John Diaz

• University of Florida

Cooperative Extension plays a vital role in supporting rural communities during crises and in building community resilience. Studies report that during the COVID-19 lockdown, producers in the USA reported concern about the demand for their fresh produce and needed information on marketing, digital marketing, community engagement, and collective mar...

This first publication in the Intercultural Competencies series provides valuable insights and recommendations on engaging diverse clientele by understanding and applying high-context and low-context cultural communication styles. Written by Pablo Lamino and John Diaz, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communicat...

While smallholder agricultural commercialization has been posited as a catalyst to bring about broad economic benefits, evidence demonstrates that commercialization efforts that are gender blind can exacerbate inequalities. This study employed a consensus-building process for gender and agricultural development experts to formulate a perspective fo...

Assessment of program outcomes in extension often relies on subjective measures, such as perceived or self-reported knowledge, which are criticized for potential bias and inaccuracy. Conversely, objective knowledge, i.e., how much an individual actually knows, is considered more accurate. Studies show varying associations between subjective and obj...

Lack of demand for professional wildlife-friendly landscape maintenance (WFLM) is not well understood, and further complicated by institutional and non-institutional influences. Framed by the Transtheoretical Model of Change, this study evaluated behaviors and perceptions pertaining to WFLM. A cross-sectional research design with quota sampling gat...

Consumers appear more likely to purchase plants with labeling indicating pollinator-friendly production or high pollinator resource value. No standardized label for pollinator-supporting plants or landscape practices exists in the United States, which has proliferated the variety of labels used by the industry. This mixed-methods study aims to prov...

Escalating demands on urban water sources present a formidable challenge to practitioners in environmental and social change to more effectively promote water conservation strategies. This study was based on pilot project learnings and aimed to determine whether a sign displaying weekly local rainfall data and turfgrass water needs could effectivel...

This publication discusses Florida residents’ awareness and perceptions of irrigation restrictions to illuminate the processes that support or prevent their compliance with these policies. Written by Sravani Pasula, Dharmendra Kalauni, Laura Warner, John Diaz, Ange Asanzi, James Harmon, Deirdre Irwin, and Robin L. Grantham, and published by the UF/...

This publication explains Florida residents’ current involvement in requesting wildlife-friendly landscape maintenance (WFLM) and the perceived barriers and motivators associated with this behavior using the concept of stages of change. Written by Laura A. Warner, Dharmendra Kalauni, John M. Diaz, Emily Marois, Adam Dale, and Jaret Daniels, and pub...

Abstract. Background: Public engagement is needed to make sure urban forestry management efforts align with the values of the public being served. Noting this, we determined current and desired urban forest access of Florida (United States) residents using the criteria from the 3-30- 300 rule (i.e., 3 trees visible from home, 30% urban tree canopy...

The purpose of this study was to determine how social norms and definitions of the self in terms of individualism-collectivism related to engagement in a public-sphere behavior, encouraging others to conserve water. To achieve this, we examined the public sphere behavior of encouraging others to conserve water through the lens of the Theory of Plan...

Inadequate compliance with landscape irrigation restrictions poses a significant challenge for policy-makers, environmental educators, and communicators working in urban water conservation as these policies are only effective if compliance is achieved. This study examined perceptions among Florida, USA residents to whom these policies apply using t...

In the United States, the green industry is a billion-dollar sector that generates millions of employment opportunities annually. Green industry professionals, homeowners, and renters all play important roles in deciding how to design and maintain urban and residential landscapes. Decades of research have shown a need to accommodate wildlife and po...

Esta publicación está dirigida a residentes urbanos, estudiantes, miembros de la comunidad, agentes de Extensión y funcionarios del gobierno local que estén interesados en desarrollar, apoyar o involucrarse en la agricultura urbana. Se discute la definición de agricultura urbana, las características comunes, los tipos de alimentos producidos, los m...

Esta publicación proporciona una visión general de los beneficios de la producción urbana de alimentos, junto con los posibles desafíos que pueden limitar el éxito de estas operaciones. Este documento está dirigido a miembros de la comunidad, desarrolladores de tierras urbanas, organizaciones comunitarias, agentes de Extensión, funcionarios del gob...

Greenspace in residential landscapes meets human needs, connects people with nature, and supports wildlife and biodiversity. However, some landscape maintenance practices are detrimental to wildlife and components of their habitat. We conducted a cross-sectional study to understand consumer knowledge, the extent of existing demand, and barriers rel...

