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26 a farm bill that sends the vast majority of money to just 10 states," points out Susanne Fleek, director of government relations for EWG. "What we're really talking about is transforming the way the government thinks about farm policy —it has so much impact on Americans' daily lives, in everything from the food we eat to the water we drink." One of the strengths AFT brings to the coalition is its research capacity. Starting last fall, AFT planned a series of research projects to help shape the new legislation. It's a simple but vital part of the legislative process: By providing objective and verifiable data for legislators to make strong arguments, it is more likely that champions of strong con- servation programs will win their fights in committee meet- ings and on the floor of Congress. Working with involved funders like The Joyce Foundation, the first piece AFT crafted was a national voter opinion poll to bring the voice of the people to legislators in Washington. "This is What We Want" Susan Butler farms with her brothers and other family members in Montgomery County, Maryland, a mere 25 miles from the nation's capital. They use their land to grow pick - your -own fniits and vegetables. In June, Butler came to Washington to offer the opening remarks to a packed press conference releasing the results of AFT's national poll. She talked about the pressures of farming in a heavily urbanized county, even one that has made a strong com- mitment to keeping agriculture. "We have generations and generations that are coming to visit and pick at the farm," Butler explained. "But there are pressures— someone wants to put a transmission tower on the farm, a new ex -urban neighbor across the road doesn't like the noise we create in our berry patch, and traf- fic around the farm has gotten terrible." The results of the national voter opinion poll released in June not only support Butler and other farmers, but show that Americans have a clear sense of what well- managed farmland provides. And not only do voters know about federal payments to farmers, they support them —but they want the payments linked to conservation. The poll was conducted by the Public Opinion Research Lab at Northern Illinois University, under the leadership of political scientist Dr. J. Dixon Esseks, who has been surveying agricultural issues for close to 20 years. "What really jumped out at us was the solid connection between agriculture and conservation in the mind of the voter," explained Esseks. "Over the past 19 years I have repeatedly surveyed farmers and found them very willing to conserve natural resources. These new results strongly indicate that conservation- oriented farm programs will please not just farmers, but most voters" When asked a balanced question about what people value in farms and ranches, 58 percent of voters listed wildlife habitat as something they valued "highly" as a O 0 a F U O s 0 Susan Butler at Butler's Orchard has watched the farm be slowly encircled by housing developments (right). quality of farms and ranches. When adding in those who value that quality "moderately," the result was a strong 82 percent who see "providing wildlife habitat" as a key value of farms and ranches. Scenic beauty was next, with 46 per- cent "highly" valuing it and 77 percent combined, and recreational opportunities came in at 32 percent "highly" and 58 percent combined. These are all conservation qual- ities— things that the American public wants to "buy" from farmers and ranchers through conservation programs. In presenting poll results, Grossi pointed out that voters are concerned about the impact of not having conservation programs in agriculture. "In a question on voter concerns that included some non - agricultural items, the stewardship problems rose to the top of the concern list," said Grossi. "And in the con- text of major public policy themes like better education and energy issues, we found that a majority of voters -53 percent —would like to spend more federal dollars to keep farmland from being developed." The poll, now being expanded to provide regionalized results, has become a helpful tool in starting discussions and informing decisions. Through media coverage and cre- ation of a hand -out for legislators, AFT and its allies will use the results to drive home the need for effective, well - funded conservation programs in the upcoming legislation. Laying Out the Plan Before breaking for the end -of- summer recess, the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee put forth their version of the farm bill. That's the first shot fired in a 16 AMERICAN FARMLAND FALL 2001