Â鶹ӳ»­

The purpose of Â鶹ӳ»­ Field Day & Ag Expo is to showcase our College's value to the community. Through the event, we bring a variety of our College's research and work done throughout the state to our Valley Road Field Lab and Greenhouse Complex in Reno. There, we treat visitors to hands-on activities, wine tasting, a farm stand, a plant sale, demonstrations, giveaways, and tours and exhibits featuring University research.

The goal of our marketing communications campaign was to increase event awareness and participation, as well as connect stakeholders with the College's key research initiatives. This was important because this year's event was the first we've held in several years. Although the event is an annual tradition, it was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also canceled in 2022, due to hazardous air quality from wildfire smoke. As a result, the event dropped off of our community's radar. Everyone fell out of the habit of attending it, and new community members, including employees and students, had never even heard of the event.

Our objectives and tactics in support of this goal were:

• Achieve community awareness and participation in the event such that we meet or exceed pre-COVID event attendance numbers.
  • Promote the event on University, College and community calendars and websites.
  • Create and distribute an event media release and advisory.
  • Purchase newspaper ads, digital ads and radio spots.
  • Post flyers in community Extension offices.
  • Send an email blast about the the event to the College's email lists for alumni, program attendees and newsletter subscribers.
  • Include the event in the College's email newsletters for the community, as well as in the University's newsletter.
  • Run paid and organic social media campaigns for the event.
• Achieve campus awareness and participation such that we have at least 40 exhibits, Wolf Pack mascots and University leadership present at the event.
  • Apply for the mascots to attend the event.
  • Send save the date emails to leadership and employees.
  • Provide a way for employees to register their participation online.
  • Promote the event on University and College event calendars and websites.
  • Post the event media release to the University's Â鶹ӳ»­ Today news website.
  • Post flyers on campus bulletin boards, digital displays and buildings, and distribute them to employee mailboxes University-wide.
  • Send an email blast about the the event to the College's email lists for students and employees.
  • Include the event in the College's email newsletters for employees.
• Connect stakeholders with the College's key research initiatives.
  • Include information about these initiatives in 100% of our event marketing materials.
  • Create and staff an engaging booth about these initiatives at the event.

We also planned to evaluate the success of our event and its marketing by tracking event booth and attendee numbers, recording campaign analytics, holding an after-event debriefing meeting with event planners and stakeholders, and analyzing campaign analytics.

We used a variety of marketing tactics, so our audience did not have to have access to expensive devices or internet connections to be invited to the event.

The photos used in our marketing featured diverse people, including people of various races, genders, socioeconomic classes and other points of human diversity.

All of our marketing materials were designed to be accessible to people with disabilities. Our EEO/AA and events accessibility accomodations statements, as well as information on venue and parking accessibility, were included in our marketing for the event.

Our project team is diverse and includes people with physical and cognitive disabilities, as well as people of various genders, socioeconomic classes and other points of human diversity.

Shauna Lemieux

• Key member of the event planning committee.
• All parts of the marketing communications campaign project management.
• All parts of the print and digital ad buys and radio spots buys.
• All parts of the mascots application.
• The event booklet copy.

Ashley Andrews

• Event marketing checklist and timeline.
• Print and digital media ads template copy and design. The design was adapted for the web and email newsletter ads, email blast, and print and digital flyers.
• Email marketing - All parts of the save the date emails, email blast, and email and web newsletter ads. The design and build of the May and June email and web newsletter articles, selecting and using Robert's event photography and adapting Claudene's media release content.
• Website marketing - Set up the College's website news feeds taxonomy, which featured the event news page on other pages Collegewide. Some event calendar pages and widgets.
• All parts of paid and organic social media marketing.
• All parts of event signage.
• Brand check everything.
• Staff event booth.
• Campaign evaluation.
• ACE entry.

Claudene Wharton

• All parts of media relations (media release, media advisory, coordinating media interviews, earned media). The media release inspired the guest blog post and University newsletter event coverage, and was repurposed across many other components of the campaign.
• Design and assemble raffle baskets.
• Copyedit everything.
• Staff event booth.

