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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 effectively influence a Florida (USA) community’s water conservation. Three core data sources/methods were used: pre- and post-surveys, water utility data compared between treatment and control communities, and qualitative post-intervention feedback. The findings illustrate nuanced outcomes including the adoption of the rainfall sign as a central information source and some knowledge increases, contrasted with decreased engagement in the target conservation practice, no significant changes in water usage, and unfavorable perceptions of project approaches. Successes and failures of this pilot can guide professionals leading future residential conservation initiatives, which should better engage the target community and incorporate their ideas and needs into the project design.

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/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, May 2024.

Abstract 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 identify and quantify the human reservoir at the PON, a cross-sectoral collaboration between university researchers and commercial partners produced an innovative, non-invasive saliva-based RDT capable of identifying novel, non-hrp2/3 parasite biomarkers. While this new saliva-based malaria asymptomatic and asexual rapid test (SMAART-1) shows increased detection sensitivity and precision potential by identifying a new P. falciparum protein marker (PSSP17), appraising its utility in the field—particularly with respect to its adoption potential with children and adults in high risk, endemic regions—is necessary to warrant its continued development. Methods The purpose of this study was to assess the acceptability and adoption potential of the SMAART-1 at select PON sites in the Kinshasa Province. Teachers, community health workers, nurses, and laboratory technicians participated in data collection at three distinct community sites in Kinshasa Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Three data collection methods were utilized in this mixed methods study to provide an overarching acceptability evaluation of the SMAART-1 at PON field sites: observation checklists of SMAART-1 implementation, focus group discussions, and surveys with local health care practitioners—particularly teachers and community health workers. Results Findings indicate participants were interested in and supportive of the SMAART-1 protocol, with approximately 99% of the participants surveyed indicating that they either “agreed” or “strongly agreed” with the statement that they “would use the saliva-based malaria asymptomatic rapid test as part of a community malaria detection and treatment programme.” Data also suggest that the protocol was broadly appealing for its testing sensitivity and ease of use. Conclusions The SMAART-1 protocol’s clinically reliable results demonstrate a promising new level of sensitivity and precision for detecting parasite biomarkers. This study’s mixed-methods assessment of the protocol’s utility and adoption potential in the field, with a target user audience, advances its development and points to opportunities to formalize and expand evaluation efforts.

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 métodos de producción más utilizados y los objetivos de los distintos tipos de operaciones. Al final del documento se enumeran recursos adicionales de apoyo sobre la agricultura urbana y técnicas de jardinería para cultivadores principiantes y experimentados.

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 gobierno local, organizaciones sin fines de lucro y agricultores urbanos. Los lectores pueden usar este documento para examinar cómo los proyectos e iniciativas de agricultura urbana podrían integrarse mejor en sus comunidades, y para tomar conciencia de los peligros comunes asociados al desarrollo y mantenimiento de los esfuerzos de la agricultura urbana.

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 del asesoramiento profesional. Este documento es el FCS3358-Span, uno de una serie del Departmento de Familia, Juventud y Ciencias Comunitarias, UF/IFAS Extensión. Publicación original de agosto del 2023.

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 lack access to basic healthcare services and face numerous health inequities. Colombia is no exception. The country's agricultural sector is an important part of its economy, but farmworkers in Colombia face significant health challenges. Many work long hours in difficult conditions and lack access to basic healthcare services. To address such challenges, there is a need for greater awareness and action targeting global farmworker health inequities, specifically in Colombia. The study’s purpose was to reach consensus among community health workers who serve farmworkers in Colombia on the most pervasive barriers to healthcare access and quality of care, as well as on effective strategies linked to those barriers. Using the Delphi technique, seven barriers and five strategies achieved consensus. The results provide insights for key stakeholders such as extension educators to consider in the development of policy and practice intended to overcome relevant barriers and advance health equity among farmworkers.

