ATTITUDES OF SMALL FARMERS AS 1995 FARM BILL STAKEHOLDERS

To design public issues education programs to meet the needs of small farmers, the Cooperative Extension programs at Prairie View A&M University (Texas) and nine other 1890 land grant institutions surveyed small farmers' opinions concerning the 1995 farm bill. Responses were received from 644 farmers in the states in which these institutions are located (primarily in the South). Objectives were to assess preferences and attitudes concerning the future of agricultural and food policies, to enable state extension services to improve their public issues education programs, and to enable states to provide input to congressional representatives. A small farm was defined as one that has less than $40,000 in gross farm sales. Of 644 farmers surveyed, 61 percent had incomes below $40,000 and 87 percent had incomes less than $100,000. More than half the sample participated in at least one farm program, the largest being the disaster program (28 percent). A permanent program for losses exceeding 50 percent was favored. Farmers also favored governmental involvement in regulating and protecting water quality. Expansion of the public education system was viewed as the single most important factor for improving rural development. The USDA food pyramid was familiar to 46 percent of respondents, possibly indicating the success of educational programs concerning nutrition, diet, and health. (JAT) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***********************************************************************