Questionnaire

OMB 0596-0171 (Expires 01/2009)

QUESTIONNAIRE

LIVESTOCK OWNERSHIP AMONG USDA FOREST SERVICE

GRAZING PERMITTEES IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO

Please help us gather information about the importance of livestock ownership by answering the following questions. All questions apply to the permittee. For the purposes of this questionnaire, livestock refers to cattle and sheep.

Family Information

1. How many years have you lived in northern New Mexico? _________

2. When did your family first come to northern New Mexico? __________

3. Have members of your family left the community? _______

Why have they left? ________________________________________________

Have any returned? ______ Why? ___________________________________

4. Circle the primary language spoken in your household. (Please circle one response.)

Spanish English Both Other (specify)_______________

5. Please circle your age range. 20-35 36-49 50-65 over 65

6. Please circle your highest level of completed education.

Grade School High School Some College College Degree Graduate School

7. Please circle your spouse's highest level of completed education.

Grade School High School Some College College Degree Graduate School

8. Do you consider yourself a full-time or part-time rancher? (circle one)

9. Are you (or were you) also employed outside the home or ranch? ______

If so, please give your job title or description _____________________________

and the approximate number of hours worked per week. __________

Are you retired from this outside job? _______

10. Is (was) your spouse employed outside the home or ranch? ______

If so, please give your spouses job title or description _________________________

and the approximate number of hours worked per week. __________

Is your spouse retired from this job? _______

11. Would you farm or ranch full time if you could afford to do so? _______

12. Have your children continued their education or hope to do so in the future? _______

If so, what are their educational interests? __________________________________

_______________________________ __________________________________

_______________________________ __________________________________

13. Do your children participate in ranching? _______

14. Do your grandchildren participate in ranching? _______

15. Do any of your children plan to continue the ranch operation? ________

Community Activities Related to Owning Livestock

16. Are you a member of a grazing association? ______

If so, how many grazing association meetings do you attend per year? ______

17. Are agriculture related classes or seminars available in your area? _______

If so, how many do you attend during a typical year? ­­­­­______

18. What livestock related community events (brandings, rodeos, county fairs) do you attend throughout the year?

________________________________ ________________________________

________________________________ _________________________________

19. Do you work your livestock together sharing responsibilities with relatives (other than your children who still live at home)? _______

20. Do you work your livestock together sharing responsibilities with neighbors who are not relatives? _______

Description of Your Livestock Operation

21. What or who influenced your interest in farming and ranching?

__________________________________________________________________________

22. At what age did you first begin working with livestock? _______

23. At what age did you first own livestock? _______

24. How many previous generations of your family have raised livestock? _______

25. Is (was) your family part of a community land grant? ______

If you are no longer associated with the grant land, how did that occur? _________________________________________________________________________

26. When did you or your family first acquire a grazing permit on USFS-managed land? _____

on BLM-managed land? _______

27. To give an idea of the time and effort that goes into ranching, briefly describe your work schedule throughout the year. __________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

28. What breed(s) of cattle or sheep do you raise and why did you select those breeds?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

29. How many head of each type of livestock do you own during a typical year?

Cows _________ Ewes ________

Bulls _________ Rams ________

Yearlings ______ Lambs _______

Calves ________ Horses _______

30. How many animals are lost during a typical year, and what were the causes?

Kind of Animal Number Lost On Public or Private Land Cause of Loss

31. To show how much time, labor, and money you invest in your federal grazing allotment (USFS or BLM) in addition to the grazing fee during a typical year, please estimate the following:

a. Days of personal labor (permittee and helpers) _________

b. Improvements to the allotment $____________

(Please indicate which in the space provided)

(1) Fences ________

(2) Water _______

(3) Trail repair _______

(4) Other (list) _______

c. Wages for hired herder $_________

d. Veterinary expenses $_________

e. Other (please specify) ________________________

If you have had major, one-time expenses on your federal allotment during the past five years, please list them with their cost.

