From foedc@igc.apc.orgSat May 4 11:49:29 1996 Date: Fri, 3 May 1996 13:03:24 -0700 (PDT) From: Friends of the Earth To: sanet-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu Subject: Attn Farmers (attachment) Saneters: The following is the questionaire I referred to in my previous message. Thanks again for your participation. Jenn Crawford Friends of the Earth e-mail: crawfoj@rtk.net fax: 202-783-0444 phone:202-783-7400, ext. 237 Questions for Case Studies on Pesticide/Agriculture/Groundwater Project THE BASICS 1. How many acres and what crops are you currently farming free from or with lower levels of insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides than you previously used? Please explain. 2. When did you begin growing pesticide free or with levels of pesticides lower than those of conventional growers? 3. To your knowledge, what pesticides and at what application rates do conventional farmers use for farming the crops you grow? 4. What pesticide control methods are you using for each crop? [please explain] -crop rotation, -other herbicides, -fungicides, -insecticides, - reduced application of pesticides (quantity, delay), -other 5. What are the biggest barriers you face to farming pesticide- free or with reduced rates of pesticides? 6. What are your fertilizer application rates, if any? Do you do soil tests prior to application? GROUNDWATER: 7. Do you know which pesticides present a threat or have contaminated groundwater in your area? 8. Do you believe the a) current standards for pesticides, b) testing of water quality, and c) enforcement of pesticide standards in groundwater are adequate? a) b) c) 9. Would you like more information on pesticides and water quality? COMMON PRACTICES 10. To your knowledge, how many other farmers in your region are also farming the same crops that you do without pesticides or with reduced amounts of pesticides? conventional farmers:____________ organic farmers:__________________ reduced-pesticide farmers:________ 11. Has this changed in the past 5 to 10 years? 12. What are the attitudes of fellow farmers/colleagues of your farming practices? 13. What crops are easier to farm without pesticides? Why? For what crops is finding alternatives more difficult? 14. What might help you to reduce your pesticide use? PERFORMANCE 15. From your crops that you are growing free of pesticides, are you making a profit? Are you making a profit from the pesticides that you are growing with reduced level of pesticides? For each of your crops, what are your . . . a) annual input costs: b) crop yields: c) annual revenue: 16. For each of your crops, how do your annual input costs, crop yields, and annual revenue compare to before you changed methods? a) annual input costs: (worse than/equivalent/better than) b) crop yields: (worse than/equivalent/better than) c) annual revenue: (worse than/equivalent/better than) 17. How do your annual input costs, crop yields, and annual revenue respectively compare with those of equivalent farmers who use pesticides? a) annual input costs: (worse than/equivalent/better than) b) crop yields: (worse than/equivalent/better than) c) annual revenue: (worse than/equivalent/better than) 19. What other benefits (ie: improved soil quality; reduced pest problems; changes in health) do you attribute to your farming practices? 20. Anything else you would like to contribute? (feel free to use the back of the page) Dear Farm Manager: I am a fellow at Friends of the Earth in Washington D.C. and could use your help. We are working on a project designed to protect our nation's groundwater. Part of the study involves identifying pioneers such as yourself who have already or are in the process of reducing or eliminating pesticides. I am writing to ask you to participate. We want to include in our study on pesticides in groundwater evidence of alternative farmers who are minimizing the use of pesticides that leach to groundwater. By participating in our . . . . . Thank you again for your participation.