Leopold Center - Leopold Center gathers -- and listens to -- newsletter feedback

Leopold Letter readers are very diverse, but there seems to be something for everyone in the newsletter.

At least that's what readers told us in a recent survey. In July, we mailed questionnaires to a randomly selected sample of people who received the Spring 2004 issue of the Leopold Letter. We asked for thoughts on a lot of topics, including how readers use the newsletter, how they want to receive it, where they get information about sustainable agriculture, and topics they would like to see in future issues.

We received many good ideas and, most importantly, readers' opinions. The survey generated 173 responses, 155 by mail and 18 completed on our web site. We also appreciated hearing from other readers who were not in the scientific sample.

Over the past year, the Leopold Center has been looking at how we can communicate better with various audiences. We began with a re-design of the web site, launched in March 2004. The new design makes the web site easier to use and several features were added, including a search engine and summaries of every research and education project that has been published in our annual Center Progress Report since 1992.

The last time we surveyed newsletter readership was in 1995. Readers wanted more information about economics, research projects and farmers’ perspectives, and said the newsletter was reliable and useful.

Reader demographics
By occupation, people who responded to the survey fall into five groups. Farmers make up the largest group, followed by scientists and researchers, extension staff, government employees and retired people.

The majority of readers are male, 92 percent among readers who are farmers. More than two-thirds of our readership is middle-aged with 68 percent between the ages of 40 and 65. There are 11 percent under 40 and 21 percent over 65.

Our response: We like the diverse readership and think it is important to offer different perspectives in the newsletter. We also will be looking at ways to bring the newsletter to new groups and expand readership.

Electronic vs. print
Although most of the survey respondents use e-mail (82 percent), they were split on how they would like to receive the Leopold Letter. When we asked if they would prefer receiving the newsletter by e-mail, 38 percent said yes, 38 percent preferred a printed copy and 20 percent said either way was acceptable.

Our response: Beginning in 2005, we'll offer electronic distribution of the Leopold Letter. Readers can sign up to receive an e-mail alert with links to each article on the Leopold Center web site. E-mail addresses will not be available to other groups or be used for any purpose other than to send the newsletter alert.

To get the newsletter by e-mail, return the postcard included with the Winter 2004 newsletter, or sign up on the web site. Note that you can get a printed copy and an e-mail alert. The postcard also has a place to indicate a change in mailing address.

Publication schedule
The Leopold Letter has been quarterly since publication began in 1989. A majority (68 percent) of survey respondents liked this schedule, while 21 percent had no preference, 3 percent wanted longer, less frequent newsletters, and 6 percent wanted shorter, more frequent newsletters.

Our response: The Leopold Letter will remain a quarterly publication. We'll continue to use the Center's web site to offer timely information and additional resources as needed.

Use and perception
More than half (56 percent) of the farmers said they considered a change in their farming practices as a result of information relayed in the newsletter. Nearly half (43 percent) of the respondents overall had visited with others about something they had read about in the newsletter, or sought more information on a topic (42 percent).

Just over half of the survey respondents, both farmers and the general audience, reported reading newsletter articles of interest and skimming the rest. Approximately one-third of the farmers and a fourth of the general audience reported reading most of the articles in their entirety. About a third of the respondents said they shared the newsletter with other people, and 42 percent said they saved at least some of the articles.

We asked survey respondents about the value of various newsletter departments or topics. Most valuable are discussions of ecological issues, results of Center-funded projects and economic studies of agriculture. Only one of four readers rated book reviews as valuable or extremely valuable.

We also asked readers to give us a letter grade on various aspects of the Leopold Letter. Respondents gave the newsletter an A or B in readability (88 percent), newsletter in general (86 percent), usefulness and reliability of information (84 percent), and educational value (80 percent). Fourteen percent gave us Cs in depth of coverage and design. There were few D's and no F's.

Our response: We are considering a new look, complemented by additional resources on the Leopold Center web site.

Other information
More than half (54 percent) of the survey respondents reported that they had never visited the Leopold Center web site, and only 16 percent went to the web to follow up on something in the newsletter.

Our response: We hope to change this by offering more links in the newsletter to our web site, where you can find additional resources or discussion on a topic. We're also pleased to offer an e-mail alert for people who want to receive the newsletter electronically.

We had many responses to the three open-ended questions that asked for suggestions for future newsletter topics, where we should make improvements and general concerns. Some people wanted more topics and less information, while others wanted more information on fewer, focused topics.

Our response: Many readers offered great ideas for future stories, which we'll try to follow up on them. We appreciate the many words of encouragement.

As one reader writes, "I work on farm issues and I mostly read the Leopold Letter to see what's going on in the Midwest. It's a good snapshot of important regional topics and I look to the Leopold Center as a leader in sustainable agriculture. You provide a balanced and pragmatic approach. Keep up the good work."