Bridging the Gap between Consumers and Agriculture Producers Using the NDSU BBQ Boot Camp Model

ObjectivesUsing the NDSU BBQ Boot Camp Model we evaluated consumer perception of production agriculture and sustainability, while teaching outdoor cooking methods with meat as the focus in North Dakota cities over a 5-yr period. Materials and MethodsA pre- and post-test of attendees (n = 3112) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the BBQ Boot Camp educational program and to obtain demographic information. The test had 11 multiple choice questions “A, B, C, D” and 5 “Yes” or “No” questions that asked attendee’s basic information about food, food safety, and cooking. The last 6 questions collected participant’s perceptions of food, livestock stewardship, and tools educators use to communicate food and agriculture information and rank each question on a Likert, 5-point scale, 1 = not important, 5 = very important. ResultsBoot Camp attendees scored a 15% improvement in test scores after completion of the program (pre-test average score = 67%; post-test average score = 82%, P < 0.002). We observed that younger North Dakotans ages 18 to 29 were less concerned about where their food was produced compared to older attendees. More concern was placed on food production as the group age increased to the 40 + age group (P < 0.05). Food safety was more of a concern for women as they aged compared to aging men (age × gender interaction; P < 0.048). ConclusionThe data collected over the 5 yr period provides insight into people’s attitude in North Dakota on food and agriculture production. The mission of Extension Outreach is to enhance the lives of people through research, education and community and BBQ Boot Camp encompasses all 3 of those core values. The use of barbecue as a means to educate consumers about agriculture and food has proven to be successful. The success can be seen where female participants scored lower than male participants in the pre-test, but recieved higher scores in the post-test.