Engaging in Conversations about Climate Change with Cattle Producers

The purpose of this study was to determine whether Cooperative Extension Service agents and United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) personnel used a dialogic model of communication in their interactions with cattle producers in the Southwest and Mountain West regarding the topic of climate change.  Findings indicated that dialogic communication is being used, with a focus on discussing best management practices, avoiding the term “climate change,” and focusing on local data and weather events.  The study suggests that Extension agents and NRCS personnel recognize the need to adapt their communication strategy and tactics to suit the cognitive needs and beliefs of the cattle producers with whom they converse.  Additionally, findings suggest that climate change should be described in terms that are observable to cattle producers, such as weather events (drought or flooding), possibly minimizing the need to name such events as climate change.