Soil and Water Conservation Society of America, 1987. p119-132. PUB TYPE Reports- Research/Technical (143) Speeches /Conference Papers (150)

IDENTIFIERS *Farm Policy Attitudes about farming and government agricultural policies differed among residential categories ranging from urban to rural. A mail survey gathered 3,232 completed questionnaires from a national random sample of 9,250 households. Statistical weighting made respondent categories representative of national proportions. Although respondents exhibited widespread agreement with the primacy of agriculture, farmers were most likely to agree and urban, residents were least likely to agree that: (1) agriculture is the basic occupation of our society; (2) farming is a very satisfying occupation; (3) agricultural depression causes national depression; and (4) most food profits go to middlemen rather than farmers. Respondents were largely supportive of the concept of the family farm, but urban residents were less likely to support the preservation of the family farm if that meant higher food prices than were suburban, rural nonfarm, and farm residents. Few respondents were satisfied with the record of government intervention in the farm sector. However, items pertaining to government involvement in agriculture elicited high rates of "undecided " responses, and showed little divergence among residential categories. This report includes 7 data tables and 19 references. (SV) * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * from the original document. ***********t***********************************************************