 40 31%
Race (n=202) Response %
American Indian or
Alaska Native 14 7%
White 172 87%
No Response 16 8%
*Hispanic/Latino 1

5. What we asked
What are Extension educators’ views on climate change?
Is it happening?
Role of human activities
Other ‘6 Americas’ questions
What are Extension educators’ interactions with constituents?
Frequency & level of expressed concern
Topics of concern
Challenges you face in engaging your constituents
What are Extension educators’ information needs?
Information and resource gaps
Capacity
Information sources
Topics in need of info
Additional tools needed
Gaps, attitudes, beliefs, perceptions
Attitudes, Beliefs, Perceptions
Gaps, information or material

6. Attitudes about Climate Change
Question Yes & Sure Yes/No &
Unsure
No & Sure
Do you think the climate is changing? 67% 19% 15%
Agree Disagree
I could easily change my mind about global
warming and climate change.
45% 55%
A lot Some A little Not at all
How much had you thought about climate
change before today?
19% 46% 32% 3%
None to Low
capacity
Moderate
capacity
High to very high
capacity
What is your capacity to adequately answer your
constituents' questions about climate change?
64% 30% 5%

7. Attitudes about Climate Change
Which is the closest to your view . . . %
Climate change is not happening. 4%
Humans cannot reduce climate change even if it is happening. 29%
Humans could reduce climate change, but people are not willing to change their
behavior so we are not going to.
24%
Humans could reduce climate change, but it is unclear at this point whether we
will do what's needed.
42%
Humans can reduce climate change, and we are going to do so successfully. 1%
Human
causes Unsure
Natural
changes
Human &
natural causes
None, it’s not
occurring
Climate change is mostly
caused by . . . (n=208)
29% 1% 61% 4% 4%

8. Question
Not
important
Nottoo
important
Somewhat
important
Very
Important
Extremely
Important
Howimportantisclimatechangetoyou
personally?
8% 27% 43% 20% 2%
None Afew Some Most All
Howmanyofyourcolleaguesshareyour
views?
2% 25% 47% 27% 1%
Low Medium High Very High
Doyouthinkclimatechangeshouldbealow,medium,
high,orveryhighpriorityforthe PresidentandCongress?
ForExtension?
37%
32%
44%
44%
16%
20%
2%
4%
Attitudes about Climate Change

9. How would you rate the level of
concern about climate change you
hear from your constituents?
How frequently do your
constituents express concerns
to you about climate change?
None Low Medium High Very HighNever Rarely Very Somewhat Frequently
Frequently Frequently

10. Other range or forage management
Grazing management
29%57%
Other
Weather variability
(drought, heat,
excess water)
82%
Weather forecast
information
Soil loss
Regulations
37%
Agronomic decisions (e.g., crop
type, seed variety, tillage,
planting dates, etc.)
68%
Alternative management
practices45%
Crop insurance
34%
Disease
Marketing
Nutrient loss
6%
Pests
What are the topics of concern your
constituents raise?

11. Whatarethegreatestchallengesyoufaceinengagingyourconstituents
withclimatechangeinformation?
Production-oriented
 Knowledge/information
 Adaptation/management
 Information distribution
 Government
Mistrust, regulations, taxes
Subjective, socio-cultural
 Lack of interest, bias, culture of the
area
 Relevance—not personally affected
 Skepticism
 Trust, sources, lack of
 Helplessness/Powerlessness of both
educator & producer
Interactions with constituents
135 Responses, Some of the themes identified:

12. Information Sources
None 36
Agronomic/professional/trade Journals/professional associations 12
Universities, researchers of environmental change, scientific sources 11
Mesonet 10
Knowledgeable/trusted people; professionals; Jim Cantore 8
Media, News outlets, newspapers 8
Weather persons; meteorologists, state/climatologists; KU weather
data personnel 8
Internet or websites 5
National Weather Service; Norman, OK 5
Extension (in-service trainings, experts) 5
List the top 3information sources you rely on regarding climate change (n=100)

13. USDA; USDA-ARS; NIFA
Gov't/EPA websites
Historical weather data
NASA global climate change
NOAA - National Oceanic
and Atmospheric
Administration
publications
Animal Agriculture &
Climate Change online
course
Bible
Family
Personal experience
The Heritage Foundation
Other information sources listed than 1 -3 times.
Information Sources

14. Information Needs
Topics requiring more information %
Management practices for coping (with topics below) 75%
Drought, uncharacteristic of historical norms 72%
High temperatures (heat) uncharacteristic of historical norms 63%
Unseasonable weather (for example: early warming in spring
followed by hard freeze) 58%
Extreme rainfall events 36%
Other extreme weather events 34%

15. Additional Tools
Printed materials 64%
Online resources including decision aids 61%
Presentations at meeting and conferences 54%
Webinars 50%
On-farm demonstrations 45%
Videos 34%
Podcasts 17%

16. Summary
Views on climate change
 Majority feel sure the climate is changing and it is from natural causes
 94% do not believe they can adequately address the issue
 65% rate importance to them personally as somewhat to extremely important, and a
moderate to high priority for Extension
 27% believe their colleagues do not share their views
Constituent interactions
 65% have heard no expressions of concern from constituents. Level of concern when
expressed is split--51% none to low; 49% medium to very high
 Topics of concern are production oriented
 Challenges are both production-oriented and subjective, socio-cultural
 Extension educators’ information needs?
 Reliable sources to build a shared knowledge base for educators
 Resources to distribute information to clientele.