20 March 2009

3 minute read

Oceania

But despite the positive feedback there is room for improvement. The survey, conducted in December 2008, aims to gauge the effectiveness of the Beef CRC's communication strategy.

Communication is an important way to ensure key members of the beef industry, government and the general public are kept up-to-date with the research being conducted by the organisation.

This is the second consecutive year that a survey of this kind has been carried out. The first survey ‘How effectively does the Beef CRC communicate with their stakeholders’ by Julia Thompson was prepared in 2007.

The results of these surveys will help us tailor our external communications efforts.

This survey was composed on the 16th of December and closed on the 19th of January, 2009. 59 people completed the survey.

The Beef CRC was also giving away a copy of Fiona Lakes' book 'A million Acres Masterpiece'. Everyone who filled in the survey was eligible to enter. The person who won that book is Kylie Falconer from Glen Innes in NSW.

The survey had a total of 25 questions. A breakdown of the question format below.

Demographics

• 69.5 per cent of respondents were male.
• 76.3 per cent of the total sample identified with being a beef producer, lot feeder, processor etc.

• Of all the Beef CRC’s publications, the Beef Bulletin was the one that most people (96.2 per cent) had read or seen.
• 57.7 per cent of respondents read the Beef Bulletin often while 43.8 per cent of the sample read ‘Science for Quality Beef’ sometimes.
• People liked the articles most about the Beef Bulletin and the majority of people were happy with the frequency. Although there were some respondents who would prefer the Beef Bulletin to be delivered more regularly.

• 76 per cent of the respondents believed email updates were the most effective form of communication.
• 62.5 per cent of the sample thought the Beef CRC often received favourable media attention with 60.0 per cent describing the Beef CRC’s reputation as high.

Although people are generally happy with our communication efforts, they would like more emails and newsletters with producers.

Some respondents would also like the Beef CRC to hold more field days.

They are seen to be an important tool to make graziers, lotfeeders, backgrounders and the general public more aware of the studies that are being undertaken.

However one comment highlighted that the Beef CRC can not rely solely on field days to get our messages across.

“Field days are a one-sided affair. Most people don't have time to attend especially in times of drought. So it is fairer to spend time and money of the CRC on reports and books etc that are open to all stakeholders not just the ones that have time or are in the right location for field days.”

TheCattleSite News Desk