Robert Moore

• Website marketing - Event website, call-to-action component, calendar pages and widgets, newsfeed components, using Claudene's media release for content.
• Event print and digital flyer, using Ashley's design.
• All parts of event photography.
• All parts of event AV.

Molly Malloy

• Staff event booth.

Matt Enger

• Print marketing - Event booklet design using provided copy. Update event date, time and address on print and digital media ads template.

Tyler Richards

• Website marketing - Event calendar page and community calendar submissions, using media release content.

Brook Maloy

• • Website marketing - Â鶹ӳ»­ Today news story page, using media release content.

Our budget for this campaign was $3,000. Our expenses were as follows:

• Print ads: $319
• Digital ads: $500
• Radio ads: $1,020
• Paid social: $200.94
• Flyers printing: $193.70
• Booklet printing: $384.63
• Signs printing:  $167.25

We increased event awareness and participation

We achieved our goals to increase community and campus awareness and participation. Our 2023 Field Day & Ag Expo was a record-setting event, with 690 attendees. Our last Field Day, held in 2019, drew 524 attendees.

Attendees included not only the public, but campus stakeholders as well, such as employees staffing exhibits, College and University leadership, and Wolf Pack mascots. The mascots were a powerful tool to draw event attendees; direct their attention to key exhibits and presentations; and increase the connection in their minds between the event, our College and the University.

We held a debriefing meeting with event stakeholders, and feedback was positive. Additionally, offices and programs posted unsolicited positive social media posts after the event:

• "Field Day 2023 was awesome! ... The Extension Washoe County Master Gardeners had a great time speaking to the community..." - 
• "We had a blast at our College's Â鶹ӳ»­ Field Day & Ag Expo!" - .

Detailed information on the performance of each campaign deliverable is included below.

We connected stakeholders with the College's key research initiatives

We achieved our goal to connect our stakeholders with our research. The event featured 46 exhibits, many of which were research exhibits.

Two of our College's research initiatives were key for us to promote at the event, our College's Rafter 7 line of Merino sheep, produced at our College's Great Basin Research & Extension Center, and our College's wine, produced by our Experiment Station's Desert Farming Initiative with grapes grown by our Extension unit.

To bring awareness to these initiatives through the event, our team created two raffle baskets featuring our College's wine and wool products. We promoted this in our event marketing materials, and we staffed an event booth to encourage attendees to join the raffle. At the booth, event attendees were also able to purchase our wool products, including hats, scarves, blankets, sweaters, hoodies, beanies and more.

As part of entering the raffle or purchasing wool products, participants provided us with their contact information, so that we can continue to keep them informed in the future about our College's key research initiatives. We received over 100 entries to win one of two raffle baskets featuring Wolf Pack swag, as well as wine and wool products. We sold out of some wool items mid-event and were able to bring out more to sell from our nearby office.

Community attendees shared on social media how exploring our research at the event impacted their lives, families and businesses:

• "So much fun! Lots of great information. Good educational activities for the kids and everyone was so helpful and friendly. Definitely a 'do over' for next year! Thank you College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & National Resources - Well Done!" - Janet Grigg
• "We had a wonderful time at the Â鶹ӳ»­ Field Day today learning more about how to grow our little farm. Looking forward to sharing updates with everyone." - Anna Pagaeu

On-site website marketing

• Event website
  • Event website promotion
    • Event call-to-action component
    • Event calendar page
      • Event calendar page analytics
  • Event website analytics
• Event news page
  • Event news page analytics

Off-site website marketing

• Community calendar submissions
• Guest content

Media relations

• Media release
  • Media release analytics
• Media advisory
  • Media advisory analytics
• Earned media
• Earned social media

Traditional marketing

• Radio spots
• Print and digital ads
• Print and digital flyers

Email marketing

• Event email blast
• Event in the College's newsletter
  • College email newsletter analytics
• Event in the University's newsletter