Health disparities within rural communities, notably those affecting migrant and refugee populations, are well-documented. Refugees often grapple with high disease burdens and mortality rates due to limited access to primary healthcare and their vulnerable socio-economic and political situations. This issue is particularly acute in the rural areas...

This study was designed to understand the current state of wildlife-friendly landscape maintenance practices and the associated barriers and motivations among Florida green industry professionals. A Delphi technique to achieve consensus, along with descriptive survey questions, was used to facilitate feedback from Florida-based green industry profe...

Farmworkers, who are essential to the global food supply chain, are often exposed to a range of occupational hazards that can have negative impacts on their health. Hazards include exposure to pesticides, long working hours, and physical strain, among others. Unfortunately, farmworkers, particularly those in low- and middle-income countries, often...

Urbanization and land use change are leading causes of declines in pollinator abundance and diversity. However, researchers in different regions of the world have found that some pollinators can thrive in urban landscapes, depending on land use practices, environmental conditions, and species traits. Residential landscapes constitute a significant...

Esta publicación de EDIS está diseñada para proporcionar un resumen preciso y actual de la Ley Greenbelt de Florida. Esta publicación se distribuye con el entendimiento de que los autores no se dedican a prestar asesoramiento legal u otro asesoramiento profesional, y la información contenida en este documento no debe considerarse como un sustituto...

Year‐round irrigation water restrictions can be effective water demand management tools if people adhere to them. Awareness and understanding of these regulations have important implications for compliance and long‐term water supply goals. This study quantified irrigation restriction awareness‐knowledge and how‐to knowledge using survey data from r...

Pollinator gardening has rapidly become recognized as an important component of conservation to combat the issues that have resulted from rapid urbanization. Residential yards can support pollinators and help to restore their habitats. Thus, an opportunity exists for Extension and other practitioners to encourage greater engagement in pollinator ga...

Background The reliance on blood for thin and thick blood smear microscopy—using a relatively invasive procedure has presented challenges to the use of reliable diagnostic tests in non-clinical settings at the point-of-need (PON). To improve the capacity of non-blood-based rapid diagnostic tests to confirm subclinical infections, and thereby identi...

Exacerbated food insecurity has been among the many challenges presented by the emergence of the novel coronavirus 2019 in the United States. In the wake of the pandemic, expanded focus has turned to the capacities of established federal nutrition assistance programs and emergent nutrition access models to address these challenges. Supplemental Nut...

Barriers to the successful implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) education and outreach initiatives are being documented across higher education institutions as DEI policies and protocols are gaining attention. Despite growing attention to promote DEI in higher education institutions, there remains a need to examine barriers prev...

Urbanization and development of managed landscapes can harm pollinators by reducing flowers and vegetation and increasing exposure to chemicals. However, research shows that urban, developed landscapes can be designed and maintained to successfully provide habitats for diverse, healthy pollinator populations, including bees. Therefore, a major oppo...

Background: Public engagement is needed to make sure urban forestry management efforts align with the values of the public being served. Noting this, we determined current and desired urban forest access of Florida (United States) residents using the criteria from the 3-30-300 rule (i.e., 3 trees visible from home, 30% canopy in neighborhood, and a...

This mixed methods study aimed to explore the perceptions of employees’ belongingness, uniqueness, and inclusivity within the [Blinded University]. A survey with quantitative and qualitative questions was used for data collection from February to April 2021. Respondents were [Blinded University] employees, faculty, students, and Extension professio...

Faculty members' network characteristics influence their teaching and the types of information they acquire. Given the gap in empirical knowledge on agriculture university faculty members' teaching-focused networks, this mixed-methods study focused on identifying characteristics of agriculture university faculty members' teaching-focused personal n...

Much of the United States is urbanizing, increasing the importance of developing Extension programs geared toward urban audiences. There has been an increasing interest in urban agriculture (UA) in recent years as an outgrowth of the “local food” movement. The COVID-19 pandemic increased awareness of the importance of food system resilience, in whi...

Improving the quality of educational programs and the demand for accountability have put the professional development of Extension educators high on Cooperative Extension’s agenda. Effective professional development facilitates improved program design and implementation, which, in turn, translates into higher clientele satisfaction. The purpose of...

Internationalization of higher education’s agricultural disciplines is essential to account for agrifood system trends toward globalization and multiculturalism. Professional and academic associations can play a formative role preparing graduate students for their agricultural careers. Guided by socialization theory, this needs assessment explores...

