Who farmers trust and how they Learn about new technologies: A modified Delphi study of Tennessee producers

Understanding which information sources farmers trust and which delivery methods they prefer is fundamental to designing effective Extension programming and accelerating technology adoption in agriculture. A three-round modified Delphi study was conducted in Tennessee with 22 farmer panelists (12 livestock and 10 row crop) and 2 Extension specialists who only participated in Round 1. Across three rounds (n = 24, n = 17, n = 12), farmers reached consensus that economic benefit is the most important factor driving adoption (80% in Round 3) and that lack of demonstrated return on investment is the greatest barrier (58%). Field days and local meetings emerged as the consensus-preferred delivery method (67%). Although other farmers were the most frequently top-ranked information sources (50% in Round 3), consensus on a single most trusted source was not reached. A comparison between subgroups showed that row crop and livestock farmers diverged on cost vs. ROI framing of barriers and the relative weight of industry representatives as information source, suggesting effective Extension programming may need to target specific commodities. Findings suggest that peer-led field days and on-farm demonstrations, such as test plots, should be part of Extension programming design as institutional sources position themselves as validators rather than primary sources of dissemination.