Form CFI 159 CFI 159 USDA ERS Food Security information users

U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Security Information Users Survey

Economic Research Service

U.S.D.A. Economic Research Service

Food Security information users survey

Customer Satisfaction Survey 2008

Introduction

USDA’s Economic Research Service would like to have your feedback about information it provides on household food security (whether households can afford enough food). We are evaluating this area on our website to improve its effectiveness. We value your input and appreciate you taking the time to assist us. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey.

The survey is administered by a third-party customer satisfaction research organization, CFI Group, which will treat all information you provide as confidential. Information you provide will be combined with others’ information for research and reporting purposes. Your individual responses will not be released or provided to ERS/USDA.

SCREENER: Have you sought any information about household food security (whether U.S. households can afford enough food) from the ERS website in the past 12 months?

1. Yes (Continue)

2. No (Go to End)

3. Don’t Know (Go to End)

Pattern of Use

QP1. How often do you go to the ERS web site for household or community food security information?

1. Several times a week or more often

2. Weekly

3. Monthly

4. Less than once a month

QP2. What kinds of food security material have you sought from ERS over the last 12 months? (Select all that apply)

1. Statistics on the extent of food security/insecurity

2. Explanation of food security statistics

3. How to use the food security questions in your own survey

4. Access to survey data for your own analysis

5. Reports or articles on causes, consequences, or measurement of food security

6. Information about community food security or how to assess it

7. Other (specify)

QP3. In what formats do you get food security information from ERS? (Select all that apply)

1. On-line pages (such as the Food Security in the United States area on the ERS website)

2. Download annual Household Food Security in the United States report

3. Other downloaded reports or research articles

4. Order a hard copy of Household Food Security in the United States report printed by ERS/USDA

5. Articles in the ERS magazine Amber Waves (either on-line or print)

6. Other (specify)

QP4. Which format do you use most often to get food security information from ERS? (Select one)

1. On-line pages (such as the Food Security in the United States area on the ERS website)

2. Download annual Household Food Security in the United States report

3. Other downloaded reports or research articles

4. Order a hard copy of Household Food Security in the United States report printed by ERS/USDA

5. Articles in the ERS magazine Amber Waves (either on-line or print)

6. Other (specify)

QP5. How often do you use the ERS web site to get information about topics OTHER THAN food security?

1. Several times a week

2. Weekly

3. Monthly

4. Less than once a month

5. Rarely or never

QP6. How did you first learn about the ERS web site as a source for information on food security?

1. Search engine

2. Other topic areas on the ERS web site

3. ERS published reports

4. Email or phone to ERS staff

5. Word of mouth

6. Other (specify)

QP7. Do you receive email notices of new ERS products or publications about food security?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Don’t know

QP8. Other than ERS, where do you get information on food security? (open end)

QP9. Which of the following best describes your organization (or the organization for which you consult)?

1. University/College/School

2. Private research institution

3. Federal Government agency

4. State or local government agency

5. News/journalism

6. Non-profit agency

7. Commercial/Business

8. Other (specify)

QP10. What is your current position or role?

1. Policy official

2. Researcher

3. Reporter/journalist

4. Congressional staff

5. Professor/teacher

6. Advisor/consultant

7. Advocate/lobbyist

8. Student

9. Other (please specify)

Usability

QU1. Now think about ONE of the last times you used the ERS website to try to get food security information. What kind of material were you seeking on that visit? (Mark all that apply)

1. Statistics on the extent of food security/insecurity

2. Explanation of food security statistics

3. How to use the food security questions in your own survey

4. Access to survey data for your own analysis

5. Reports or articles on causes, consequences, or measurement of food security

6. Information about community food security or how to assess it

7. Other (specify)

8. Don’t know/can’t remember

QU2. On that visit, did you find what you were looking for?

1. Yes

2. Not exactly, but close

3. No, but found related information that was of some use

4. No, nothing very useful

QU3. How easy or difficult was your search on that visit?

1. Easy and quick

2. Not so easy, had to look for a while [optional—suggestions to improve navigation]

3. Difficult [optional—suggestions to improve navigation]

4. Difficult and frustrating. Still not sure if the information is there [optional—suggestions to improve navigation]

QU4. Was that web site visit better or worse than your usual experience with ERS food security information?

1. Better than usual

2. About usual

3. Worse than usual

4. Don’t know or not applicable

QU5. How did you use the information you got from ERS on that visit? (Open end. Skip this question if response to QU2 was “No, nothing useful”)

Reports and online material

Now think about the ERS reports and on-line material on food security you have used in the past year. Please rate the material on the following. Use a 10-point scale where 1 is “poor” and 10 is “excellent.” If an item does not apply to you, check “not applicable.”

QS1. Clarity of the writing style

QS2. Clarity of tables and graphics

QS3. Objective viewpoint

QS4. Relevant for your needs

QS5. Timeliness for your needs

QS6. Overall quality

Statistics

Think about food security statistics/numbers you have obtained from ERS in various formats. Please rate the material on the following. Use a 10-point scale where 1 is “poor” and 10 is “excellent.” If an item does not apply to you, check “not applicable.”

QS7. Meeting your information needs

QS8. Timeliness

QS9. Accuracy

QS10. Credibility

Contact Info

QS11. Have you tried to find a contact person for food security information on the ERS website?

1. Yes [Go to QS12]

2. No, did not need to directly contact ERS [Go to QCS1]

3. No, already had contact information for ERS (Go to QCS1)

QS12. How easy or difficult was it to find the contact information?

1. Easy and quick

2. Hard, had to look a while

3. Never did find

Contact Info

QCS1. Have you contacted an ERS food security person in the past 12 months?

1. Yes [Go to QCS2]

2. No [Go to QOS1]

3. Don’t know [Go to QOS1]

QCS2. How did you contact the ERS food security person? (Mark all that apply.)

1. Phone

2. Email

3. Other (Specify)

Think about the customer service that you received from the ERS food security person. Please rate the service on the following. Use a 10-point scale where 1 means ‘poor” and 10 means “excellent.”

QCS3. Ease of reaching the ERS staff person

QCS4. Courtesy

QCS5. Knowledge

QCS6. Timeliness of response to your request

QCS7. Was your question answered?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Don’t Know

Satisfaction

QOS1. Please consider your overall experiences during the past 12 months with ERS. Using a 10-point scale on which 1 means “very dissatisfied” and 10 means “very satisfied,” how satisfied are you with the food security information you obtained from ERS?

QOS2. To what extent has ERS food security information met your expectations in the past 12 months? Please use a 10-point scale on which 1 means “not met your expectations” and 10 means “exceeds your expectations.”

QOS3. Imagine the ideal service that provides information about households’ ability to afford enough food. How well does ERS compare with that ideal? Please use a 10-point scale on which 1 means “far from the ideal” and 10 means “very close to the ideal.”

Additional Comments

QOS4. Please provide any additional comments about ERS and the household food security information they provide.

QOS5. Do you have suggestions to improve ERS food security information or web site? (open end)

END: Thank you for participating in the survey.

P age 5 of 5 2/5/2021