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  5. Conservation Practices Survey - Online Version

Conservation Practices Survey - Online Version

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Thank you very much for participating in this research. Please be assured that this study is for research purposes only and your input will be completely anonymous. You will not be contacted for sales of any kind as a result of your participation in this study. If you complete this survey, we will send you an honorarium as our way of saying thank you for your time.



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Press "Next" to begin the survey.
 
 
 
Your Farming Operation
 
 
The following questions are about your farming operation and will be used to route you to questions that apply specifically to you.
 
 
 
* What is your total farmable acreage this year, in 2016? Please include all the acres on which you raise crops, your fallow, pastureland, CRP, and set aside acres. Do not include woodland, other land unsuitable for raising crops or state or government open land used for pasture or grazing.
   total farmable acres
 
 
 
 
 
 
* Do you plant any of the following crops?

(select all that apply)
 
Corn
 
Soybeans
 
None of these

 
 
 
* In what state is your farming operation?
 
 
 
* Total CROP Acres
   acres
 
 
* Total CORN Acres
   acres
 
 
* Total SOYBEAN Acres
   acres
 
 
 
 
 
 
Please fill out the information below regarding your farm acres of the most recent season:
 
 
 
 
CROP ACRES
 
 
* Of your total crop acres, how many are:
Owned land
acres
Rented land
acres
0
Values must add up to 0
 
 
 
CORN ACRES
 
 
* Of your total corn acres, how many are:
Owned land
acres
Rented land
acres
0
Values must add up to 0
 
 
 
SOYBEAN ACRES
 
 
* Of your total soybean acres, how many are:
Owned land
acres
Rented land
acres
0
Values must add up to 0
 
 
 
* Of your total farmable acres, how many are idle or fallow in 2016? (By Fallow we mean land that has been idle for at least one growing season not including CRP acres or acres which you were prevented from planting for some other reason.)
   idle/fallow acres
 
 
 
 
 
 
* What is your primary brand of soybean seed?
 
 
 
* How many acres of ${piping_text} soybeans did you plant?
   
 
 
Press "Next" to continue.
 
 
 
* What is your primary brand of corn seed?
 
 
 
* How many total acres of ${piping_text} corn did you plant this past season, in 2016?
   
 
 
 
* Do you see sustainability as an important responsibility for farmers?
 
Yes
 
No
 
 
How willing would you be to make changes to your farming practices in exchange for the right amount of compensation? Use a scale of  1-10, where 1= not at all willing and 10 = very willing.
Not at all willingVery willing
* Willingness
-
 
 
 
* Would you prefer cash payments or goods/services in exchange for changing your farming practices?
 
Cash Payments
 
Goods Services
 
No Preference
 
 
 
Conservation Practices
 
 
The next questions are about your conservation practices.
 
 
When thinking about conservation practices such as Nutrient management, Permanent pasture, Crop Rotations, Conservation Tillage, Cover Crops, and Residue management on your farm, please indicate how influential the following groups and individuals are when you make decisions about conservation practices. Use a scale of 1 = Not At All Influential to 5= Very Influential.
Not At All InfluentialVery Influential
1 2 3 4 5
* Landlords
* Conservation club or association
* Farm media
* Cash crop seed dealer
* Ag input retailer / fertilizer dealer
* Neighboring farmers
* Private crop advisor
* Cover crop seed company
* Equipment company
* University campus specialist
* University extension educator
* Local conservation advisor
 
 
1 2 3 4 5
Any others?
 
 
What impact does the market outlook for future cash crop prices have on your decision to adopt conservation practices? Please use a scale from 1= No Impact to 5 = A Great Deal of Impact.
No Impact At AllA Great Deal of Impact
1 2 3 4 5
* Impact on decision to adopt conservation practices
 
 
Which of the following practices do you use on your farm?
Yes No
* Crop Rotations
* Residue management
* Conservation Tillage
* Nutrient management (for example: precision tools, 4Rs, Environmentally Smart Nitrogen, Agrotain, or Nitrification inhibitors, etc.)
* Permanent pasture
* Cover Crops
 
 
 
* Do you have a nutrient management plan that identifies what sources of Nutrients you apply, when, at what rate and how to optimize nutrient use efficiency?
 
Yes
 
No
 
 
 
* Do you utilize Advanced Nitrogen Products (eg Environmentally Smart Nitrogen, Agrotain, Nitrification inhibitors)?
 
 
Yes
 
No
 
 
 
* To what percent do you apply Advanced Nitrogen Products?
   %
 
 
 
Under what conditions do you apply Advanced Nitrogen Products?
   
 
 
 
What other actions do you take to optimize nutrient use efficiency and minimize nutrient loss? [e.g., timing of application, placement of application]
   
 
 
 
* Do you apply nutrients based on soil tests and lab/CCA recommendations?
 
Yes
 
No
 
 
 
Please answer the next questions for each of the following crops only:
 
 
CORN
 
 
SOYBEANS
 
 
 
 
 
Which of the following tillage practices do you use on your corn and/or soybeans?
Corn Soybeans
Conventional (full-width) tillage
Vertical tillage only (i.e. airway, turbo-till, salford, etc)
Reduced tillage (i.e. strip-tillage, mulch tillage, etc.)
Rotational no-till (i.e. no-till soybeans and tillage prior to planting corn)
Continuous no-till (i.e. direct seeding into last year’s stubble)
Other
 
 
On how many acres do you use each of the following tillage practices?



Please enter 0 if does not apply.
 
 
 
* For what purpose/operation do you till or disturb the soil?

