Although this research project includes several surveys, for this phase of the project
the survey instrument solicited production and financial data, attitudes and beliefs about
farming, as well as demographic questions.
The research instrument was distributed to a sampling frame that also included
small farmers not identified as being successful. This enabled testing of the predictive
value of the “success” domains and their constituent variables/factors for differentiating
“successful” and “less successful” small farmers. This sample represented small
farmers considered by County Extension agents to either not be successful or uncertain
about their success status and will address minorities. This “less successful” group
represented a comparison group for determining the relative value of the success
characteristics variable set.