survey

Survey Asking Farmers about Conservation

Dan Conservation, Environment, USDA-NASS, USDA-NRCS

survey

We told you earlier this month that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is gathering information about the adoption of conservation practices, across the country, including here in the Southeast. The farmer survey was designed to find out what factors are involved in making their decisions about implementing conservation practices.

That’s Dan Mullarkey with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The survey is a joint project between NRCS and USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The Conservation Practice Adoption Motivations Survey was mailed to nearly 2,700 farmers and ranchers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.

Mullarkey explains the goal of USDA’s current conservation motivations survey.

There are two versions of the survey, one requesting information on crop conservation practices and one for confined livestock conservation practices. The results will be used to guide the implementation of NRCS programs in the future.

NASS encourages recipients to respond securely online, but completed questionnaires can also be mailed back in the prepaid envelope provided. All information reported by individuals will be kept confidential, as required by federal law.

USDA will be collecting survey data until August 19, then results from both versions of the survey will be available September 15. For assistance with the survey, Southeast producers can call the NASS Southern Region Field Office at (800) 253-4419.


No one knows the story of conservation in agriculture better than America’s farmers and ranchers. USDA needs to hear your stories and experiences to deliver programs that help you and conservation efforts.

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, in a joint project with USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, is conducting the Conservation Practice Adoption Motivations Survey – or CPAMS – to gather information about the adoption of conservation practices in U.S. agriculture. The survey data will help us implement effective conservation programs now and in the future.

Complete your survey online: www.agcounts.usda.gov