Institutional foodservice programs provide food in kindergarten through twelfth-grade (K–12) school cafeterias, hospitals, prisons, and institutions of higher education. Values-based procurement pri­oritizes certain values or criteria in addition to price. Institutions where values-based procurement policies have been adopted have increased the proportion of procurement dollars that go to local farms and are spent on products receiving third-party certifications for sustainability, farmworker justice, and animal welfare. Several programs exist to support institutions seeking to adopt and implement values-based procurement practices. However, there have been difficulties with imple­menting programs that have metrics that were not designed based on the local context where the institution is located, particularly for institutions of higher education. This study used the Delphi technique to identify expert consensus on values and metrics based on the local context that could be used as the foundation for a values-based framework for a university dining program. Our study identified eight core values and six categories of metrics that were supported by local and region­al food systems stakeholders at the University of Florida and in the surrounding community. Other higher education institutions can apply and adapt these values and metrics to their local contexts or can use our consensus-building process as a model to develop a set of values and metrics for their institutional procurement program, tailored to their local context.

Abstract Background Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common pathogen that affects individuals of all ages and establishes lifelong latency. Although CMV is typically asymptomatic in healthy individuals, infection during pregnancy or in immunocompromised individuals can cause severe disease. Currently, treatments are limited, with no prophylactic vaccine available. Knowledge of the current epidemiologic burden of CMV is necessary to understand the need for treatment and prevention. A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted to describe the most recent epidemiologic burden of CMV globally. Methods Medline, Embase, and LILACS were searched to identify data on CMV prevalence, seroprevalence, shedding, and transmission rates. The SLR covered the time period of 2010–2020 and focused geographically on Australia, Europe, Israel, Japan, Latin America (LATAM), and North America. Studies were excluded if they were systematic or narrative reviews, abstracts, case series, letters, or correspondence. Studies with sample sizes

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 gardening. However, research has indicated unique perceived barriers exist among residents in homeowners’ associations (HOAs). By focusing on perceived barriers, Extension and other practitioners can encourage positive adoption changes among residents and HOA stakeholders. Findings in this article suggest many HOA dwellers are unsure whether they are permitted to engage in pollinator gardening, and they may perceive that this approach to landscaping is incompatible with neighborhood norms. These barriers must be addressed at the resident and HOA leadership levels to help more people engage in gardening to support pollinators.

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 opportunity and need exist for residents, particularly those living in urban areas, to support bees and other pollinators by adopting pollinator gardening in their landscapes. Based on recent research about significant barriers and solutions, this publication intends to guide Extension agents and other practitioners on how to best encourage and facilitate adoption of pollinator gardening by addressing residents’ perceptions.

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 Nutrition Assistance Program-based incentive pro­grams, or nutrition incentive programs, are an emergent model designed to provide financial incentives (additional funds) to limited-resource, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-enrolled shoppers to improve the afforda­bility of fresh fruits and vegetables at farm-direct and other retail outlets. While policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders have advanced efforts to evaluate the overall impact and efficacy of nutrition incentive programs, much remains to be understood about how these programs operate under pandemic conditions and how effective they have been at mitigating the associated increase in food hardship for limited-resource families. To examine the salient factors influencing nutrition incentive program operations during the pandemic, we applied a three-round, online Delphi process with an expert panel (N=15) of nutrition incentive practitioners between May and October 2021, analyzing the data using thematic analysis and descriptive statistics. The panelists reached consen­sus on several barriers, opportunities, and innova­tive adaptations in incentive programming opera­tions, both in the early stages of the pandemic outbreak and that may persist long-term. The find­ings—which include barriers such as “staff burnout and/or turnover,” opportunities such as “increased collaboration and networking between stakehold­ers,” and innovative adaptions such as “targeted expansion of SNAP/EBT eligibility”—have impli­cations for the operational and adaptive capacities of SNAP-based incentive program practitioners over the next several years. We provide recommen­dations for both researchers and nutrition incentive practitioners with an emphasis on further explor­ing and operationalizing the long-term barrier, oppor­tunity, and innovative adaptation findings to aid the continued development of nutrition incen­tive pro­gram resilience in preparation for future pandemic events or comparable food system shocks.