The global trend of urbanization coupled with an increasing awareness of the importance of food systems resilience, has led to an increasing interest in urban agriculture to sustainably feed the rapidly growing urban population and mitigate against food supply chain disruptions. While home and community gardens have been long studied, there has bee...

This research compared intenders, people who intended to turn off their landscape irrigation when recent rainfall was adequate, with nonintenders. Nonprobability sampling was used to access adult Florida residents who used automated landscape irrigation. An electronic survey instrument was used to collect information regarding perceptions, personal...

With nearly one-half of U.S. teachers leaving the profession within the first five years of their career, focusing on retention is an ongoing effort. Providing quality mentorship during the student teaching internship provides further support to new teachers preparing to enter the classroom. Cooperating teachers play a pivotal role in the success o...

This article summarizes results of a study designed to identify essential intercultural competencies for Extension professionals. Recommendations are provided for Extension administrators to inform recruitment and professional development decisions in the broader effort to provide relevant and responsive programming for multicultural audiences. Wri...

The social aspects of faculty instructional development programs are increasingly recognized because the programs' impact is greatly influenced by social interactions among faculty participants. These interactions allow faculty members to reflect on and improve their teaching practices. Although the literature has shown that effective instructional...

There is increasing awareness that community food policies and programs can address issues of equity, sustainability, profitability, and resilience in food systems. Community coalitions, local governments, food policy councils, cooperative extension, and other stakeholders seek to improve community food systems through policy and programmatic devel...

Background: The reliance on blood for thin and thick blood smear microscopy – using a relatively invasive procedure ­– has precluded the use of reliable diagnostic tests in non-clinical settings at the Point-of-Need (PON). To improve the capacity of non-blood-based rapid diagnostic tests to confirm subclinical infections and thereby identify and qu...

As water scarcity worsens, social scientists seek strategies that facilitate water conservation behaviours. This study analyses the factors driving engagement in a high-impact behaviour in residential landscapes, eliminating irrigated areas in one’s yard, to guide future social marketing efforts to reduce water usage. Feelings of internal commitmen...

With nearly half of U.S. teachers leaving the profession within the first five years of their career, focusing on retention is a continual effort. Providing quality mentorship during the student teaching internship provides further support to new teachers preparing to enter the classroom. Cooperating teachers play a pivotal role in the success of t...

Background This work addresses the increasing prevalence of water scarcity. Droughts are projected to worsen as a result of climate change and urbanization, increasing the need for all sectors to reduce the amount of water used. Home landscape irrigation represents an important opportunity to reduce water use in the United States. Focus of the Art...

Integrated pest management and outdoor water conservation comprise key practices encouraged by nonformal educators who work with the public to address significant issues related to water quality and availability. Disconnects among diverse audiences and educational programs pose challenges in achieving the goals of these types of programs. To discer...

The purpose of this document is to discuss some of the important distinctions and definitions associated with social norms, so Extension professionals and other types of nonformal education practitioners can improve the efficacy of their behavior change interventions. This new 5-page publication of the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education a...

This new 4-page article provides real examples of how university researchers used the Diffusion of Innovations theory to analyze Florida residents’ perceptions of landscape conservation and fertilizer behaviors and identify barriers and opportunities to encourage widespread adoption. The information and recommendations are intended for Extension pr...

This new 5-page publication aims to synthesize emerging takeaways from reporting and literature on the challenges experienced by US farmworkers during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting examples from Florida, when possible. Written by Colby Silvert, Whitney A. Stone, John M. Diaz, and LaToya J. O’Neal, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Ag...

The student teaching experience has given student teachers the practical experiences they need to apply the theories and skills that they acquired in their collegiate coursework. The cooperating teacher has served in a crucial role in teacher education programs as a guide and leader of the student teaching experience. With cooperating teachers as t...

The rapid diversification of workforces and client stakeholder groups has prompted a growing emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion as a critical component of professional development across industry sectors. While the proliferation of intercultural competence training models has increased awareness among employers and workforces, the compete...

Research shows that community gardens (CGs) can improve the physical, social, and mental wellbeing of individuals and communities, particularly in low-income and historically underserved neighborhoods. While researchers have documented numerous individual and collective benefits gained through participation in CGs, there are few studies that addres...

This study examines the application of a self-reliance framework for practitioners and evaluators to better understand the capacities and intrinsic factors impacting smallholder coffee farmers’ commercialization behaviors. We surveyed 40 smallholder coffee producers in Peru using a quantitative instrument. Data were analyzed to determine if statist...

