Cfi 161 Usda Nrcs Csi

USDA NRCS NRCS Customers 2008 Study

USDA NRCS - Customers

Customer Satisfaction Survey

FINAL VERSION

Verify Respondent

Intro1. Hello. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has hired my company, [Data Collection Company], to call on their behalf to conduct a brief survey about the services they provide. My name is _________________. May I please speak with __________?

WAIT FOR RESPONSE

1. Correct Person on Phone (GO TO INTRO)

2. Not correct person, but Person is available (HOLD UNTIL RESPONDENT ANSWERS AND READ BELOW)

Intro2. Hello. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has hired my company, [Data Collection Company], to call on their behalf. My name is _____________. (GO TO INTRO)

1. If Person not available (Schedule a call back)

2. If No Such Person “Thank you and have a nice day!”

3. Refusal/Hung Up

Introduction

NOTE: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides technical and financial assistance to individuals, groups, and communities to make natural resource management decisions on private, tribal, and other non-federal lands that address, promote, and improve natural resources.

We ask on behalf of the NRCS for your participation in a short survey that asks about your satisfaction with the assistance and services it provides.

This survey will take approximately 15 minutes of your time. This survey is authorized by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget Control No. 1505-0191.

(NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: IF THE RESPONDENT HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SURVEY PLEASE RECORD THE NATURE OF THEIR QUESTION AND HAVE THEM CONTACT MAGGIE RHODES (202-690-2264 or [email protected])

Intro3. Just to confirm, have you received assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service in the past two years?

1.Yes (Continue)

2. No (Terminate)

3. Don’t Know (Terminate)

Intro4. Is now a good time?

1. Yes (Continue)

2. No “Can we schedule a time that is more convenient for you?”

(For all questions, please include choices 98 = Don’t Know and 99 = Refused/Hung Up)

Field Office/Customer Service/Technical Assistance

Q1. Did you contact the Natural Resources Conservation Service directly to request assistance with concerns on your property?

1. Yes (Continue to Q2)

2. No (SKIP TO Q7)

3. Don’t Know (SKIP TO Q7)

Q2. Did you visit an NRCS field office?

1. Yes (Continue to Q3)

2. No (Skip to Q7)

3. Don’t Know (Skip to Q7)

Q3. Did you schedule your visit or walk-in?

1. Scheduled visit (Continue to Q4)

2. Walked-in (Read intro before Q4 and skip to Q5)

3. Don’t know (Read intro before Q4 and skip to Q5)

Now think about your visit to the NRCS field office to get information about NRCS assistance and programs, on a scale from 1 to 10, where “1” is “Poor” and “10” is “Excellent” please rate the field office on the following:

Q4. Ease of scheduling a visit

Q5. Availability of staff

Q6. Professionalism of staff

Field Visit

Q7. Have you received a visit from NRCS to look at your farm or land?

1. Yes (Continue to Q8)

2. No (SKIP TO Q14)

3. Don’t Know (SKIP TO Q14)

Q8. Did the same person from NRCS that you saw in the field office also visit your farm or home?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Did not visit the field office

2. Don’t Know

Please think about the field visits and consultations you have received from NRCS. On a scale from “1” to “10,” where “1” is “poor” and “10” is “excellent,” please rate the field visits and consultations on the following:

Q9. Ease of scheduling site visit

Q10. Knowledge of staff member making site visit

Q11. Performed a through inventory of your needs and opportunities on your property

Q12. Followed up with you in a timely manner

Q13. Provided practical solutions

Communication/Outreach

Q14. How did you hear about the USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service assistance and programs? (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: Do not read answer choices. Capture verbatim comments and code answer)

1. Another Government agency

2. Non-government organization (NGO)

3. Workshop/Information session

4. Direct visit from staff

5. From USDA or NRCS website

6. Family member

7. Community leader

8. Friend

9. Other

Q15. How do you prefer to receive information? (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: Do not read answer choices. Capture verbatim comments and code answer)

1. In-person

2. Newspaper

3. Fact Sheets

4. Brochures

5. Farm Magazines

6. Direct Mail

7. NRCS website

8. Non Profit website

9. Conservation District

10. Email

11. DVDs

12. Computer online course

13. Local meetings

14. Demonstrations from a working farm

15. Friends or neighbors

16. Family

17. Other

Q16. Where do farmers in your community go to receive information on agriculture? (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: Do not read answer choices. Capture verbatim comments and code answer)

1. Non-profit organizations

2. Universities

3. Family members

4. Soil and water conservation districts

5. Certified crop advisers

6. TSPs (Technical Service Providers)

7. Local agribusiness (e.g. grain dealers, chemical, machinery, etc.)

8. Extension service

9. Community leader

10. NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service)

11. Local cooperative

12. Internet

13. Other

Q17. What assistance/information is most helpful to you?