(Select all that apply)
 
Seed bed preparation
 
Seeding
 
Fertilizer application
 
Harrowing
 
Weed problems
 
Other
 

 
 
*  
 
 
Conservation Tillage
 
 
The next questions are about your CONSERVATION tillage practices.
 
 
 
Please answer the next question for the following crops:
 
 
CORN
 
 
SOYBEANS
 
 
 
 
 
For how many years have you been using the following conservation tillage practices?
 
 
 
* Do you believe there is a yield advantage, a disadvantage or no difference in acres using conservation tillage compared to conventional tillage?
 
Advantage
 
Disadvantage
 
No difference
 
 
 
Please answer the next question for the following crops:
 
 
CORN
 
 
SOYBEANS
 
 
 
 
 
In a normal year, what is your average yield ADVANTAGE on fields that had conservation tillage compared to similar fields that had been conventionally tilled?
Corn Soybeans
Yield (bushels per acre)
 
 
 
What do think are the top benefits of conservation tillage?
   
 
 
Which of the following do you think represents a benefit of conservation tillage?
Yes No
* Increases overall soil health
* Increases soil organic matter
* Reduces soil erosion
* Increases yields in the following cash crop
* Reduces labor and time commitment
* Saves fuel
* Reduces machinery wear
* Improves soil tilth
* Increases soil moisture and water availability
 
 
 
What do you think are the top challenges of conservation tillage?
   
 
 
Which of the following do you think represents a challenge of conservation tillage?
Yes No
* Unsure how to establish a program
* No measurable economic return
* Residue buildup
* Yield reduction in the following cash crop
* Increases overall crop production risk
* Increased disease potential
* Decreased weed control
* Excess moisture in soils during planting
 
 
 
Cover Crops
 
 
The next questions are about your cover crops.
 
 
 
* Have you ever used cover crops on your corn or soybean acres?
 
Yes
 
No
 
 
 
* For how many years have you been using cover crops?
   years
 
 
 
* How many acres of cover crops did you plant in previous years on average (including corn and soybean fields)?
   acres
 
 
 
* How many acres of cover crops do you plan to plant this cropping season on average (including corn and soybean fields)?
   acres
 
 
 
* Which cover crop species do you plant?

(Select all that apply)
 
Cereal grains and grass (including rye, tritcale, winter barley, and oats)
 
Brassicas (including radish, rapeseed, turnips, and canola)
 
Legumes (including clover, peas, vetch, and sunnhemp)
 
Non-legume summer annuals (including buckwheat, sorghum sudan, and millet)
 
Other
 

 
 
 
* Do you mix cover crop species?

(Select all that apply)
 
No
 
Yes – 2-way mixes
 
Yes – 3-way mixes
 
Yes – 4 or more species

 
 
 
* What is the primary cover crop termination method you used on your most recent cover crop?
 
Herbicide
 
Winter kill
 
Tillage
 
Mowing
 
Roller crimping
 
Other
 
 
 
 
* Do you believe there is a yield advantage, disadvantage, or no difference on acres where you are using cover crops?
 
Advantage
 
Disadvantage
 
No difference
 
 
 
Please answer the next question for the following crops:
 
 
CORN
 
 
SOYBEANS
 
 
 
 
 
In a normal year, what is your average yield ADVANTAGE on fields that had been planted to cover crops compared to similar fields that had not been cover cropped?
Corn Soybeans
Yield (bushels per acre)
 
 
 
What do you think are the top benefits of cover crops?
   
 
 
Which of the following do you think represents a benefit of cover crops.
Yes No
* Reduces soil compaction
* Economic return (e.g. from yield or haying, grazing, biofuels)
* Increases overall soil health
* Controls weeds
* Attracts pollinators to my farm
* Deep tap roots
* Winter kills easily
* Provides nitrogen scavenging
* Control insects
* Provides a nitrogen source
* Decreases costs of producing the following cash crop
* Increases yields in the following cash crop
* Reduces soil erosion
* Fibrous rooting systems
* Increases soil organic matter
 
 
 
What do you think are the top challenges of cover crops?
   
 
 
Indicate which of the following you think represents a challenge of cover crops.
Yes No
* Cover crop sometimes uses too much soil moisture
* Increased disease potential
* Yield reduction in the following cash crop
* Cover crop becomes a weed the following year
* Seeding the right species for my operation
* Residue/vegetation build-up
* Time/labor required for planting and managing cover crops
* Cost of planting and managing cover crops
* Cover crop seed availability
* Increased insect potential
Yes No
* Too wet in spring – fears of delaying planting time
* No measurable economic return
* Nitrogen immobilization (N not available for the crop)
* Increases overall crop production risk
* Cover crop seed cost
* Unsure how to establish a program
 
 
 
Please answer the next question for the following crops:
 
 
CORN
 
 
SOYBEANS
 
 
 
 
 
 
What is your average yield for corn?
   bushels per acre
What is your average yield for soybeans?
   bushels per acre
 
 
 
About You
 
 
The last questions are for classification purposes only.
 
 
 
* In what year were you born?
 
 
 
* What is your last education level completed?
 
High School (1-12)
 
Some college
 
College degree
 
Post graduate degree
 
Prefer not to answer
 
 
 
* Would you like to receive more information about the topics covered in this survey?
 
Yes
 
No
 
 
 
Honorarium
 
Please provide your contact information so we can send your honorarium.
First Name : 
Last Name : 
Address 1 : 
Address 2 : 
City : 
State : 
Zip : 
Email Address :