Abstract Farmers are faced with many production decisions each season that greatly impact the profitability of their operations. Conducting on‐farm trials can generate valuable insights regarding the benefits of new production practices or technologies, but the quality and reliability of the results hinge on trial design and analysis. Additionally, the impact of these findings is constrained by how widely the information is disseminated. In 2017, a team of Extension professionals at The Ohio State University launched the eFields program to enhance both the quantity and quality of farmer‐participatory on‐farm research in Ohio. In 2024, an evaluation tool was designed to understand how the eFields program has impacted the ways that farmers, agriculture professionals, and others engage in on‐farm research and the information derived and shared from it. Growth in the program has been substantial, with a 478% increase in the number of trials completed each season and a 269% increase in farmer participation. Exposure to the program increased survey respondents’ likelihood on using on‐farm research‐based information for decision‐making in their farm operations with 47.2% reporting they increased their use of these type of data. Participation in the program increased as farm size increased. Participating in on‐farm research had a positive influence on farmer behavior changes; farmers who had conducted trials through the program were more likely to adopt new management or technology than farmers who only received information from the program. The information shared through the annual report is recognized as valuable to the target audience of farmers and agriculture professionals.
Hawkins et al. (Mon,) studied this question.
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