Survey of Rural Decision Makers 2013

The Survey of Rural Decision Makers is comprised of two separate but complementary surveys.

The first is the Survey of Rural Decision Makers 1, which covers landowners and other decision makers in Canterbury, Southland, and Waikato. This project was co-led by AgResearch and Landcare Research and was supported by the Ministry for the Environment (contract # 20443). The questionnaire includes 131 questions and was developed in partnership with MfE, MPI, DairyNZ, and NZIER. This survey was conducted online in March 2013 and garnered 528 responses.

The Survey of Rural Decision Makers 2, undertaken by Landcare Research, builds on the Survey of Rural Decision Makers 1 by expanding both the questionnaire and the sample with support from the Ministry for Business Innovation, and Employment (contract # C09X1003). It includes 192 questions, many of which were also included in the previous survey. Additional questions were developed in consultation with Beef + Lamb New Zealand, HortNZ, regional councils, and other stakeholders. The sample was extended to the 13 regions not included in the first survey; it was conducted online in July 2013 and garnered 1,036 responses.

Full report

Brown P, Small B, Morgan F, Lynch C, Burton R, Montes O, Brown M. 2013. Survey of Rural Decision Makers in Canterbury, Southland, and Waikato. Report for the Ministry for the Environment. (Report, 2013) Link

Survey results

The results are posted as pie and bar charts, histograms, and box-and-whisker plots. We have put together some brief guidelines on how to interpret these results.

Demographics

Age data by enterprise Image — Age data by enterprise

Age data by region Image — Age data by region

Experience by enterprise Image — Experience by enterprise

Experience by region Image — Experience by region

Gender by enterprise Image — Gender by enterprise

Gender by region Image — Gender by region

Land use

Honeybee hives by enterprise Image — Honeybee hives by enterprise

Honeybee hives by region Image — Honeybee hives by region

Irrigation by enterprise Image — Irrigation by enterprise

Irrigation by region Image — Irrigation by region

Land use change by enterprise Image — Land use change by enterprise

Land use change by region Image — Land use change by region

Crops and forestry

How many total hectares of this operation are primarily used for forestry by operation Image — How many total hectares of this operation are primarily used for forestry by operation

How many total hectares of this operation are primarily used for forestry by region Image — How many total hectares of this operation are primarily used for forestry by region

Employment and income

In general how profitable has this farm forest growing operation been in recent years by operation Image — In general how profitable has this farm forest growing operation been in recent years by operation

In general how profitable has this farm forest growing operation been in recent years by region Image — In general how profitable has this farm forest growing operation been in recent years by region

In general what share of your households income comes from sources other than this farm/forest/growing operation by operation Image — In general what share of your households income comes from sources other than this farm/forest/growing operation by operation

In general what share of your households income comes from sources other than this farm/forest/growing operation by region Image — In general what share of your households income comes from sources other than this farm/forest/growing operation by region

Networks and trust

How many working farms/forests/growing operations have you visited in the last 12 months by operation Image — How many working farms/forests/growing operations have you visited in the last 12 months by operation

How many working farms/forests/growing operations have you visited in the last 12 months by region Image — How many working farms/forests/growing operations have you visited in the last 12 months by region

With how many other farmers/foresters/growers did you discuss operational practices systems change or practices to improve environmental performance by region Image — With how many other farmers/foresters/growers did you discuss operational practices systems change or practices to improve environmental performance by region

With how many other farmers/foresters/growers did you discuss operational practices systems change or practices to improve long term profitability by region Image — With how many other farmers/foresters/growers did you discuss operational practices systems change or practices to improve long term profitability by region

With how many other farmers/foresters/growers did you discuss operational practices systems change or practices to improve productivity by region Image — With how many other farmers/foresters/growers did you discuss operational practices systems change or practices to improve productivity by region

With how many other farmers/foresters/growers did you discuss operational practices systems change or practices to improve productivity in the last 12 months Image — With how many other farmers/foresters/growers did you discuss operational practices systems change or practices to improve productivity in the last 12 months

Land management

Adding or upgrading a water irrigation system by operation Image — Adding or upgrading a water irrigation system by operation

Adding or upgrading a water irrigation system by region Image — Adding or upgrading a water irrigation system by region

Adding or upgrading a water irrigation system likelihood of future adoption Image — Adding or upgrading a water irrigation system likelihood of future adoption

Adopting biological fertilisers by operation Image — Adopting biological fertilisers by operation

Adopting biological fertilisers by region Image — Adopting biological fertilisers by region

Adopting biological fertilisers likelihood of future adoption Image — Adopting biological fertilisers likelihood of future adoption

Avoiding waterways when applying fertiliser by operation Image — Avoiding waterways when applying fertiliser by operation

