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Unit 2: The Agricultural Professional's Role

Probably many of the skills you entered are 'people-related' skills dealing with relationships, education and behavior change. These are skills that often require the agricultural professional to step out of the 'expert' mode and instead act as an advisor and 'co-learner'. Instead of having all the answers, there is a process of shared inquiry, involving equal amounts of listening and talking to pool the knowledge and experience of the farmer and the advisor. In some cases your colleagues may be part of the process when outside information or interpretation is needed. Often, the advisor plays a valuable role as an information networker, spreading the word about the problem or issue and collecting advice, experience, relevant research results that may provide options or even a solution. This collaborative process based on shared knowledge and inquiry is extremely powerful in promoting the development and adoption of technical advances.

“I’ve been working with farmers in Illinois for 20 years and I’ve found one of the most important skills I bring to the job is my ability to listen. Rather than entering a new situation brimming over with advice, I need to hear both farmers’ problems and their potential solutions. Then I can start to put together a rational plan that addresses their needs.”

- Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant,Research Specialist, University of Illinois