C44—Lancaster Famine, Saturday, March 1,1980
Public attitudes
(Continued from Page C 43)
very much wants to see the
conservation of the nation’s
soil and water resources
carried forward. On the
other hand, the public
believes that the rights of
puvate farmers and lan
downers must be respected.
The manner in which the
public balances these
competing claims involves
the idea of an equitable
distribution of the costs of
»• soil and water conservation
between the private fanner
or land owner and the
government.
Equity in
Conservation policy
Mandatory programs
which require the farmer to
pay for the cost of con
servation, exclusively, are
viewed as fair to both part
ners by only a tiny segment
of the public (12 percent).
Consequently, only 4 percent
of he public views this as the
best approach to set a
national soil and water
conservation program.
On die other hand, a
mandatory program in
volving loans and other
financial help is viewed as
fair to both partners by 56
percent of the American
people; 26 percent see this
approach as the best way to
assure that the goals of a soil
and water conservation
program arc met, ranking it
second out cf the eight ap
proaches tested.
Support is almost as
strong for a third mandatory
program, one in which
farmers and landowners
who did not protect their soil
and water would lose other
help they now get from the
government for their farms.
This approach was judged to
be fair to both partners by
forty-one percent of the
public, but only fourteen
percent said they favored
this approach over the other
seven.
A program of loans and
other financial help to far
mers who volunteered to
protect their water and soil,
on the other hand, is viewed
as fair to both partners by
seventy-one percent of the
public. Likewise, this ap
proach is favored over the
others as the best way to
attain soil conservation
goals by thirty-five percent
of the public, ranking it first
of the eight approaches
tested. This represents the
present cost-sharing
program.
Voluntary conservation
programs that would
provide financial help to the
fanner that need not be
repaid are viewed as fair to
both partners by only
twenty-three percent of the
public. Hence, just ten
percent favor this approach
to conservation as the best of
the eight examined.
Financial bonuses to
farmers and other lan
downers who voluntarily
take good care of their soil,
but none to those who don’t,
is judged as fair to both
partners by forty-two per
cent of the public, but only
nineteen- percent select this
approach as the best way to
go-
Farmers and other land
owners who take good care
of their land would be per
mitted to pay lower taxes
than those who don’t by the
forty-one percent ~who
judged this approach to
financing the equities of a
soil and water conservation
program as fair to both
partners. Yet, just nineteen
percent saw this approach as
the best of the eight for
assuring that soil and water
conservation goals are met.
One-third of the public said
it would be fair to both i $lB-30 allocated by, the
partners if the government general public,
provided information and The public accepts “need”
advice but no financial help as 311 important criteria in
to protect these resources. A the allocation of soil con
similarly large group, servation money to farmers
twenty-nine percent, saw and landowners, but need is
this approach as fair to n °t perceived as an en
neither partner. Only ten titlement.
percent selected this ap- Two out of three people (68
preach as their most- percent) feel that financial
favored. Though seen as need should be a criteria for
inexpensive, this strategy is who should receive gover
regarded as not likely to be nmental assistance,
effective. On the other hand, a
Public priorities substantial majority (59
for federal spending percent) feel that only those
By more then five to one farmers who agree to
the public feels that it is practice specific soil and
proper for the federal water conservation
government to grant money measures for ten years
to farmers and other lan- should get financial
downers so that they can assistance,
protect soil and water. (78-14 ®y percent, the
percent). public does not favor
In terms of six major targeting financial help only
related problems, the clear to farmers in high-erosion
preference of the public in areas, but rather supports
federal spending is for the idea of providing
programs that increase the financial help to farmers
supply food, lumber and with erosion problems
clothing, for which they regardless of where they
allocate $24.40 out of every live,
$lOO available federal
dollars; increasing the
supply of crops and farm
wastes to produce energy
receives $18.30; increasing
the water supply, $17.10;
improving water quality,
$14.60; protecting fish and
wildlife habitats, $13.30;
and, reducing the damage
caused by floods, $12.70.
Expectedly, farmers
would allocate substantially
more federal support to
increasing agricultural
products for both con
sumption and energy
production than would the
general public.
The farm owner or
manager would allocate $3O
to mcrease food, lumber and
clothing, compared to $24.40
in the general public.
The farm owner or
manager would allocate
$25.00 to increase the supply
of crops and farm wastes to
produce energy compared to
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Public attitudes
toward agriculture
Overall, the American
people have a good grasp of
the realities of con
temporary American
agriculture. They support
the concept of the small,
family farm and federal
policies aimed at preserving
and increasing the number
of small family farms in this
country.
On the other hand, the
public supports the con
tinuation of a production
based, rather than a needs
based subsidy system.
A majority of the
American people understand
the fundamental issues in
modern American
agriculture:
—by 72-22 percent they
agree that most years far
mers have a difficult time
making enough money to
stay in business.
—by 67-22 percent they
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agree that almost all new
farmers are the children of
farmers.
—by 51-33 percent they
recognize that most of the
food in this country is not
grown on smaller, family
farms.
A sizable majority (60
percent) 6f the public feels
that we should be moving
towards a country which has
a relatively large number of
small farms, while just 19
percent feel we should be
moving toward a country
which has a relatively small
number of large farms.
The public supports new
federal controls on farmland
ownership to increase the
number of small farmers in
the country, 67-19 percent.
Farm owners and managers
take this position by 62-27
percent.
Despite this support for
the concept of the small
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farm, the public does not ..
limit its support
agriculture to small farms.
By 51-33 percent they
recognize that most food is
grown on large farms.
Almost half (48 percent)
believe that all farmers,
large and small, should get
financial help for soil erosion
problems.
Overall, a 45 percent
plurality favor continuation
of the production-based
subsidy system, compared
to 37 percent who favor a
needs-based subsidy system.
Public Views
of decision-making
The American people
report a relatively low level
of participation m the
decision-making processes.
Only one in three people
recall having ever per
sonally done anything to try
(Turn to Page C 45)