Farmers' Perceptions and Information Sources: A Quantitative Analysis

Using the concept of negentropy and ordinary least squares, this article investigates the role of public and private information sources m forming growers' Yield perceptions Paid private consultants reduced the discrepancy between gamma-distributed actual and perceived Yield distributions, whereas farm advisor contacts tended to increase the discrepancy between actual and perceived Yield distnbutions for a group of 28 cotton growers m California's San Joaquin Valley Results were inconclusive for extension research personnel and other agricultural Scientists, chemical company meetings, grower meetings, farm publications, and educational level