USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will mail the Conservation Practice Adoption Motivations Survey beginning May 30 to 1,204 Nebraska farmers and ranchers. The new survey is a joint project between NASS and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) aimed at better understanding conservation practice adoption and the role of technical and financial assistance. The survey results will be used to guide the implementation of NRCS programs in the future.

There are two versions of the survey this year — one requesting information on crop conservation practices and one for confined livestock conservation practices. If NASS does not receive producers’ completed surveys by June 13, they may reach out to schedule telephone interviews.

“Gathering information about farmers’ and ranchers’ motivation for and adoption of conservation practices allows USDA to understand the use and awareness of its programs,” said Nicholas Streff, director of the NASS Northern Plains Field Office. “Effective implementation of USDA programs helps both producers and conservation efforts.”

NASS encourages recipients to respond securely online, using the 12-digit survey code mailed with the survey. Producers responding online will now use NASS’s new Respondent Portal. On the portal, producers can complete their surveys, access data visualizations and reports of interest, link to other USDA agencies, get a local weather update and more. Completed questionnaires may also be mailed back in the prepaid envelope provided.

Results from both versions of the survey will be available online on Sept. 15, 2022, and in NASS’s Quick Stats database.

All information reported by individuals will be kept confidential, as required by federal law. For assistance with the survey, producers can call the NASS Nebraska Field Office at (800) 582-6443.