Avoiding waterways when applying fertiliser by region Image — Avoiding waterways when applying fertiliser by region

Avoiding waterways when applying fertiliser likelihood of future adoption Image — Avoiding waterways when applying fertiliser likelihood of future adoption

Changing primary crops or changing crop rotation by operation Image — Changing primary crops or changing crop rotation by operation

Changing primary crops or changing crop rotation by region Image — Changing primary crops or changing crop rotation by region

Changing primary crops or changing crop rotation likelihood of future adoption Image — Changing primary crops or changing crop rotation likelihood of future adoption

Constructing a feed pad by operation Image — Constructing a feed pad by operation

Constructing a feed pad by region Image — Constructing a feed pad by region

Constructing a feed pad likelihood of future adoption Image — Constructing a feed pad likelihood of future adoption

Constructing wetlands or sedimentation traps by operation Image — Constructing wetlands or sedimentation traps by operation

Constructing wetlands or sedimentation traps by region Image — Constructing wetlands or sedimentation traps by region

Constructing wetlands or sedimentation traps likelihood of future adoption Image — Constructing wetlands or sedimentation traps likelihood of future adoption

Fencing streams by operation Image — Fencing streams by operation

Fencing streams by region Image — Fencing streams by region

Fencing streams likelihood of future adoption Image — Fencing streams likelihood of future adoption

Having a nutrient management plan by operation Image — Having a nutrient management plan by operation

Having a nutrient management plan by region Image — Having a nutrient management plan by region

Having a nutrient management plan likelihood of future adoption Image — Having a nutrient management plan likelihood of future adoption

Improving N efficiency through precision placement and or timing by operation Image — Improving N efficiency through precision placement and or timing by operation

Improving N efficiency through precision placement and or timing by region Image — Improving N efficiency through precision placement and or timing by region

Improving N efficiency through precision placement and or timing likelihood of future adoption Image — Improving N efficiency through precision placement and or timing likelihood of future adoption

Improving P efficiency through precision placement or timing by operation Image — Improving P efficiency through precision placement or timing by operation

Improving P efficiency through precision placement or timing by region Image — Improving P efficiency through precision placement or timing by region

Improving P efficiency through precision placement or timing likelihood of future adoption Image — Improving P efficiency through precision placement or timing likelihood of future adoption

Planting native bush or allowing natural revegetation by operation Image — Planting native bush or allowing natural revegetation by operation

Planting native bush or allowing natural revegetation by region Image — Planting native bush or allowing natural revegetation by region

Planting native bush or allowing natural revegetation likelihood of future adoption Image — Planting native bush or allowing natural revegetation likelihood of future adoption

Planting riparian buffers by operation Image — Planting riparian buffers by operation

Planting riparian buffers by region Image — Planting riparian buffers by region

Planting riparian buffers likelihood of future adoption Image — Planting riparian buffers likelihood of future adoption

Practices to reduce pugging by operation Image — Practices to reduce pugging by operation

Practices to reduce pugging by region Image — Practices to reduce pugging by region

Practices to reduce pugging likelihood of future adoption Image — Practices to reduce pugging likelihood of future adoption

Practices to reduce soil erosion by operation Image — Practices to reduce soil erosion by operation

Practices to reduce soil erosion by region Image — Practices to reduce soil erosion by region

Practices to reduce soil erosion likelihood of future adoption Image — Practices to reduce soil erosion likelihood of future adoption

Reducing N based fertiliser by operation Image — Reducing N based fertiliser by operation

Reducing N based fertiliser by region Image — Reducing N based fertiliser by region

Reducing N based fertiliser likelihood of future adoption Image — Reducing N based fertiliser likelihood of future adoption

Reducing P based fertiliser by operation Image — Reducing P based fertiliser by operation

Reducing P based fertiliser by region Image — Reducing P based fertiliser by region

Reducing P based fertiliser likelihood of future adoption Image — Reducing P based fertiliser likelihood of future adoption

Reducing stocking rates by operation Image — Reducing stocking rates by operation

Reducing stocking rates by region Image — Reducing stocking rates by region

Outlook and planning

Are you generally a person who is fully prepared to take risks or do you try to avoid taking risks by operation Image — Are you generally a person who is fully prepared to take risks or do you try to avoid taking risks by operation

Are you generally a person who is fully prepared to take risks or do you try to avoid taking risks by region Image — Are you generally a person who is fully prepared to take risks or do you try to avoid taking risks by region

How important is being a farmer/forester/grower who takes good care of the environment to who you are by operation Image — How important is being a farmer/forester/grower who takes good care of the environment to who you are by operation

How important is being a farmer/forester/grower who takes good care of the environment to who you are by region Image — How important is being a farmer/forester/grower who takes good care of the environment to who you are by region