_______________________________________________________________________

32. Do you grow supplemental forage (hay) for your livestock? _______

What mixture? ___________________________________________________________

33. What grasses (or other forage plants) do the livestock consume on rangeland?

________________________________________________________________________

34. What are the top three improvements you wish to see on your federal grazing allotment?

If these are not being implemented, why not?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________ __

35. Have you noticed any land or vegetation changes in your lifetime? _______

If so, please explain. ______________________________________________________

36. Describe any land or vegetation changes related to you by older members of the community.

___________________________________________________________________________

Livestock Ownership and the Family

37. How many animals do you butcher for your family members during a typical year? _______

38. Do you give livestock to children or grandchildren (to start a herd or as a 4H project)? _____

39. Do you use any animal by-products such as hides, wool, milk, or manure? _______

If so, which do you use? ____________________________________________

40. Do you give live animals, meat, or by-products to friends or neighbors? ________

Or as a donation to charity? _______

41. Please read the following statements about goals for your livestock operation, ranking them in order of importance from 1 to 4 (with 1 the most important).

______ To make more money above costs each year from the livestock operation in order to increase the family's overall income and material goods.

______ To maintain the family's quality of life that results from owning livestock (spending time outdoors, working together, keeping the children busy and out of trouble, etc.)

______ To avoid being forced out of livestock ownership (the family has had livestock for generations).

______ To improve the livestock operation by purchasing more land. better equipment, and more animals.

42. Please estimate the percentage of your total gross income, before expenses, that comes from the livestock operation during a typical year. _______%

43. If you could pick one of the following means of saving or investing money, which would you choose? (Please circle one letter).

a. Putting money into a savings or investment program?

b. Buying more land in the area?

c. Buying more livestock or improving the stock operation in other ways such as investing in range improvements.

d. Other (Please describe).

44. In which of the following ways have you used earnings from the livestock operation?

(Please circle all appropriate letters.)

a. Basic living expenses.

b. Household improvements.

c. Family emergencies.

d. Children's college education.

e. Special expenditures such as a trip.

f. Investments such as stocks, bonds, savings account, etc.

g. Buying more livestock or upgrading the livestock operation.

h. All goes back into the livestock operation.

i. Other ____________________________

45. Please read the following statements, ranking them in order of importance to you and your family from 1 to 4 (with 1 the most important).

______ To have more income and be able to buy more material goods.

______ To have a better quality of life and spend more time with my family.

______ To continue the way of life and maintain the traditional values of my parents and grandparents.

______ To gain personal satisfaction from managing a successful ranching business.

46. What would you like to give your children that would be a benefit to them in the future?

Discussion Topics

1. Please describe your feelings about your land and livestock and what role they play in maintaining rural ranching tradition and culture.

2. Have you used your land and livestock to teach your children about traditional values and their heritage? If so, please describe.

3. Please give your opinion concerning land ownership in your area. For example, how does it affect you and your community if neighbors sell land for non-agricultural uses?

4. Describe your experiences concerning working with the government (FS or BLM) on your allotment(s).

5. What are your recommendations for preparing FS people to work in northern New Mexico?

6. How would you describe your responsibility and relationship to the land, both private land public?

7. What thoughts come to mind when you hear the words environment and environmentalist? Do you feel that you have views in common with environmentalists and the environmental movement?

8. What actions do you take on your allotment that might benefit the ecosystem (wildlife, vegetation, etc.)?

9. What knowledge and experience do you have from working with the land and livestock that you would like to contribute to or share with others?

10. What do you think the economic, social, and environmental consequences would be if the ranching way of life were lost in northern New Mexico?

11. What would you like the public to know and understand about ranchers in northern New Mexico?

12. Have you read Economic, Social, and Cultural Aspects of Livestock Ranching on the Española and Canjilon Ranger Districts of the Santa Fe and Carson National Forests: A Pilot Study? Yes No

Burden and Non-Discrimination Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0596-0171. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 90 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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