1. Technical Assistance/information

2. Financial Assistance/information

3. Information/education information (fact sheets, brochures, etc.)

4. Other (Specify)

Q18. What are some of the reasons why farmers in your community have chosen not to work with NRCS? (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: Do not read answer choices. Capture verbatim comments and code answer)

1. Did not qualify for NRCS Programs

2. Do not understand NRCS Programs

3. Past mistreatment/discrimination

4. Conservation practices are too costly

5. Distrust of Government/Do not want to work with Government

6. Lacked funds to pay for upfront costs before reimbursement

7. Other

Think about the communication efforts with respect to the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Use a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 means “Poor” and 10 means “Excellent” to rate the following:

Q19. Information provided was timely

Q20. Information is easy to understand

Q21. Information provided addresses my conservation needs

Q22. What thing(s) can NRCS do to let more producers know about the programs and assistance it provides?

Application Process/ Submission/Evaluation

Q23. Did you apply for any NRCS programs for cost share assistance? (If not skip to question website)

1. Yes (Continue to Q24)

2. No (Skip to Q28)

3. Don’t Know (Skip to Q28)

Please think about the application submission process for the NRCS Programs. On a scale from “1” to “10,” where “1” is “poor” and “10” is “excellent,” please rate the following. If a question does not apply, please answer “does not apply”:

Q24. Ease of submitting an application

Q25. Program eligibility information is clear

Q26. Please rate the quickness of the response you received from NRCS. Use a scale from “1” to “10” where “1” means “not very timely” and “10” means “very timely.”

Q27. What suggestions do you have for improving the application process?

ACSI Benchmark Questions

Now we are going to ask you to please consider your experiences with the assistance you have received from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in answering the following.

Q28. First, please consider all your experiences to date in getting assistance from NRCS. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “Very dissatisfied” and “10” means “Very satisfied,” how satisfied are you with the assistance that you have received from NRCS?

Q29. To what extent has the assistance you have received from NRCS fallen short of your expectations or exceeded your expectations? Please use a 10-point scale on which "1" now means "Falls short of your expectations" and "10" means "Exceeds your expectations."

Q30. Forget about the assistance that you have received from NRCS a moment. Now, imagine what an ideal provider of this type of assistance may be like.

How well do you think assistance from NRCS compares with that ideal? Please use a 10-point scale on which "1" means "Not very close to the ideal" and "10" means "Very close to the ideal."

Outcomes

Q31. If NRCS did not exist, where would you go to get this type of assistance? (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: Do not read answer choices. Capture verbatim comments and code answer)

1. State Agencies/State Department of Agriculture

2. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

3. Consultants

4. Community Based Organizations (CBOs)

5. University

6. Cooperative Extension

7. Other

Q32. How likely are you to return to NRCS for assistance in the future? Please use a scale from 1 to 10, where “1” means “not very likely” and “10” means “very likely.”

Q33. How likely would you be to recommend the USDA NRCS programs and services to others? Please use a scale from 1 to 10, where “1” means “not very likely” and “10” means “very likely.”

Q34. How confident are you in the assistance and solutions provided by NRCS programs and services resulting in the effective management of your land? Please use a scale from 1 to 10, where “1” means “not very confident” and “10” means “very confident.”

Open-Ends

Q35. How could NRCS provide assistance, information and/or services to better meet your needs?

Q36. How do you expect the new Farm Bill to impact you and your farming operations?

Demographics

Now, I have a few finallast questions that will help us in grouping your responses with other producers that are similar to you.

QD1. What is your age, please?

[RECORD NUMBER OF YEARS]

Don’t Know

REFUSED

QD2. Do you consider your race(s) as? (Comment-QD2 and QD3 should be switch per Census and OPM list the other way.)

1. White

2. Black or African American

3. American Indian or Alaska Native

4. Asian

5. Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

6. Other race

7. Don’t Know

8. REFUSED

QD3. Are you of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Don’t Know

4. REFUSED

QD4. Are you a full-time or part-time farmer?

1. Full-time

2. Part-time

3. Refused

QD5. Are you farming as an individual or as a family farm, or are you farming as a member of a business entity? (Interview Read: A Business entity would include corporations, partnerships, estates, trusts, and other types of businesses.)

1. Individual/Family Farm
2. Member of Business Entity

3. Both Individual/Family and Member of Business Entity
98. Don't Know
99. Refused
(Family farm: A family farm is defined as a farm not operated by a hired manager and that is organized as a sole or family proprietorship.)

QD6. What was your total annual income in 2007 before taxes? (READ CODES 1-7 AS NECESSARY) (Recommendation asking for farm income and widening the ranges)

1. Less than $10,000

2. Between $10,000 and $24,999

3. Between $25,000 and $49,999

4. Between $50,000 and $74,999

5. Between $75,000 and $99,999

6. Between $100,000 and $249,999

7. $250,000 or more

8. Don’t Know

9. Refused

QD7. What was your total annual gross FARM sales in 2007? (READ CODES 1-7 AS NECESSARY)

1. Less than $10,000

2. Between $10,000 and $24,999

3. Between $25,000 and $99,999

4. Between $100,000 and $249,999

5. $250,000 or more

6. Don’t Know

7. Refused

QD8. What is the highest level of education you have completed?

1. Less than high school graduate

2. High school graduate

3. Some college

4. Trade/technical/vocational training

5. College graduate

6. Post-graduate work/Degree

QD9. Gender (By Observation)

1. Male

2. Female

Closing

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) would like to thank you for your time and participation today. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

P age 8 of 8 2/5/2021