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 which urban agriculture can play a role. Developing programs specifically targeted to urban farming clientele can bolster Cooperative Extension’s role in supporting urban populations. An important first step to developing these programs is to understand Extension educators’ perceptions, beliefs, and knowledge about UA and the key barriers and opportunities to develop new programs that serve UA clientele. In this qualitative study, researchers conducted 17 semi-structured interviews of Extension educators who conduct UA programming. These educators see UA as a key opportunity for Extension to reach new audiences and increase agricultural awareness in urban areas. The most salient barrier faced to develop or deliver UA programming is a lack of time and resources—both human and financial. This study highlights key barriers and opportunities to develop new Extension programs to support UA and to increase Extension’s visibility in and impact on urban communities.

mproving 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 this article is to discuss the principles and practices of adult education and their application in designing professional development offerings with specific examples for Extension educators. Using the integrated approach of learning, the authors present a framework and share their experiences for the application of practice in designing professional development programs for Extension educators.

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 graduate students’ perceived needs, expectations, and ideas to optimize engagement with associations focused on international agriculture. A convergent mixed methods design integrated and contrasted quantitative and qualitative data from an online survey—filled by 26 student participants—and qualitative data from a virtual fishbone focus group with seven participants. Students’ perceptions appear responsive to trends toward globalized food systems and demonstrate their desire for socialization to gain internationally focused capacities and connections to opportunities in a variety of global agricultural areas. Findings indicate associations geared toward internationally oriented scholarship and academics should expand to better encompass international development practice. Doing so would provide greater insight into practitioners’ priorities and facilitate alternative career pathways for graduate students interested in practice. Additionally, findings point to needs for student mentoring and communication efforts focused on equitable and inclusive engagement with first generation students and students in developing countries who may be financially inhibited from traveling for in-person socialization activities.

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 of these student teachers. However, little is known about the mentoring process between the cooperating teachers and their student teachers. This study compares the perspectives of the cooperating teacher and their student teacher on the frequency of 17 best practices employed by the cooperating teacher during the student teaching experience. The results suggest cooperating teachers rate themselves as utilizing 16 of the 17 best practices of a cooperating teacher more frequently than their paired student teacher observed. In addition, the student teachers rated their observed frequency for five of the 17 best practices employed by their mentor teacher between rarely and often, implying potential weaknesses in the preparation of the cooperating teacher. Differences between the perceived practices of the cooperating teachers and the observed frequencies of these practices by their student teachers warrants further research in the preparation and support of cooperating teachers in their roles as mentors.

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. Written by John Diaz, Cody Gusto, Colby Silvert, K. S. U. Jayaratne, Lendel Narine, Sharon Couch, Celina Wille, Nozella Brown, Cintia Aguilar, Dionardo Pizaña, Kris Parker, Gayle Coon, Merrianneeta Nesbitt, Laura Valencia, Dominic Ledesma, and Lupita Fabregas, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, September 2022.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection during pregnancy may result in long-term health problems for children with congenital CMV (cCMV). Currently, no prevention or treatment interventions are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for a cCMV indication. Healthcare provider and public awareness is low, and formal clinical practice guidelines and local practice patterns vary. A pilot study of eight cCMV experts was performed using qualitative semi-structured interviews to better understand clinical practice guidelines and patterns in the United States. Results from participant interviews highlighted the need for better prenatal diagnostic techniques, broader neonatal screening opportunities, and more robust evidence supporting intervention strategies. Healthcare provider and public partnerships are essential for advancing cCMV guidelines and improving care delivery. Our results provide a preliminary knowledge base and framework for developing a consensus cCMV research agenda to address evidence gaps that limit the revision of clinical practice guidelines. The changes in clinical practice patterns that may arise as a result of further research have the potential to reduce risk during pregnancy and improve care for children with cCMV infection.

Screening newborns for congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection is critical for early detection and prompt diagnosis of related long-term consequences of infection, such as sensorineural hearing loss and neurodevelopmental delays. The objective of this study was to describe the validity of different newborn cCMV infection screening approaches and compare the expected number of cCMV cases detected across targeted and universal screening algorithms. The overall sensitivity (OSn) of targeted screening algorithms that required failure of auditory brain stem response and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TOAE; two-fail serial testing) or TOAE only (one-fail serial testing) before diagnostic CMV testing using saliva and urine PCR tests was 79% and 88%, respectively. The OSn for two-fail serial testing with diagnostic CMV testing using dried blood spot (DBS) was 75%. In contrast, OSn was 90% for universal screening (saliva and urine PCR tests) and 86% for universal screening with DBS testing alone. Overall, specificities were 100% across all algorithms. Universal screening using DBS testing and universal screening using saliva and urine testing can potentially detect 312 and 373 more cCMV cases per 100,000 live births, respectively, than two-fail serial testing. Overall, implementing universal cCMV newborn screening would improve cCMV detection, ultimately leading to better health outcomes.