Social media marketing

• Campaign impact
  
  • Summary analytics
  • Inbound engagements
• Campaign posts with analytics

During-event marketing

• Event booklet
• Event signage

• Headline: Â鶹ӳ»­ Field Day & Ag Expo 2023
• Subhead: Thank you for another successful year! (Added after the event)
• Photo: Our Valley Road Greenhouse Complex glowing warmly at dusk against a purple and blue cloud-filled sky.
• Body bullets:
  • WHERE: Â鶹ӳ»­, Experiment Station, Valley Road Field Lab and Greenhouse Complex, Reno, Â鶹ӳ»­
  • WHEN: Friday, June 2, 2023
  • TIME: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.
  • COST: Free & Open to the Public
  • PARKING: The main entrance is at the intersection of Sadleir Way and Southworth Drive.
  • NO Pets Allowed!
• Body copy: Information from the event media release.
• Call-to-action: For more information, contact Denise Haynie (pictured), event planner, at dhaynie@unr.edu or (775) 784-6237.

Â鶹ӳ»­ Field Day & Ag Expo provides hands-on activities and demonstrations

Farm stand, wine tasting, wool products, plant sale and University research highlights of event

Extension’s Master Gardeners will once again be providing information at Â鶹ӳ»­ Field Day & Ag Expo, held June 2 this year, at the University’s Valley Road Field Lab and Greenhouse Complex. Photo by Robert Moore.

At on June 2, the University will bring a variety of its research and work done throughout the state to its Valley Road Field Lab and Greenhouse Complex in Reno, where visitors will be treated to hands-on activities, wine tasting, a farm stand, a plant sale, demonstrations, giveaways, and tours and exhibits featuring University research. The University’s College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources, with its and units, is hosting the event, 3 – 7 p.m., at the facility located at 920 Valley Road.

The event will be buzzing with activities at more than 40 booths focusing on the latest advancements in agriculture, horticulture, nutrition, natural resources and the environment. A Main Stage will feature demonstrations on practical things such as container gardening to attract pollinators from Extension Master Gardeners and protecting your home from wildfire embers from Extension’s Living With Fire Program.

“This is a great time of year for people to visit the University’s Valley Road Field Lab,” said Bill Payne, dean of the College. “There will be a lot to see and do, and it really helps people understand how we blend the missions of the University in terms of teaching, research and engaging with our communities to serve Â鶹ӳ»­ns in their everyday lives.”

The Field Lab is home to the Experiment Station’s , which will be selling its organic produce and plant starts at the event, as well as providing a self-guided tour showing organic farming practices and hoop house production. In addition, the Initiative’s student interns will be showing and telling about their projects, such as climate-smart farming, food sovereignty, food security and perennial crops production The Initiative runs a commercial farm, including orchards, open fields, hoop houses and a greenhouse, and seeks to advance climate-smart farming and food sovereignty through demonstration, education, research and outreach.

The Valley Road Field Lab also hosts a variety of other research projects, and guided tours will be provided featuring:

• the modernized greenhouse facility and research activities, field plant research projects, farming equipment, specialized research machines and high-tech analytical instrumentation; and
• field crop research that is being conducted at the property, such as sorghum, hemp, wheat, soybeans, alfalfa, cactus, native plants and more. 

will also be on hand, selling meats produced at the University’s in southeast Reno. The facility provides USDA-inspected harvesting and processing services to local farmers, teaches students the latest in meat technology, and maintains its own herd to study ways to produce meat in greater quantities with higher quality.

The new line of wool products from the College’s Rafter 7 Merino sheep, raised in Eureka, Â鶹ӳ»­, at the University’s , will also be on display and for sale. The sheep are world renown for their fine, soft wool. The Center in Eureka is a 622-acre ranch where the University addresses issues such as herd genetics and management, water conservation in cropping, and range management and restoration.

There will also be information on activities at the University’s Whittell Forest & Wildlife Area, a 2,650-acre forested mountain property in the Sierra Â鶹ӳ»­ serving as a living lab for research, instruction and community outreach.

