Perceptions of agricultural extension educators regarding livestock waste management education in the North Central Region

Livestock production in the United States yields large quantities of livestock waste annually. The North Central region of the United States produces a variety of livestock including swine, cattle and poultry. Livestock waste is a rich source of plant nutrients and organic matter. The environmental risks of pollution associated with livestock waste raises major concerns of agricultural educators, researchers and policy makers. Best management practices have been developed for livestock waste management. There is limited research information regarding livestock waste management education.;The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of county extension educators in the North Central region of the United Sates regarding livestock waste management education and its related educational processes.;This study was descriptive and used survey questionnaires to gather research information. A simple random sampling technique was used to draw 360 county extension educators form the North Central region to participate in the study. The findings of this study were based on 201 completed survey questionnaires and generalized over the study population based on controlling non-response error.;This study revealed that county extension educators in the North Central region were predominantly middle-aged males with master\u27s degrees. County extension educators in this study maintained that livestock waste management was a controversial issue and meant different things to different people. Overall, county extension educators indicated positive perceptions regarding livestock waste management; livestock waste management education and the effectiveness of teaching methods used in livestock waste management education. County extension educators were varied in their perceptions regarding the extent to which they used selected teaching methods, teaching tools and the effectiveness of teaching tools.;County extension educators frequently used the educational methods and tools of discussion, lecture-discussion, demonstrations, individualized instruction, field days; newsletters and print/broadcast media. County extension educators indicated that discussions, lecture-discussion, demonstrations, individualized instruction, field days, meetings, problem solving, small-group work, case studies, workshops, computers and the Internet are effective educational methods and tools, but some of which were not used extensively.;Correlations between demographic characteristics and perceptions were negligible to low with a few moderate to very high. The study\u27s findings contributed to the potential redesign of the behavioral intention model based on Ajzen and Fishbein (1980) and Ajzen (1988)