In two large clinical trials (ZOE-50 [NCT01165177] and ZOE-70 [NCT01165229]), two doses of the adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) demonstrated >90% efficacy (VE) against herpes zoster (HZ) in adults ≥50 years of age (YOA). This post-hoc analysis assessed the VE against HZ and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), in participants from Asian study sites enrolled in ZOE-50/70. Reactogenicity and safety were also assessed. Participants ≥50 YOA were randomized 1:1 to receive 2 doses of either RZV or placebo, 2 months apart. VE was evaluated for a median follow-up of 4 years post-vaccination overall and by age in the ZOE-50 Asian population ≥50 YOA and in the pooled ZOE-50/70 Asian population ≥70 YOA. Of the 2,729 participants included in the ZOE-50 Asian population ≥50 YOA, 3 RZV and 66 placebo recipients reported a confirmed HZ episode. Overall VE was 95.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 86.4–99.1) against HZ and 100% (95% CI: 35.44–100) against PHN. In the pooled ZOE-50/70 Asian population ≥70 YOA, 4 RZV and 75 placebo recipients out of the 2,723 participants reported a confirmed HZ episode. Overall VE was 94.7% (95% CI: 85.9–98.6) against HZ and 89.8% (95% CI: 28.39–99.77) against PHN. Pain and myalgia were the most frequent solicited local and general adverse events, respectively, in both populations. No safety concern was identified during the study periods. RZV is highly efficacious against HZ and PHN and has an acceptable safety profile in Asian populations ≥50 YOA, similar to what was observed in the general ZOE-50/70 populations. Trademark statement: Shingrix is a trademark owned by or licensed to the GSK group of companies.

We conducted a systematic review to characterize the incidence rate of herpes zoster (HZ) in the general population, specifically in individuals ≥50 years of age. A total of 69 publications were included in the review. We found a cumulative incidence of HZ ranging from 2.9–19.5 cases per 1,000 population and an incidence rate of HZ ranging from 5.23–10.9 cases per 1,000 person-years. The cumulative incidence (3.22–11.2 versus 2.44–8.0 cases per 1,000 population) and incidence rates (6.05–12.8 versus 4.30–8.5 cases per 1,000 person-years) were higher in females than males. Studies revealed a trend of increasing incidence of HZ with increasing age and over time. Variations in incidence estimates can be attributed to the various study designs, case ascertainments, age distributions of the population and year of the study. HZ is associated with a substantial disease burden and is expected to increase due to population aging.

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 development. However, these groups often do not know what types of policy or program models exist to help achieve their goals. This research identified expert consensus on three important topics related to community food systems resilience: (1) values that should guide adopting and implementing poli­cies and programs to facilitate community food systems resilience, (2) benefits of adopting policies and programs that support community food sys­tems resilience, and (3) policies, programs, and ini­tiatives that are indicators of resilience. These indi­cators can be used to assess the resilience of communities and to help communities identify pol­icy options to achieve specific goals and objectives. The results of this study were used to create a com­munity food system resilience audit tool that com­munity groups can use to assess the current resili­ency of their food system, identify priorities, and set goals. The audit tool focuses on seven core themes that contribute to community food systems resilience: agricultural and ecological sustainability, community health, community self-reliance, dis­tributive and democratic leadership, focus on the farmer and food maker, food justice, and place-based economics. The individual indicators in this audit tool provide specific policies and practices that can be adopted by local governments, sup­ported by cooperative extension agents, and advo­cated for by food policy councils and community-based organizations.

