Using Text Messaging to get information to ag producers
Proposed by: James W.Lewis, Jr.
Presenter: Lewis JR., J. W., Ag Agent, CED, University of Maryland Extension, Denton, MD 21629
Timely communication about production issues with agricultural producers is important during the growing season. Regular mail is too slow in many cases and issues have risen with clientele changing internet providers and therefore email addresses. The solution this agent came up with is using text/pix messaging. Most of the producers in Caroline County carry their cell phone with them at all times. The agent has a list of cell phone numbers of agricultural producers farming 90% of the land in Caroline County in a list serve format that can be used to send text and pictures from a computer. Timely text and pictures have been sent relating to pest identification, scouting procedures, thresholds, pesticide recommendations, fertility issues, urgent regulation updates, and educational meeting announcements. The agent has received the following comments from producers: The text have made me aware of potential problems that I was not even aware of, while the pictures are small on the phone, I can identify the worms when finding them in my beans, As I get older, the meeting reminders are great, I was thinking the excessive rain may have washed away some of my nitrogen and your text confirmed my suspicions, Now I know that scab caused my orange kernels, I locked the text in my phone so I can refer back to the threshold levels for clb and chemical rates