Engaging Communities Through Issues Forums

In 2020, two new drivers, both associated with COVID-19, led the Delaware and Maryland team to consider another forum: 1) Public attention to availability and affordability of food and 2) Extension’s need to work at a distance. The team sought and received funding, through the Extension Foundation, from the USDA’s NIFA New Technologies in Agriculture Education, to address those drivers. We built on, and adapted, the previous onsite forum format. Our goal was to test the feasibility of using distance technology to effectively conduct public forums.

Delaware and Maryland 2021 Online Forum

We are sharing Our Story in this guide to bring to life the how- to” information we are providing. We’ve chosen to tell our story believing that other professionals can learn from our experiences and create their own public issues forums.