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 professionals and other practitioners to promote behavior change in household landscaping practices. Written by Colby Silvert, Laura Warner, Matt Benge, and John Diaz and published by the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc405

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 Agricultural Education and Communication. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc402

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 competencies advocated in these models may not always be relevant to an organization or institution’s operational context. This study addresses the need for contextually grounded intercultural competency models targeted to extension education contexts. Using a three-phased Delphi approach, data were gathered from a panel of 36 intercultural competency experts. The panel identified nine personal traits thought to be critical for the recruitment and development of culturally competent extension educators. The authors explain how these results may be used to recruit extension educators with traits conducive to engagement with a broad audience of stakeholders using culturally sensitive and responsive techniques. Given the distinct processes by which different components of intercultural competence are developed, we recommend specific measures and techniques administrators can utilize to recruit and develop extension educators who possess the agreed-upon intercultural personality traits.

This study explores 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. Data were collected and analyzed on farmers’ attitudes and aspirations around working with peers, autonomy, and external support as well as knowledge, skills, and behaviors pertinent to collective actions. Based on the findings, it is recommended that practitioners and farmer group leaders focus training efforts on building smallholders’ knowledge and skills in mobilization, encourage peer association/collective action as a source of external support, and target knowledgeable, skilled and confident farmers to lead collective actions.

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 publication of the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication was written by Colby Silvert, Cody Gusto, John Diaz, and Glenn Israel. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc388

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 Gusto, Colby Silvert, John Diaz, and Glenn Israel. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc385

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 efforts to access and connect with key audiences. Written by Colby Silvert, Cody Gusto, John Diaz, and Glenn Israel. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc387

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 Education and Communication was written by Cody Gusto, Colby Silvert, and John Diaz. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc380

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 also includes an overview of the subsequent articles in the Road to Recovery series. Written by Cody Gusto, Colby Silvert, and John Diaz. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc379

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 the programs. To date, most studies that have addressed manager perspectives have been qualitative case-studies where findings may have limited generalizability to other market contexts. In this integrative review of literature, we examine the current state of both scholarly and practitioner literature regarding market manager perspectives on nutrition incentive programming. Given the identification of critical gaps and salient factors in efforts to promote nutrition incentive program­ming at markets, we call for the advancement of a framework that may be shared between organiza­tions. This framework will capture essential data that inform market managers’ behavioral intention towards the nutrition incentive programs they cur­rently administer. We propose that the develop­ment of a comprehensive survey tool designed to capture managerial intentions may ultimately prompt multistate, cross-organizational collabora­tion on improving nutritional program outcomes at farmers markets.

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 context. However, we must rethink how we interact with and assist clientele to ensure their safety and our own. To do this, it is critical we understand that the pandemic has exacerbated emotional trauma and anxiety resulting in trust gaps. This new 4-page publication of the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication aims to build Extension professionals’ sensitivity to the needs and emotional strains that COVID-19 presents for clients, and the strategies needed for effective recovery. Written by Colby Silvert, Cody Gusto, and John Diaz. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc376

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. This initial publication in the Understanding Extension for School-Based Agricultural Education series provides agricultural educators and the general public with a basic understanding of Extension. This new 4-page publication of the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication was written by Debra Barry, John Diaz, Alyssa Shepherd, Jennifer Patton, and Stephen Gran. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc372

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 conducted a statewide study to explore the concept of wellness and well-being, and these characteristics' relationship to water conservation behaviors. Our results show that psychosocial measures influence current and future residential landscape water conservation behaviors differently. Perception of well-being is the more consistent predictor for both current behaviors and future intentions. These results demonstrate an opportunity for those focused on environmental behaviors to pair and embed programs focused on personal well-being to empower communities to work toward achieving conservation goals. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc370

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 Agricultural Education and Communication helps to describe how UF/IFAS Extension can be utilized in agricultural education. Written by Debra Barry, John Diaz, Alyssa Shepherd, Jennifer Patton, and Stephen Gran. (The title of this article was adjusted on October 14, 2020, to match other entries in the series.) https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc367