There will also be a wine tasting for those 21 and over, courtesy of a partnership among the College, its Experiment Station and the Â鶹ӳ»­ Grape Growers & Winemakers. The partnership seeks to support activities to promote the grape-growing and winemaking industries in Â鶹ӳ»­. The tasting of the University’s wines will feature two Rieslings, a white blend and a red blend. The grapes for the two Rieslings are from Lenox Vineyards in Silver Springs, Â鶹ӳ»­. Award-winning Â鶹ӳ»­ Sunset Winery harvested the grapes and oversaw winemaking activities. The red blend is made from four varietals from Â鶹ӳ»­ Sunset Winery, and the precise blend is a result of a wine-blending competition sponsored by the College last year.  

The white blend is from Colombard and Italia grapes grown by Extension in southern Â鶹ӳ»­ at the in North Las Vegas, as part of its research and activities in the southern part of the state. The research center is part of University of Â鶹ӳ»­, Las Vegas's Center for Urban Water Conservation, and has been a cooperative effort between Extension and UNLV for over 25 years, where hundreds of varieties of fruit trees, vines and other crops are tested for growing in southern Â鶹ӳ»­.

There will also be information on other agricultural research being done in southern Â鶹ӳ»­, such as research on growing hemp and promoting that industry, as well as research on various pomegranate cultivars’ potential to flourish in southern Â鶹ӳ»­ being done at the Logandale Research & Extension Center, about 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

There will also be information on poultry and egg production and processing, as well as Extension’s Mobile Harvest Unit, which provides workforce development opportunities in the food animal industries, as well education and services in livestock processing.

There will be information on a wide range of topics, from how to deal with common garden pests and use pesticides safely, to how insect hormones and sense of smell are being used to discover new, safer insecticides and management practices.

Some agriculture-related booths will provide information and activities on topics such as tomatoes for indoor and urban agriculture; potatoes with an extended storage life; cactus pear as an arid lands crop; corn and sorghum breeding for malting, brewing and foods; and research on irrigation, root stock characteristics and other factors to reduce water use and produce quality crops.

Some health-related booths will provide information on topics such as how to make your home environment healthier, fitness and food for seniors, heart health, and dietary needs for people with kidney disease.

Other booths showcase research on natural resources, such as research on successful reforestation with trees that can grow and survive under rapid climate change. There will also be results of economic research recently completed by the University, such as research on the economic value of hunting in Â鶹ӳ»­ and the economic value of the state parks system.

For the kids, the will have a hands-on activity for youth to learn how to make "seed paper," and then the kids will be able to take home their creations and plant them. In addition, the 4-H Pollinator Ambassador Program will have information on how to plan, install and work together to sustain pollinator habitats in Â鶹ӳ»­. There will also be information on Extension’s two camp facilities, plus some fun camp games. The Rethink Your Drink Â鶹ӳ»­ Program will be there with healthy drink recipes for children and information on reducing children’s intake of sugary drinks. The state’s Â鶹ӳ»­ One Health Program will also be providing educational activities for youth focused on zoonotic diseases, diseases that are spread between animals and humans.

Â鶹ӳ»­ Field Day has been a College tradition for decades, and the University has been using the for agricultural research since around the turn of the century, when Washoe County realized the need for a dedicated space for agricultural research, purchased the land, and deeded it to the University. Today, with 27 acres designated for research and education, the property encompasses state-of-the-art research facilities, including the Greenhouse Complex, the Â鶹ӳ»­ Genomics Center and biofuels research facilities. Additional assets include eight high-tunnel hoop houses, an 18-acre equestrian facility and a fully equipped maintenance engineering shop.

Faculty and staff will be on hand at the property, which is a short walk from campus, to provide information on the College’s undergraduate and graduate degree programs, as well as programs offered by – noncredit professional development programs and industry-specific training programs.

Other organizations the College often collaborates with will also be participating in the Expo, including the Great Basin Fire Science Exchange, with information about wildland fire management challenges and how to address them; the Â鶹ӳ»­ Farm Bureau’s Â鶹ӳ»­ Ag Wagon, with information on agriculture in the state, different stations and VR headsets; and the Natural Resources and Conservation Service, with information on programs to assist landowners, ranchers and farmers with their farming operations.

