USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service instituted a National Outreach Policy, 230 GM Part 406, in 2003. This policy provides guidance to agency staff to meet outreach requirements and accountability standards. Wisconsin Field Offices are to include outreach as a component of the Field Office Business Plans required in FY07.
STEP 1-- Identify under-served and non-traditional customers in each county in Wisconsin.
District Conservationists and RC&D Coordinators are responsible for identifying these individuals and/or groups in their service areas. Here are some resources to help:
Ag Census statistics (also see County Demographics.xls attached.)
Employee and Partner knowledge
Minority organizations
County Government (Public Health, Social Services, Recorder, Assessor)
Chamber of Commerce
Community non-profit organizations
Local media
STEP 2—Get to know your Potential Customer Groups and their Needs
Once you have identified the groups in your county, gather some information about them to better understand their needs and the best communication methods for them. Your outreach efforts will be more successful if you know your audience.
What you need to know:
Characteristics (social, economic, cultural), attitudes and perspectives.
Connections to land and agriculture
Natural resource or other needs, and problems as they see it.
Current efforts in the community to address their natural resource needs
What is limiting their participation? (e.g.: Lack of information/knowledge, lack of financial or technical resources, communication barriers, lack of trust in government )
Why should they participate? What are the benefits to them?
How do you gather the information? Resources:
Understanding customers and potential customers by considering the characteristics, problems, and needs they have in common can be helpful in outreach efforts and success. The following chart may provide information to consider.
| Characteristic | Considerations |
| Education
|
College
education or not |
| Occupational
status |
Full-time
or part-time farmer, off-farm job |
| Intergenerational
land transfer |
Children
to take over farm or not |
| Risk
orientation |
Risk
taker or not |
| Farm
size |
County
average, above or below |
| Number
of innovations adopted |
Average.
above, or below |
| Use of local media for conservation information | What sources are used – local, ethnic etc |
| Conservation
planning |
Follows
a conservation plan or not |
| Local
organization participation |
Active
or not |
| Awareness
of resource problems |
Average,
above or below |
| Gross
farm sales |
County
average, above or below |
| Ownership/rental
|
%
of rented and/or owned land |
| Lease
arrangements |
1 year, 2 year, stable or not |
Step 3 – Develop an Outreach Component to include in your Field Office Business Plan for the year.
Develop and distribute surveys
See also Wisconsin Outreach Success Stories
Step 4 – Identify and Request Any Resources for Outreach Implementation
Remember to use volunteers, local organizations, and other partners to help you. Some items are accomplished better and more effectively by non-agency individuals that have more expertise, credibility or contacts with particular groups.
What funds are needed and available? What technical expertise is needed and available? Consider all sources for financial and technical support: USDA, state, county, local and private funding and technical possibilities.
Step 5 –Carry out your plan! Evaluate and report your progress and success stories.