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 local economy by supporting purchases from local farmers. While evidence suggests that related incentive programs improve access to nutritious food, there is currently little research regarding farmers market managers’ perspectives and experiences regarding program adoption and use, despite the critical role played by managers in administering the program. Using data collected from semistructured phone interviews with market managers, we applied a component of the Integrated Behavioral Model to explore the barriers managers face in engaging with limited-resource consumers at their markets through the Fresh Access Bucks program. Additionally, we explored managers’ perceptions of their ability to administer and market the program effectively through strategic interventions. Results indicate that market managers’ perception of their ability to administer the program was hindered by the following external environmental factors: bureaucratic limitations, availability of locally eligible producers and growers, organizational structure and funding support, and transportation and physical access. The following strategic efforts influenced manager perceptions of their ability to administer the program: risk-taking and experimentation; loyalty, trust, and relationship building with vendors; cultivating market experiences, and strategic coordination with partner organizations. These find­ings have implications for improving outcomes for similar nutrition incentive initiatives at farmers markets.

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. Ellis, Randall A. Cantrell, Nelly Nelson, and Judy Corbus and published by the UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology Department is full of practical tips and advice to help you choose a reliable and effective pest control service to help you kick out any uninvited crawlies. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1269

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. This includes: (1) acquiring a knowledge base of diverse cultures, (2) designing or utilizing culturally relevant curricula, (3) utilizing cultural caring and developing a learning community, (4) practicing intercultural communications, and (5) establishing cultural congruity in classroom instruction. Written by John Diaz, Cecilia Suarez, and Laura Valencia and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc341

The modified tannin by Mannich reaction was investigated for wastewater treatment. The removal of heavy metals, such as copper, chromium and mercury, in industrial wastewater was evaluated through the coagulation−flocculation technique, using modified Acacia tannin (MAT) as a coagulant agent. The successful tannin modification was evaluated by infrared spectopometry (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR); monitoring the removal of heavy metals was performed by atomic absorption (AA) and a direct mercury analyzer (DMA). Additionally, the parameters of water quality, total suspended solids (TSS), turbidity and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were assessed. Different doses of MAT were evaluated (375 ppm, 750 ppm, 1250 ppm and 1625 ppm) and three different levels of pH (4, 7 and 10). The highest percentages of removal obtained were copper 60%, chromium 87%, mercury 50%−80%, COD 88%, TSS 86% and turbidity 94%, which were achieved with the dose of 375 ppm of MAT at pH 10. The coagulation−flocculation process with the modified Acacia tannin is efficient for the removal of conventional parameters and for a significant removal of the metals studied.

Extension clientele often contact agents for expertise on starting or maintaining a community garden; however, agents’ ability to collect meaningful data from these activities can be a challenge. This 3-page publication discusses a statewide study that was conducted by the author to identify community garden outcomes. Written by Susan Webb and John Diaz and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, January 2018. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc295

Synthesis and in vitro assessment of antifungal activity of oximes, oxime ethers and isoxazoles. Objective. To synthesize and carryout a preliminary evaluation of the in vitro antifungal activity of oximes, oxime ethers and isoxazoles. Materials and methods. Oximeswere synthesized from aldehydes or ketones with NH2OH.HCl and K2CO3. Oxime ethers were prepared by alkylation of oximes withpropargyl bromide or 2-bromobenzyl bromide, using NaOH as base and acetone as solvent. The isoxazoles were obtained by 1,3-dipolarcycloadditions using ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN), chloramine T (CAT) and NaOCl. Products were identified or characterized usingnuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS). Radial growth inhibition assays against Aspergillus niger and Fusariumroseum were carried out. Results. Five oximes, seven oxime ethers, four of them new, and four new isoxazoles were obtained. Theassessed substances exhibited antifungal activity in amounts of 1,5 mg and 3,0 mg. Conclusions. Although 1,3-dipolar cycloadditionsallowed to obtain the desired isoxazoles, this methodology produced a wide variety of side products that reduced yields and made difficultthe purification of the target products. Four of the tested compounds showed inhibition percentages greater than 80%.

In the title molecule, C19H21BrN2O, the piperidone ring adopts a chair conformation with a total puckering amplitude QT of 0.554 (2) Å. The dihedral angle between the benzene rings is 64.10 (7)°. There are no significant intermolecular interactions.

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C16H13N3O2, contains two independent molecules in which the pyridine and benzene rings form dihedral angles of 81.7 (2) and 79.8 (2)°, indicating the twist in the molecules. In the crystal, weak C—H...N interactions link molecules into chains along [100].