GREELEY, Colo. — The online survey was conducted by CDA between January 11 – 31, 2018 and generally replicated surveys conducted in 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2016. The survey population consisted of 406 agriculture leaders including; members of CDA Boards, Commissions, and Advisory Committees, volunteer and staff leadership of industry associations and organizations, and CSU leadership, USDA partners, and other industry leaders.
Survey takeaways:
- There was a 36% response rate to the survey, giving us a high degree of confidence in the findings.
- Nearly 40% believed that Colorado’s agriculture industry is financially worse off today than a year ago. However, respondents were almost evenly split on whether now is a good time to make large investments in land, buildings and machinery.
- Roughly 25% believed prices received by farmers and ranchers would be somewhat or significantly higher a year from now. About 20% believed they would be lower.
- The issues most often keeping those of us in agriculture up at night included farm and ranch economics, water, government, and labor.
- Opportunities were mostly seen in the development of new, alternative and specialty crops; the development and promotion of local markets; exports; and advancements through innovation, new technology, R&D, and value-added business ventures.
- When asked what could be done at the state-level to help agriculture, the top responses were less government regulation, more education of the public about agriculture, support for new and beginning farmers/ranchers, and economic/rural development.
- 95% of respondents rated their experience with the Department as excellent or good. That’s an increase from the 86% level recorded in 2016.
- Of the respondents having some level of experience with AgLicense, over 70% reported their experience as excellent or good.
- 85% of respondents indicated the Colorado Proud program to be highly or somewhat effective, with over half expecting that the budget for a statewide program like Colorado Proud would be more than $250,000 annually. 20% believed it would be more than $500,000 annually. And 80% believed there should be a state General Fund appropriation for the program.
Click to see the full results of the 2018 Colorado Dept. of Agriculture Stakeholder Survey.
— Colorado Livestock Association
For more news from Colorado, click here.