At the National Association for Agricultural Education meeting held in St. Petersburg, Florida, the Lamm Lab was recognized with the Journal Article of the Year award in the Journal of Agricultural Education.
Authored by Tatevik Markosyan, Kristin Gibson, and Alexa Lamm, the study “Applying Situational Theory of Publics to Tailor Agricultural Messages for Rural Communities” examined socio-demographic characteristics and rural residents’ perceptions of barriers and enablers to healthy food access in Georgia, where high rates of rural obesity and diet-related diseases are recorded. The study surveyed 780 rural residents and found that people’s experiences with barriers to healthy food varied by race, employment status, and receipt of SNAP benefits. The results show that agricultural communication should be tailored to fit the needs of different groups in rural areas. The study also points out that targeted messages can help reduce food access gaps and support more equitable, health-focused rural food systems.
