Agricultural Communication Program Values

The following statement – a mission and vision for agricultural journalism and agricultural communication degree programs around the nation – was written and approved in conjunction with a National Agricultural Communication Summit held in Kansas City, Mo., in 1993. The Ohio State Agricultural Communication Program embraces these values.

Education in Agricultural Journalism and Communication

Vision:  Future-focused education for agricultural communicators.

Mission: Teach aspiring and practicing communicators the essential skills, from interpersonal to mass communication, needed to achieve excellence in news, educational information, public relations, and marketing in agriculture, broadly defined.

We value:

Excellent oral and written communication skills.

The importance and effectiveness of mass communication technology.

Objective reporting (journalism) and public relations/marketing communication and the ethical standards appropriate for each.

Communication to promote a broader understanding of agriculture among diverse publics at home and abroad.

Responsible agricultural communicators who recognize and exercise with integrity their potential as catalysts for using information and knowledge to improve the quality of life for everyone.

A thorough understanding of the important social, scientific economic, and environmental concepts and issues that relate to agriculture, broadly speaking.

Critical thinking skills so that communicators may adequately understand and explain complex agricultural issues and their implications on both national and international policies.

Interested and enthusiastic communicators who enhance and contribute to their profession.

Ongoing productive relationships between academic and nonacademic agricultural communication professionals.

Research in communication/journalism and expansion of such efforts.

Interdisciplinary relationships that foster a better understanding of agricultural issues.

Continuing educational opportunities for career-long professional growth.

Effective communication skills of all who work within the broad field of agriculture.

A philosophy of communication as interactive, shared problem-solving with listening to audiences as important as communicating to them.

Diverse cultures and backgrounds and the enrichment they contribute to the agricultural communication profession.