An online survey – http://usdaprograms.questionpro.com/ – launched by the American Farm Bureau Federation will collect feedback from farmers and ranchers about their experiences with 10 Agriculture Department programs housed in three agencies. Results will be used by AFBF to develop recommendations on how USDA can enhance its programs and make them more useful to farmers and ranchers.
All farmers and ranchers, not just Farm Bureau members, are encouraged to take the survey, which takes about 10 minutes to complete.
“Farmers and ranchers sometimes find it confusing and complex to participate in USDA programs,” said former AFBF President Bob Stallman. “At the same time, USDA staff are concerned that farmers and ranchers who could benefit from a number of different programs frequently do not apply.”
The survey focuses on the following USDA programs from the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Rural Development:
- Environmental Quality Incentives Program
- Conservation Stewardship Program
- Conservation Reserve Program
- Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
- Value-Added Agricultural Producer Grants
- Rural Energy for America Program
- Farmers’ Marketing and Local Food Promotion Program
- Direct Farm Ownership Loans
- Direct Farm Operating Loans and
- Guaranteed Farm Loans (farm operating and farm ownership)
AFBF will share feedback from the survey about what is working well with the programs and how they can be improved with USDA.
Take the survey online through March 15 at http://usdaprograms.questionpro.com/.