Finally, King of Kings Food Truck will be selling Mexican/American fare, including tacos, burritos, hamburgers and more. Admission is free. For more information, call 775-784-6237. Persons in need of special accommodations or assistance should contact Paul Lessick, civil rights and compliance coordinator, at 702-257-5577 at least five days prior to the scheduled event with their needs or for more information.

Â鶹ӳ»­ Field Day & Ag Expo provides hands-on activities and demonstrations

Farm stand, wine tasting, wool products, plant sale and University research highlights of event

Members of the media are invited to this Friday, June 2, where the University will bring a variety of its research and work done throughout the state to its Valley Road Field Lab and Greenhouse Complex in Reno. Visitors will be treated to hands-on activities, wine tasting, a farm stand, a plant sale, demonstrations, giveaways, and tours and exhibits featuring University research.

The University’s College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources, with its and units, is hosting the event, with a variety of activities and more than 40 booths focusing on the latest advancements in agriculture, horticulture, nutrition, natural resources and the environment. A Main Stage will feature demonstrations on practical things such as container gardening to attract pollinators from Extension Master Gardeners and protecting your home from wildfire embers from Extension’s Living With Fire Program.

• WHO: Â鶹ӳ»­ – College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources and its Experiment Station and Extension units
• WHAT: Â鶹ӳ»­ Field Day & Ag Expo
• WHEN: 3 – 7 p.m., June 2
• WHERE: The University’s Valley Road Field Lab and Greenhouse Complex, 1000 Valley Road, Reno

Admission to the event is free. Members of the media are welcome and are encouraged to contact the University in advance to discuss specific interview topics of interest or to set up interviews. For more information, visit the website.

1. We get support from UNR’s College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources… hosting “Â鶹ӳ»­ Field Day,” featuring hands-on activities, demonstrations and farm tours. June 2, 3 to 7 p.m. at 1000 Valley Road. Details at U-N-R Dot E-D-U Slash C-A-B-N-R.
2. We get support from UNR’s College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources… hosting “Â鶹ӳ»­ Field Day,” where you can talk with Master Gardeners and watch demonstrations! June 2, 3 to 7 p.m. at 1000 Valley Road. Details at U-N-R Dot E-D-U Slash C-A-B-N-R.
3. We get support from UNR College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources… hosting “Â鶹ӳ»­ Field Day,” featuring food and cooking demonstrations, and the latest research in nutrition! June 2, 3 to 7 p.m. at 1000 Valley Road. Details at U-N-R Dot E-D-U Slash C-A-B-N-R.
4. We get support from UNR College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources… hosting “Â鶹ӳ»­ Field Day,” where you can learn about the latest advancements in agriculture, horticulture and more! June 2, 3 to 7 p.m. at 1000 Valley Road. Details at U-N-R Dot E-D-U Slash C-A-B-N-R.
5. We get support from UNR College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources… hosting “Â鶹ӳ»­ Field Day,” where you can learn about the latest research in natural resources, the environment and more! June 2, 3 to 7 p.m. at 1000 Valley Road. Details at U-N-R Dot E-D-U Slash C-A-B-N-R.

• Headline: Â鶹ӳ»­ Field Day & Ag Expo 2023
• Subhead: Food, giveaways, activities and demonstrations from University experts
• Subhead: Friday, June 2, 3 - 7 p.m., Valley Road Greenhouse Complex, Reno, NV
• Photos from previous Field Days: A graduate student in a greenhouse, presenting about her research to an audience, a professor in a lab coat and safety glasses, conducting a mad scientist experiment for an audience, and Master Gardener Volunteers talking to booth attendees, who are enjoying the booth's flowers and fresh produce.
• Body copy: All ages and admission is free! No pets allowed!
• Call-to-action with QR code: To learn more, go to unr.edu/cabnr or scan me now.

For an accessible version, please visit the "" link.