Participant Response Survey

Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers

Participant Response Form

About you

Are you currently a farmer or rancher? [Branching]	Choice selection options: Yes No
If no: For how many years did you farm or ranch before you stopped?	Choice selection options: I never started farming or ranching. less than 1 year 1 to 3 years 4 to 6 years 7 to 10 years more than 10 years
If yes: How many years have you been farming or ranching?	Choice selection options: I never started farming or ranching. less than 1 year 1 to 3 years 4 to 6 years 7 to 10 years more than 10 years
If yes: On average, how much of your annual income comes from farming or ranching?	Choice selection options: None 25% or less 25% to 50% 50% to 75% 75% to 100% Don’t know
If yes: In which state(s) or territories do you farm or ranch?	Choice selection options: Complete list of US States and Territories dropdown/checklist
If yes: What do you produce?	Choice selection options: a. Livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, etc.) b. Poultry (chicken, turkey, etc.) c. Field crops (corn, soybean, wheat, rice, hemp, etc.) d. Specialty crops or horticulture (fruits, vegetables, nuts, flowers, nursery plants, etc.) e. Aquaponics, aquaculture, or hydroponics f. Other; please specify:
If yes: Approximately, what is the size of your farming operation?	Choice selection options [number of each]: Number or head of livestock Number or head of poultry Field crops in acres Specialty crops or horticulture in acres OR Specialty crops or horticulture in sq. ft. Aquaponics, aquaculture, or hydroponics in pounds per year

Assistance - Records indicate that you participated in or attended a program(s) that was designed to educate, mentor, and/or provide technical assistance to socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers.

Did your participation in beginner farmer and rancher programs contribute in any way to increasing your farm or ranch success?	Choice selection options: Yes No I don’t know Did not participate in a program for socially disadvantaged or veteran farmers [skip to end survey if selected]
On what date did you first receive assistance?	Date Selection or I don’t know
Select the option that best describes the type of assistance you received.	Choice selection options: One-on-one assistance Community of Practice Course Seminar Training Conference Other (please specify)
How did you receive assistance?	Choice selection options: In-person Virtual Hybrid
How long did the assistance last?	Choice selection options: Less than 1 day 1 day 2 days 3 days

	Satisfied	Somewhat Satisfied	Neutral	Somewhat Dissatisfied	Dissatisfied
Overall, how satisfied are you with the assistance you received?	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
Overall, how satisfied are you with the staff providing the assistance?	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯

What was the topic or purpose of the assistance you received?

Checkbox choice selection options: Owning and operating a farm/ranch Access to USDA programs Building relationships with USDA local, state, regional, and national offices Climate change and increasing agricultural productivity Renewable energy Increasing access to land and credit Resolving heirs’ property issues Environmental sustainability Food supply chain

Program Impacts – please indicate your level of agreement or disagreement with the following statements.

