Cooperative Extension Systems as Models for Effective Rural Communications

In rural America, there is a growing crisis related to the lack of trust in institutions and official sources of information. Research consistently shows that rural residents have a low-level of trust in information conveyed by the government, healthcare officials, the scientific community, or mainstream media. The lack of trust for credible sources of information has serious negative ramifications for the health, safety, and welfare of both rural communities and the nation.3, 4, 6, 13, 14

Fortunately, we may be able to learn valuable lessons on effective rural outreach from the national Cooperative Extension system, a century-old success story in transferring practical knowledge, training, and information from universities to local communities big and small.7, 8

What Happens When Trust Declines Among Rural Citizens?

There are several common characteristics among rural communities that make them less likely to trust authoritative sources of information.