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Pennsylvania CONSERVATION DIALOGUE Survey

The Pennsylvania Conservation Dialogue Initiative seeks the perspectives of Pennsylvania farmers to identify successful and underutilized programs funded through the conservation title of the Farm Bill. The initiative will use the survey results to guide future discussions with Pennsylvania farmers and agency representatives about how to maximize the environmental benefits from conservation efforts funded through the next Farm Bill.

You are being asked to participate in this survey because you are either (1) a farmer in Pennsylvania or (2) a representative of an agency/organization that works with Pennsylvania farmers on conservation practices funded through the Farm Bill.

To have the survey results reflect the views of all farmers, it is important that we hear from everyone who has the opportunity to complete this survey, not just those with strong opinions. For farmers, we ask that this survey be completed by the person in your household who makes most of the farm-related decisions and is at least 18 years old. This survey should take about 20 minutes to complete.

Your answers will be kept confidential and the information you give us will never be associated with your name. We release only statistical summaries where individual answers cannot be identified.

You can either complete this survey in person at the Pennsylvania Conservation Dialogue Initiative booth at Ag Progress Days, pick up a written copy of the survey at Ag Progress Days and return it by the end of Ag Progress Days at your convenience, or complete it online by visiting https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PA-SEI.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Kristen Saacke Blunk at 814-863-8756 or kls386@psu.edu. Thank you very much for your time!

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* 1. Please identify your level of knowledge of each of the following Farm Bill conservation programs.

  I do not know anything about this program. I know a little bit about this program. I know a fair bit about this program. I am very knowledgeable about this program.
Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA)
Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP)
Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI)
Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG)
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
COnservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)
Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program (FRPP)
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI)
Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP)
Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP)
Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)
Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)
OTHER

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* 2. Farm Bill conservation programs have traditionally been available to all who qualify. Currently, there are some Farm Bill programs that allow targeting of funds for conservation to specific geographic regions with known water quality problems.

Please identify the response that best describes how you feel about targeting funds for each of the following:

  Strongly support Moderately support No opinion Moderately opposed Strongly opposed
Geographically identified problem areas?
PA portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed?
PA portion of the Great Lakes Watershed?
PA portion of the Ohio/Mississippi River Watersheds?

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* 3. The last Farm Bill enabled NRCS to launch Special Initiatives throughout the country that target Farm Bill resources to conservation priorities. In Pennsylvania, one such example is the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative (CBWI). Have you heard of CBWI?

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* 4. Which Farm Bill conservation practices have been most beneficial to your farm? Select one response choice for each row.

  I haven't done this. I did this but it didn't work. I did this and it worked alright. I did this and it worked really well.
Conservation tillage, cover crops, contour farming to prevent erosion
Buffers, livestock exclusions, instream improvements to maintain stream function
Fencing, livestock watering for grazing management
Manage wildlife habitat
Manage irrigation systems
Maintain/restore wetland function
Manage invasive species
Restore pollinator habitat
Manage nutrients and sediment runoff from fields and pastures
Manage forests or woodlots
Manage pests
Manage manure and wastewater from animal feeding operations and heavy animal use areas
Feed management
Animal mortality composting
Other

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* 5. Have you ever worked directly with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) or Farm Agency Service?

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* 6. How many years have you worked directly with Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) or Farm Service Agency?

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* 7. What motivated you to participate or become involved in Farm Bill conservation programs?

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* 8. Have you participated in any of the programs listed below? Check all that apply.

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