PATS Research Summary No. 4 abstract

Farming in Wisconsin at the End of the Century: Results of the 1999 Wisconsin Farm Poll

By Douglas Jackson-Smith, Sunung Moon, Marcia Ostrom, and Brad Barham

This report is the first comprehensive summary of the results of a statewide mail survey of over 3,200 farms conducted in the spring of 1999. The study was conducted in an effort to add to the information collected by the Census of Agriculture and to better understand the current profile of Wisconsin farm operations. While the periodic Census of Agriculture provides some key insights into the long-term trends in the Wisconsin farm sector, the Census asks relatively few questions about a number of important topics. Specifically, there is little information gathered about the use of different agricultural technologies and management practices. In addition, despite the fact that most Wisconsin farms are run as family businesses, there is virtually no information collected about members of the farm household (other than the lead operator) or the household’s involvement in off-farm as well as farming activities. Finally, the Census asks no questions about the opinions or views of Wisconsin farmers concerning public policy questions. The survey directly addressed these topics, providing a more thorough view of the Wisconsin farm sector.

PATS Research Summary No. 4. March, 2000. 18 pp. [104 KB]

For copies of this report, please contact the PATS office @ 608-265-2908 or email nlcarlis@wisc.edu