Academic departments need to periodically assess their programs to ensure that students are developing the competencies needed for successful careers. Consistent with this goal, a new framework for guiding the doctoral specialization in extension education was developed by the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication at the University...

This study examines how smallholder coffee farmers’ perceptions may influence their engagement in peer mobilization and collective action. Forty smallholder coffee farmers were interviewed in the Central Highlands region of Peru using a closed-ended instrument. The sample of smallholder farmers was achieved using purposive and snowball sampling met...

This fifth publication in the Road to Recovery series discusses how Extension professionals can evaluate techniques to build trust when facilitating virtual programming. Specific recommendations are provided addressing concerns about short- and long-term virtual trust, inclusion techniques, Zoom fatigue, and cybersecurity. This new 5-page publicati...

This fourth publication in the Road to Recovery series explores the challenges Extension professionals may encounter in reaching clientele virtually during a pandemic. This new 4-page publication of the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication discusses the concept of digital equity and provides recommendations to evaluate eff...

This sixth publication in the Road to Recovery series provides tips and strategies for Extension professionals interested in evaluating efforts to promote community capacity building and community resilience using virtual platforms. This new 5-page publication of the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication was written by Cody...

This third publication in the Road to Recovery series provides information and recommendations to support Extension professionals' ability to facilitate capacity building and resilience development for communities during COVID-19 and potential future pandemic situations. This new 5-page publication of the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Educatio...

This first publication in the Road to Recovery series provides a brief introduction to some core concerns and considerations for Extension professionals as they adapt their outreach, education, and evaluation efforts during a pandemic and recovery. This new 3-page publication of the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication als...

The last several years have seen a rapid expansion in the number of nutrition incentive programs implemented at farmers markets. While there has been increased attention paid to these efforts in terms of influencing consumer health indicators, there has been less focus on the farmers market managers responsible for implementing and admin­istering t...

Now is a crucial time for Extension professionals to engage with clientele. In both urban and rural communities, clients are facing a multitude of unprecedented challenges related to COVID-19. Many Extension professionals already have experience in emergency and disaster preparedness, response, and recovery that can be applied in the present contex...

Purpose The purpose was to examine whether connectedness to water could improve the predictive power of the Theory of Planned Behavior on outdoor water conservation intentions. Methodology We adapted the well-established Connectedness to Nature Scale to measure connectedness to water. Using quantitative survey data from 3,596 residents, we used mu...

This article and series were designed primarily for use by secondary agriscience teachers in school-based agricultural education programs (SBAE) to help build a strong understanding of Extension and the role of Extension professionals. An important part of access and use of Extension services is understanding its background, structure, and function...

Increasingly, farmers’ markets in the United States offer nutrition incentives to help limited-resource shoppers afford fresh fruits and vegetables and support local farmers. Despite increased attention to these efforts, there has been less focus on the market managers and staff members responsible for implementing and administering incentive progr...

Extension professionals and other practitioners address a wide variety of complex issues by providing education and encouraging behavior change using innovative strategies. The importance of prioritizing potential behaviors and selecting those with high expected impact cannot be overemphasized. However, behavior selection can be complicated because...

Extension organizations are at the forefront of water resource issues, using educational programs to drive participant behaviors towards water conservation. The effectiveness of these efforts centers on designing programs with considerations of the factors that will change relevant decisions and behaviors among residential landscape water users. We...

Research has inadequately examined factors that support residential yard care practices that influence water quality to date. This study evaluated factors that predict yard fertilizer best practices in the state of Florida, USA by pairing the Theory of Planned Behavior and Diffusion of Innovations along with contextual factors including age, popula...

The services that Extension offers can supplement lesson plans in the classroom, can help to provide training and support for educators, and can help to build the toolbox of both first-year educators and the veteran educators that want to expand on their current lesson plans and resources. This new 4-page publication of the UF/IFAS Department of Ag...

Natural ecosystems are characterized as dynamic systems that evolve through natural patterns of disturbance. Land managers can work within this system of natural disturbance by applying the concept of natural variability to their management plans. Land management challenges typically stem from infrequent and severe disturbances, like hurricanes, wh...

Florida’s Fresh Access Bucks program provides incentives to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries to redeem fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables at select farmers markets. Policymakers and practitioners designed the program to improve access to fresh fruits and vegetables for limited-resource families while stimulating the l...

Tailoring programs based on audience needs and priorities is a critical component of effective programs. Audience segmentation research provides an opportunity to identify subgroups based on characteristics that affect their willingness to adopt a certain behavior and allows extension programs to fulfill a variety of needs and target the most impor...

