This post is Part 2 of 2 re: “A Year of Learning.” Also see Part 1: “Sobering, Inspiring Results from Agriculture Organization Strategy Session” posted July 29, 2015.
Thank you to everyone who has already completed the short Farmer Survey over the past several months. Below are the preliminary results.
If you haven’t taken the survey yet, please share your thoughts! Your opinion matters, and it only takes about 10 minutes. Plus, there’s one last $250 prize for respondents. (Congratulations Steve Fitch of Pocket Creek Farm for winning the first of two prizes!)
Background: On January 21st, folks from FarmsReach Community, Multinational Exchange for Sustainable Agriculture (MESA), Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), Center for Land-Based Learning (CLBL), ATTRA/National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), UC Cooperative Extension, Farmer Veteran Coalition, Sustainable Agriculture Education (SAGE), Rogue Farm Corps, Full Belly Farm, North Coast Opportunities (NCO), and Ag/Tech Mixing Bowl came together to design new, shared tools to more effectively serve small- and medium-scale California farmers and ranchers. The original context was educational curriculum for farmers, and MESA and FarmsReach had invited the primary organizations that offer these services in California.
Better understanding farmers needs and preferences was one of many priorities. (For more details on the convening, see Sobering, Inspiring Results from Agriculture Organization Strategy Session.)
Preliminary California farmer survey results are below:
- Acreage
- Sales Channels
- Devices Used & Frequency
- Critical Issues on the Farm & Frequency
- Preferred Method to Resolve Critical Issues
- Most Desired New Services
- Most Promising Programs for Next Generation of Farmers
- Resources Used for General Learning
- Resources to Discover New Products & Technology
- Critical Factors When Making A Purchase
- Years Farming*
- Optimism Level About Future of Own Farm*
- Optimism Level About Future of Non-Industrial Family Farming*
- Big Ideas for the Future of Sustainable Farming & Agriculture*
* New questions were added to the survey based on initial farmer responses. Results will be shared once we collect more data. If you already took the survey and wish to submit your responses to these new questions, you may do so here.
Farmers: We invite you to take the survey. It takes less than 15 minutes, and you could win $250!
Percentage of respondents with different farm acreage. For context, below is the USDA’s report on farm size and cropland distribution.
This USDA graph included for context only. The data has nothing to do with the CA farmer survey.
Percentage of respondents selling through each channel.
Percentage of respondents using each type of device and frequency.
Percentage of respondents’ frequency they experience critical issues in each area.
Percentage of respondents that prefer each method to resolve critical issues.
Percentage selecting each service as a “most needed” service. New version of survey includes option for general sales and marketing help in addition to a more formal sales & marketing coop.
Percentage selecting each program as a “most needed” service. Mentorship includes both “formal” and “casual” mentorship programs. Farmland Access is surprisingly low, perhaps due to position in the survey. The survey now shuffles order of options for users.
Percentage accessing “pertinent information” from each type of resource at least a few times per month.
Percentage that learn about new products or technology through each resource at least a few times per month.
Percentage of respondents claiming each factor is “Absolutely required for me to buy it” or “Usually true when I buy it”.
Farmers: What do you think? Do you have some insights or opinions to share? We invite you to take the survey. It takes less than 15 minutes, and you could win $250!
All: We welcome your feedback. You can email Melanie directly at melaniec@farmsreach.com.