How important is being a highly productive farmer forester grower to who you are by operation Image — How important is being a highly productive farmer forester grower to who you are by operation

How important is being a highly productive farmer forester grower to who you are by region Image — How important is being a highly productive farmer forester grower to who you are by region

How important is being a highly profitable farmer forester grower to who you are by operation Image — How important is being a highly profitable farmer forester grower to who you are by operation

How important is being a highly profitable farmer forester grower to who you are by region Image — How important is being a highly profitable farmer forester grower to who you are by region

How important to you is sustaining natural habitats for native fish and birds including wetlands and native forests by operation Image — How important to you is sustaining natural habitats for native fish and birds including wetlands and native forests by operation

How important to you is sustaining natural habitats for native fish and birds including wetlands and native forests by region Image — How important to you is sustaining natural habitats for native fish and birds including wetlands and native forests by region

How important to you is sustaining recreational use of waterways by operation Image — How important to you is sustaining recreational use of waterways by operation

How important to you is sustaining recreational use of waterways by region Image — How important to you is sustaining recreational use of waterways by region

How important to you is sustaining the purity and quality of freshwater by operation Image — How important to you is sustaining the purity and quality of freshwater by operation

How important to you is sustaining the purity and quality of freshwater by region Image — How important to you is sustaining the purity and quality of freshwater by region

How likely is it that part or all of this operation will be sold in the next 5 years by operation Image — How likely is it that part or all of this operation will be sold in the next 5 years by operation

How likely is it that part or all of this operation will be sold in the next 5 years by region Image — How likely is it that part or all of this operation will be sold in the next 5 years by region

How likely is it that the mix will be changed to more intensive land uses in the next 5 years by operation Image — How likely is it that the mix will be changed to more intensive land uses in the next 5 years by operation

How likely is it that the mix will be changed to more intensive land uses in the next 5 years by region Image — How likely is it that the mix will be changed to more intensive land uses in the next 5 years by region

How likely is it that you will change the land use mix to reduce your workload in the next 5 years by operation Image — How likely is it that you will change the land use mix to reduce your workload in the next 5 years by operation

How likely is it that you will change the land use mix to reduce your workload in the next 5 years by region Image — How likely is it that you will change the land use mix to reduce your workload in the next 5 years by region

How likely is it that you will purchase or lease additional land in the next 5 years by operation Image — How likely is it that you will purchase or lease additional land in the next 5 years by operation

How likely is it that you will purchase or lease additional land in the next 5 years by region Image — How likely is it that you will purchase or lease additional land in the next 5 years by region

I am a farmer/forester/grower because I am committed to the tradition in our family by operation Image — I am a farmer/forester/grower because I am committed to the tradition in our family by operation

I am a farmer/forester/grower because I am committed to the tradition in our family by region Image — I am a farmer/forester/grower because I am committed to the tradition in our family by region

I am always one of the first in the district to try something new by operation Image — I am always one of the first in the district to try something new by operation

I am always one of the first in the district to try something new by region Image — I am always one of the first in the district to try something new by region

I prefer to leave experimenting with new ideas to someone else by operation Image — I prefer to leave experimenting with new ideas to someone else by operation

I prefer to leave experimenting with new ideas to someone else by region Image — I prefer to leave experimenting with new ideas to someone else by region

Members of the farming community believe that it is important to farm/forest/growing operation in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner by operation Image — Members of the farming community believe that it is important to farm/forest/growing operation in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner by operation

Most of my immediate family believe that I should manage my farm/forest/growing operation in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner by operation Image — Most of my immediate family believe that I should manage my farm/forest/growing operation in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner by operation

The New Zealand public expect me to manage my farm/forest/growing operation in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner by operation Image — The New Zealand public expect me to manage my farm/forest/growing operation in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner by operation

The New Zealand public expect me to manage my farm/forest/growing operation in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner by region Image — The New Zealand public expect me to manage my farm/forest/growing operation in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner by region

There are other issues that constrain me from implementing best practices or adopting new technologies that improve environmental outcomes by operation Image — There are other issues that constrain me from implementing best practices or adopting new technologies that improve environmental outcomes by operation

What is your expectation regarding this land after you retire by operation Image — What is your expectation regarding this land after you retire by operation

What is your expectation regarding this land after you retire by region Image — What is your expectation regarding this land after you retire by region

Enquiries

If you would like to discuss how Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research can help your organisation gain insights from the Survey of Rural Decision Makers, please contact:

Joanne Dow
Principal Engagement Advisor
dowj@landcareresearch.co.nz
04 382 6641

Key contact

Pike Stahlmann-Brown

Principal Scientist, Economics

Chief Scientist

Contact