Public and nonprofit organizations are at the forefront of water scarcity issues using nonformal educational programs to drive behavior change towards water conservation. The efficacy of educational endeavors hinge on designing and delivering programs with considerations of the factors that will change relevant decisions and behaviors among residen...

The overlap of competencies between general program evaluation and specific contexts or content will always be reality because evaluators may need unique competencies to answer evaluation questions for particular contexts or content areas. Limited research exists that explores the essential competencies required by professionals who use evaluation...

There is growing demand for a broader conception of tree and forest health by commercial and private timberland owners, who make up a substantial proportion of Extension clientele in the southeastern United States. There has been little research to comprehensively capture and represent Extension agents' needs, concerns, and perceived barriers as th...

Individual residents in the United States increasingly practice do-it-yourself pest management in their lawns and gardens. This self-managed pest control is frequently characterized by unnecessary and sometimes indiscriminate applications of pesticide that are often ineffective and environmentally damaging. Given residential consumers account for m...

While you can prevent pests from infesting your home, you might need the services of a professional to evict them if they have already moved in. The pest control industry in Florida is the largest in the nation. How do you choose the best pest control company for you? This 6-page fact sheet written by Faith Oi, James E. Davis, John M. Diaz, Sarah M...

Policymakers' demand for increased accountability has compelled organizations to pay more attention to internal evaluation capacity building (ECB). The existing literature about ECB has focused on capacity building experiences and organizational research, with limited attention on challenges that internal evaluation specialists face in building org...

As the diversity of Extension clientele continues to grow, it is important for Extension educators to consider new ways of supporting this population. The purpose of this new 5-page article is to provide a framework for educating diverse audiences to assist in helping these audiences attain the learning outcomes of Extension education programs. Thi...

Purpose: To examine the evaluation competencies extension professionals need to develop and the challenges faced by early career extension professionals when they evaluate their extension education programs. Design: We conducted two studies that utilized a three round Delphi technique to come to consensus on the core program evaluation competencies...

In this era of accountability, Extension agents are expected to evaluate their programs for accountability. New Extension agents are not exempt from this expectation. If they lack evaluation capacity, this scenario can contribute to frustration and burnout. Therefore, it is paramount to explore new Extension agents' evaluation challenges and obstac...

This document provides an overview of the concept of target audiences as it relate to Extension education, and briefly presents concepts of audience analysis and educational content selection. In contrast to the general population, a target audience is comprised of people who can take some explicit action to help solve an identified problem address...

This article outlines meaningful strategies to overcome the program evaluation challenges that early-career Extension professionals face. The strategies outlined in this article are grounded in the experiences of Extension professionals in three states (Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania) and center on providing solutions to the challenges th...

Differences in attitudes, perceived behavioral control, social norms (i.e., influence of others), and intent to engage in good residential landscape fertilizer practices were examined among people with high- and low-exposure to water bodies (blue space). Florida’s residential fertilizer users are exposed to stormwater retention ponds, lakes, and ri...

National trends indicate that school gardens are positioned to become fixtures in primary and secondary education. Garden-based learning and curricula are aligned with school standards and reinforce educational activities in diverse subjects, including science, language arts, math, and social studies. Extension faculty and staff are often called up...

A major priority for UF/IFAS is the promotion of science-based landscape management practices to conserve water resources. This publication outlines specific opportunities that exist for tailoring landscape water conservation programs to Floridians who live in more and less metropolitan areas. People who live in more populated counties in Florida t...

Research has found that youth involvement in school gardens leads to numerous benefits. However, teachers and support organizations must overcome barriers for garden sustainability. This 4-page document discusses barriers for school garden success and how Extension faculty can help education professionals overcome them. Written by Susan Webb, John...

Extension provides personalized educational services collectively known as individual contact teaching (ICT), yet these services often are not evaluated. This article presents results from pilot testing of an approach for evaluating ICT. Extension representatives and clientele provided data on ICT events, primarily office consultations and landscap...

Water availability is an important issue addressed by Cooperative Extension programs nationwide. Rapid population growth and urbanization present unique challenges and opportunities for Extension programming. In this study, we explored whether urban Extension audiences in Florida had unique characteristics that could be used to design tailored prog...

School gardens programs and garden-based education are positioned to become fixtures in educational institutions given recent trends and the national interest in gardens at school sites. Agricultural education professionals have integrated school gardens into core science, social studies, math, and language arts courses as well as agricultural educ...