We in Extension should provide the most accurate and complete information we can find through exhaustive search, yielding verifiable facts. Most often this will mean looking to published research. Facts take time and money to obtain, and sometimes the cost may be prohibitive. If well-documented verifiable facts can't be obtained, it may be necessary and acceptable to rely on the informed judgments of experienced and knowledgeable observers. Try not to let emotions and opinions, including your own, divert attention from facts.
People tend to pass lightly over facts, which often are difficult to understand.
It's easier for most people to deal in emotions and opinions. The task is to increase the understanding and usefulness of facts, even when they run counter to pre-established values and beliefs. We can't just provide raw uninterpreted data. These are facts, but they can't be readily understood by citizens or decision makers when we're dealing with complex socioeconomic, scientific, or engineering matters. Until facts are analyzed and presented in a usable format, they're almost worthless.