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201 N Union Street, Suite 410 <br />Alexandria, Virginia 22314 <br />(703) 684 -6688 <br />(703) 836 -8256 FAX <br />TO: AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST <br />FROM: BRIAN C. TRINGALI, THE TARRANCE GROUP <br />TAMMI J. SMITH, THE TARRANCE GROUP <br />J. DIXON ESSEKS, PHD. <br />RE: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS FROM A NATIONWIDE SURVEY <br />DATE: JULY 11, 2001 <br />2� <br />The Tarrance Group, Inc., and Professor Dixon Esseks of Northern Illinois University are pleased to <br />present the following findings from this latest survey of registered voters across the country. American <br />Farmland Trust commissioned Dr. Esseks to conduct a telephone survey of N =1,024 registered adults <br />nationwide. A random sample of this type is likely to yield a margin of error of ±3.1 % in 95 out of 100 <br />cases. Responses to the survey were gathered June 2 through June 21, 2001. The Tarrance Group <br />provided consulting and analytical services. <br />Seventy -eight percent (78 %) of American voters report they are aware of government income support <br />programs for farmers. But what is even more striking is that 78% of voters approve of these payments to <br />correct low market prices and 88% of voters approve of these payments in cases of drought or flood <br />damage. Unlike some other government programs, American voters strongly approve of the current farm <br />subsidy program. <br />But there is a hitch, however, in that 75% of American voters think support to the American farmer <br />should come with the requirement that farmers apply one or more conservation practices. American voters <br />feel that these subsidy payments come with some responsibility on the part of farmers. <br />That said, Americans want to keep food production and farms in the U.S. Eighty -one percent (81 %) of <br />American voters want their food to come from within the United States. This high percentage shows the <br />importance that voters place on this issue. <br />Our conclusions are based primarily on the following findings from this latest survey of American voters <br />nationwide: <br />After measuring concern levels across a wide range of issues, Americans are nearly as concerned <br />about their food and water sources as they are about education and gas prices. As the table below <br />illustrates, more than 80% of voters are concerned about education and gas prices, but 71% of <br />voters are concerned about pesticide residues on their vegetables and other foods. Nearly as many <br />American voters say they are concerned about loss of farmland to development (69 %), unsafe meat <br />(67 %), genetically modified food (64 %) and drinking water being contaminated by pesticides or <br />livestock manure (63 %). <br />Page 1 <br />