Poll of American Farmers Shows Strong, Widespread Support for Increased Farm Bill Conservation Funding

Farmers and ranchers strongly support increased investments in climate-smart conservation and USDA conservation programs, according to a new poll from the National Wildlife Federation and the Farm Journal's Trust in Food. The polling, which surveyed over 500 farmers and ranchers across the country, found broad support for continuing and increasing funding for climate-smart agriculture conservation programs.

"Farmers, ranchers, and landowners are experts in stewarding their land and have a critical role to play in conserving water, protecting soil health, and creating and maintaining habitat for pollinators and wildlife," said Aviva Glaser, senior director of agricultural policy at the National Wildlife Federation. "This polling shows that voluntary conservation programs are broadly supported by farmers and ranchers, who want to see increased investment in funding for these critical programs. As Congress negotiates a Farm Bill extension, we have an opportunity to listen to farmers by protecting the climate-smart funding provided by the Inflation Reduction Act and moving it permanently into the Farm Bill conservation baseline."

Findings from the poll include:

• 75% of producers surveyed in a nationwide poll of farmers and ranchers said they support an increase in long-term funding for USDA's voluntary conservation programs. Only 5% of farmers disagreed.
• Approximately 90% of producers surveyed either supported or were neutral on Congress moving the remaining, unspent climate-smart agriculture funds permanently into Farm Bill conservation programs to provide additional long-term funding to help farmers and ranchers adopt climate-smart agriculture conservation practices now and in the future. 64% of producers surveyed either agreed or strongly agreed.
• 74% of producers surveyed said that they think USDA conservation program payments are important in helping producers improve their bottom line, reduce input costs, and modernize their operations.
• Producers surveyed cited soil health, improved yield, and cost savings on inputs as the most valuable elements of participating in climate-smart agriculture programs.
• More than half (64%) of producers disagree when asked if Congress should take away conservation money to use it for other purposes.

Methodology:

From December 6, 2024 and December 12, 2024, Trust in Food conducted a survey of 506 farmers and ranchers across the country. These results are preliminary, for full methodology, please contact Meshal DeSantis ([email protected]).