Outcome Indicator	Agree	Somewhat agree	Neutral	Somewhat disagree	Disagree
Owning and operating successful farms and ranches
I improved my understanding of available USDA resources to help me own and operate a farm or ranch.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I feel better prepared to own and operate a successful farm/ranch.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I understand the next steps I will take to own and operate a successful farm/ranch.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I have started my own farm/ranch.	Y/N
[Branching]I plan to start my own farm/ranch. (Y/N)	Y/N If no, go to next question. If yes, move to next section.
Why?	Multiple lines of text.
Participating in USDA programs
I improved my understanding of USDA loan/grant eligibility requirements.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I feel better prepared to apply for a USDA loan/grant.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I understand the next steps I will take to apply for a USDA loan/grant.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
Alleviating barriers to participating in USDA programs
I improved my understanding of USDA loan/grant eligibility requirements.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I am confident that my USDA loan/grant application will be approved.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I trust that the organization providing me with assistance will help me successfully navigate the loan/grant process.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I have applied for a loan/grant with USDA.	Y/N
[Branching] I plan to apply for a loan/grant with USDA.	Y/N If no, go to next question. If yes, move to next section.
Why?	Open text. Multiple lines of text.
Building resilience to climate change and increasing agricultural productivity
I improved my understanding of climate smart practices.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I feel better prepared to implement climate smart practices on my farm/ranch.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I have implemented climate smart practices on my farm/ranch.	Y/N
[Branching] I plan to implement climate smart practices on my farm/ranch.	Y/N If no, go to next question. If yes, move to next section.
Why?	Open text. Multiple lines of text.
Implementing efficient and renewable energy practices
I improved my understanding of efficient and renewable energy practices.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I feel better prepared to implement efficient and renewable energy practices on my farm/ranch.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I have implemented efficient and renewable energy practices on my farm/ranch.	Y/N
[Branching] I plan to implement efficient and renewable energy practices on my farm/ranch.	Y/N If no, move to next question. If yes, move to next section.
Why?	Open text. Multiple lines of text.
Increasing access to land and credit
I understand how USDA local, state, or regional staff can support access to land and credit.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I know how to access my USDA local, state, or regional office to gain access land and credit.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I have worked with my USDA local, state, or regional office to access financial assistance for land and credit.	Y/N
I plan to work with my USDA local, state, or regional office to access financial assistance for land and credit.	Y/N If no, move to next question. If yes, move to next section.
Why?	Open text. Multiple lines of text.
Resolving heirs’ property issues
I understand that USDA local, state, or regional staff can support resolution of heirs’ property issues.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I know how to access my USDA local, state, or regional office to resolve heirs’ property issues.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I have worked with my USDA local, state, or regional office to resolve my heirs’ property issues.	Y/N
[Branching] I plan to work with my USDA local, state, or regional office to resolve my heirs’ property issues.	Y/N If no, move to next question. If yes, move to next section.
Why?	Open text. Multiple lines of text.
Increasing environmental sustainability in farm operation
I improved my understanding of environmental sustainability practices that can support my farm/ranch operations.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I feel better prepared to implement environmental sustainability practices to support my farm/ranch operations.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I have implemented environmental sustainability practices to support my farm/ranch operations.	Y/N
[Branching] I plan to implement environmental sustainability practices to support my farm/ranch operations.	Y/N If no, move to next question. If yes, move to next section.
Why?	Open text. Multiple lines of text.
Strengthening the food supply chain
I improved my understanding of the food supply chain.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I plan to diversify my crops or livestock.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I know how to access my USDA local, state, or regional office for resources about supply chain management.	◯	◯	◯	◯	◯
I have made new supply chain relationships as a result of this assistance.	Y/N
[Branching] I plan to make new supply chain relationships as a result of this assistance.	Y/N If no, move to next question. If yes, move to next section.
Why?	Open text. Multiple lines of text.

Demographics

Have you received assistance from this organization before?	Y/N
Would you seek assistance from this organization again?	Yes, No, Not sure. If YES, move to . If NO, move to next question. If Not Sure, move to question asking for additional feedback.
Why not?	Open text response. Multiple lines of text.
Please provide any feedback regarding the assistance you received, the organization that provided it, or other relevant topics.	Open text response. Multiple lines of text.
Are you a Veteran?	Y/N
Do you have a disability that limits one or more major life functions?	Y/N
What is your age?	Choice selection options: Under 25 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65 and over
What is your gender?	Choice selection options: Man Woman Non-binary/Third gender Prefer not to answer I use a different term

4. What is your race/ethnicity? Select all that apply and enter additional details in the space below. This question is optional. However, this data is used to assess how well the program is serving target populations and helps us to identify groups that may need more outreach.

• American Indian or Alaska Native 

 

Enter, for example, Navajo Nation, Blackfeet Tribe of the Black Indian Reservation of Montana, Native Village of Barrow Inupiat Traditional Government, Nome Eskimo Community, Aztec, Maya, etc. 

 

• Asian 

• Chinese 

• Asian Indian 

• Filipino 

• Vietnamese 

• Korean 

• Japanese 

• Another group (Enter, for example, Pakistani, Hmong, Afghan, etc.) 

 

 

• Black or African American 

• African American 

• Jamaican 

• Haitian 

• Nigerian 

• Ethiopian 

• Somali 

• Another group (Enter, for example, Trinidadian and Tobagonian, Ghanian, Congolese, etc.) 

 

 

• Hispanic or Latino 

• Mexican 

• Puerto Rican 

• Salvadoran 

• Cuban 

• Dominican 

• Guatemalan 

• Another group (Enter, for example, Colombian, Honduran, Spaniard, etc.) 

 

 

• Middle Eastern or North African 

• Lebanese 

• Iranian 

• Egyptian 

• Syrian 

• Iraqi 

• Israeli 

• Another group (Enter, for example, Moroccan, Yemeni, Kurdish, etc.) 

 

 

• Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 

• Native Hawaiian 

• Samoan 

• Chamorro 

• Tongan 

• Fijian 

• Marshallese 

• Another group (Enter, for example, Chuukese, Palauan, Tahitian, etc.) 

 

 

• White 

• English 

• German 

• Irish 

• Italian 

• Polish 

• Scottish 

• Another group (Enter, for example, French, Swedish, Norwegian, etc.) 

 

 

 

4. May we follow up with you in 6 months? We’d like to learn if/how the assistance you received

has affected your farming/ranching endeavors. (Y/N)

If yes, please provide your contact information: Name

Phone number (including area code) Email address (optional)