Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison recently published two research briefs highlighting Midwestern farmers’ views on farm financial programs and conservation. The briefs, which are designed to support policy making, summarize the results of a 2024 survey taken by 527 farmers across eight states in the Midwest, covering row crop, forage, grass-based livestock, and confinement livestock production. 

“Billions of dollars from the U.S. Farm Bill support farming in the form of crop and livestock insurance, loans and conservation cost-share programs. We wanted to know how farmers view these programs, and which farmers perceive these programs as most helpful and satisfactory,” says Adena Rissman, professor in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, who led the development of the two research briefs. “The goal is to provide information that can help guide the development and improvement of our nation’s policies in these areas.” 

The survey was developed in 2023 by a team of social science researchers at UW–Madison. Between December 2023 and April 2024 surveys were sent to farm owners in eight Midwestern states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin. The surveys were distributed to an estimated 3,215 farmers, and a total of 527 were returned, for a 16% response rate. Rissman worked closely with Yu Lu, a UW–Madison graduate student in forestry, to develop the survey questions, analyze the data, and produce the briefs. 

“Looking at the results of the farm financial programs survey, you can see that different farmers perceive different levels of support,” says Lu. “While insurance, loans, and cost share programs are widely viewed as helpful for row crop operations, farmers with forage and livestock operations see fewer benefits. This highlights the need to tailor financial programs to better address the unique challenges of diverse production systems.”

“The conservation survey results show that farmers are clearly prioritizing soil and water conservation. There’s lower adoption of pollinator and tree planting practices, which highlights two areas where additional support could make an impact.”

The farm financial program brief touches on farmers’ views of crop and livestock insurance, agricultural operating loans, and conservation cost-share programs, as well as their support for policy changes like reducing paperwork burdens and implementing income caps. The conservation brief delves into the adoption of conservation and biodiversity practices, farmers’ experiences with various farm challenges, and the characteristics they prioritize for being a “good farmer.” 

Key findings from the two briefs are bulleted below. For more details, read the farm financial program brief at https://rissman.russell.wisc.edu/2024-farmer-survey-farm-financial-programs/ and the conservation brief athttps://rissman.russell.wisc.edu/midwest-farmer-perspectives-on-conservation/.  

Findings in the farm financial program research brief include:

• 79% of farmers growing row crops found crop insurance moderately-to-extremely helpful, compared to 30% of farmers with grass-based livestock operations
• 80% of farmers growing row crops reported agricultural operating loans moderately-to-extremely helpful, compared to 53% of farmers with grass-based livestock operations
• 54% of farmers growing row crops reported conservation cost share programs moderately-to-extremely helpful, compared to 40% of farmers with confinement livestock operations
• 62% of farmers supported having income caps for crop insurance, while 57% supported income caps for conservation cost-share programs (Note: Income caps mean the highest income farms would be ineligible)
• 53% of farmers supported decreasing paperwork burden for conservation cost-share programs and insurance, while 52% supported decreasing paperwork burden for loans
• 65% of farmers supported decreasing interest rates on loans

Findings in the conservation research brief include:

• 85% of farmers used conservation tillage on at least some of their cropland in the past five years
• 15% of farmers reported pollinator or prairie plants on at least some of their cropland and 15% had at least some tree planting
• 81% of farmers were moderately-to-extremely concerned with drought, 79% with heavy rainfall and floods, 70% with soil erosion, and 67% with water quality impairment
• 66% of farmers were moderately-to-extremely concerned with declines in pollinators, and 48% with declines in rare species
• In the past decade, 78% of farmers observed heavy rainfall and floods sometimes-to-extremely often and 73% experienced delays in planting by over two weeks
• 93% of farmers stated it is moderately-to-extremely important for a good farmer to minimize soil erosion, and 90% to minimize nutrient runoff into waterways
• 92% of farmers were moderately-to-extremely concerned with farm profitability
• 80% of farmers rated having the highest profit per acre as moderately-to-extremely important

This research was supported by the National Science Foundation, including an NSF Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy and Water Systems grant, and an NSF Decision, Risk and Management Sciences Program–Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant. 

For more information about the survey and research briefs, contact Adena Rissman at adena.rissman@wisc.edu.