Nebraska Extension Offers Sensitive Issues Training April 7-8

March 27, 2015

Would you like to be a better spokesperson for agriculture? Do you need help addressing sensitive issues like GMOs, food safety, or sustainability? Do you want to be a better communicator? 

Learn how at Sensitive Issues: Media and Communication Training, a two-day workshop being held April 7-8 at the Kearney Holiday Inn Convention Center. The workshop, sponsored by Nebraska Extension, will include:

• Engage training provided by the Center for Food Integrity;
• an engaging online session; and
• a sensitive issues update and training provided by experts from across the country on agricultural issues.

The focus will be on agriculture and food issues, however, the training and skills gained could be easily transferred to communicate sensitive issues in other disciplines.  Participants will learn:

•   why communicating with values is important to building trust;
•   specific steps to engaging with shared values,
•   developing values messages (for media), and
•   social media best practices and shared values responses.

Conference presenters will include Jana McGuide, Engage Young Leaders coordinator, and Donna Moenning, senior program manager at the Center for Food Integrity.  Engage Young Leaders, a program offered by the Center for Food Integrity and funded by the United Soybean Board, provides the tools to help individuals effectively engage with consumers in person and online, using the power of shared values. Other speakers will include:

• Frank Mitloehner, professor and CE specialist – Livestock Systems Air Quality, U.C. Davis, on carbon footprint/environmental footprint/sustainability
• Jude Capper, sustainability consultant and adjunct professor of animal sciences, Washington State University, on livestock sustainability
• Sally Mackenzie, professor, Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, on GMOs
• Karen Cannon, Assistant Professor, Life Sciences Communication, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, on research, strategies, and recommendations for discussing sensitive issues

For the full agenda, speaker/topic information, complete details, and registration information see the program flyer.

Registration

Register for this two-day training online at regonline.com/sensitiveissues. Cost is $100.

For more information contact Nebraska Extension Educator Lindsey Chichester, lchichester2@unl.edu, 402-624-8007

Lindsay Chichester
Saunders County Extension Educator