Traditional approaches for educating farmers about nontraditional water: Evaluating preferred outreach, education, and methods for alleviating concerns

Due to increased variability in precipitation it is critical to identify alternative, nontraditional water sources for food production. Water reuse, the use of treated municipal wastewater, could be an alternative high-quality water source for agricultural systems. Tailoring education about water reuse to specific audiences is crucial for increasing public acceptance, especially for the farmers being asked to use this water source. Through a survey distributed from 2016 through 2018, farmers in the Mid-Atlantic and Southwest regions of the United States provided feedback on their preferred approaches to alleviate concerns (n = 749), and preferred outreach and education methods (n = 719) for learning about nontraditional water sources, including water reuse. Overall, farmers' top priority was water quality information to alleviate their concerns (55%). Farmers preferred to attend half-day workshops in their home county for outreach and education (57%). There were differences in preferences for alleviating concerns and receiving education by sex, geographic region, and concern about nontraditional water. Women wanted more information than men to alleviate concerns (p = 0.001) and more types of outreach and education regarding nontraditional water use (p < 0.001). Farmers who were 18-29 and 30-49 years old reported that public acceptance would alleviate concerns about nontraditional water use at a significantly higher rate (25% and 24%) than farmers in the 50-69 year old category (17%) (p = 0.04 for both). The 18-29 year olds also preferred water treatment plant tours (37%) more than all other age groups (26% or less) (p < 0.001). Information about farmer preferences for nontraditional water education and outreach can be used to develop tailored education programs and increase acceptance and use of these important water sources.