Cobleskill Ag Opinion Survey

Please help us develop an Agricultural Protection Plan for the Town of Cobleskill by checking the appropriate box or by writing in the answer. Some questions will ask for only one response while others will ask for multiple answers. Also, if you would prefer to complete a hard copy of the survey, please feel free to pick up a printed survey form at the Town Hall.

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1. If you would like to receive more information on the Agricultural Protection Plan for the Town of Cobleskill, please provide your contact information below. Otherwise you may skip this question.

Name:

Company:

Address:

City/Town:

State:

ZIP/Postal Code:

Email Address:

Phone Number:

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2. Please tell us your relationship to the Town of Cobleskill.

I am a resident of the Town

I am a farmer or other business owner in the Town

I shop in Cobleskill

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3. Please tell us how familiar you are with farming:

	Yes	No
Have you ever lived on a farm?	Have you ever lived on a farm? Yes	Have you ever lived on a farm? No
Have you ever owned or operated a farm?	Have you ever owned or operated a farm? Yes	Have you ever owned or operated a farm? No
Do you live near (within 1/4 mile) of a farm?	Do you live near (within 1/4 mile) of a farm? Yes	Do you live near (within 1/4 mile) of a farm? No
Is or was that farmer a good neighbor?	Is or was that farmer a good neighbor? Yes	Is or was that farmer a good neighbor? No

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4. When was the last time you visited a farm?

Within last year

Within last 2-10 years

More than 10 years ago

Never

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5. Which of the following represent your view of Cobleskill agriculture over the last 10 years?

Agriculture is a declining industry with no future growth potential

Agriculture is holding its own as an industry and may have some future growth potential

Agriculture is an expanding industry with significant future growth potential

Agriculture is important to this area for a variety of reasons, both economic and non-economic.

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6. Which of the following businesses do you regularly patronize?

Christmas tree farms

CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture)

Custom-cut meat processors

Farm and garden stores

Farm open houses

Farm tourism sites (corn mazes, etc.)

Fruit and vegetable stands

Greenhouses and nurseries

Horse farms or stables

Local sawmills

Stores featuring local dairy products

Stores featuring other local farm products

U-pick fruit or vegetable operations

Other (please specify)

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7. What features, if any, cause you to spend more for food?

	Not important	Somewhat important	Very important
Animals humanely treated	Animals humanely treated Not important	Animals humanely treated Somewhat important	Animals humanely treated Very important
Convenience	Convenience Not important	Convenience Somewhat important	Convenience Very important
Large selection	Large selection Not important	Large selection Somewhat important	Large selection Very important
Leaner and less fat	Leaner and less fat Not important	Leaner and less fat Somewhat important	Leaner and less fat Very important
No hormones or antibiotics	No hormones or antibiotics Not important	No hormones or antibiotics Somewhat important	No hormones or antibiotics Very important
Organically produced	Organically produced Not important	Organically produced Somewhat important	Organically produced Very important
Pasture-raised	Pasture-raised Not important	Pasture-raised Somewhat important	Pasture-raised Very important
Produced in New York York State	Produced in New York York State Not important	Produced in New York York State Somewhat important	Produced in New York York State Very important
Produced locally (Cobleskill)	Produced locally (Cobleskill) Not important	Produced locally (Cobleskill) Somewhat important	Produced locally (Cobleskill) Very important
Produced locally (Schoharie County)	Produced locally (Schoharie County) Not important	Produced locally (Schoharie County) Somewhat important	Produced locally (Schoharie County) Very important
Produced on farm of known high standards	Produced on farm of known high standards Not important	Produced on farm of known high standards Somewhat important	Produced on farm of known high standards Very important
Produced on known family farm	Produced on known family farm Not important	Produced on known family farm Somewhat important	Produced on known family farm Very important
Superior nutrition	Superior nutrition Not important	Superior nutrition Somewhat important	Superior nutrition Very important
Superior taste	Superior taste Not important	Superior taste Somewhat important	Superior taste Very important

Other (please specify)

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8. What features, if any, would cause you to buy more of your food locally?

	Not important	Somewhat important	Very important
Better locations	Better locations Not important	Better locations Somewhat important	Better locations Very important
Better presentations of products	Better presentations of products Not important	Better presentations of products Somewhat important	Better presentations of products Very important
Better service	Better service Not important	Better service Somewhat important	Better service Very important
Different hours or seasons	Different hours or seasons Not important	Different hours or seasons Somewhat important	Different hours or seasons Very important
Higher quality products	Higher quality products Not important	Higher quality products Somewhat important	Higher quality products Very important
More activities to make shopping an event	More activities to make shopping an event Not important	More activities to make shopping an event Somewhat important	More activities to make shopping an event Very important
More advertising and promotion as reminders	More advertising and promotion as reminders Not important	More advertising and promotion as reminders Somewhat important	More advertising and promotion as reminders Very important
More variety in selections	More variety in selections Not important	More variety in selections Somewhat important	More variety in selections Very important

Other (please specify)

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9. Please tell us whether you agree or disagree with the following:

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10. Please, if you are a Town of Cobleskill resident, tell us whether you would support the following measures by the Town?

	Would NOT support	Would support	Would strongly support	N/A
Allowing more or larger signs for farm stands to promote small farm activities?	Allowing more or larger signs for farm stands to promote small farm activities? Would NOT support	Allowing more or larger signs for farm stands to promote small farm activities? Would support	Allowing more or larger signs for farm stands to promote small farm activities? Would strongly support	Allowing more or larger signs for farm stands to promote small farm activities? N/A
Creating a program through grants, donations and a tax on real estate transfers to pay farmers for temporarily (15-25 years) surrendering their development rights?	Creating a program through grants, donations and a tax on real estate transfers to pay farmers for temporarily (15-25 years) surrendering their development rights? Would NOT support	Creating a program through grants, donations and a tax on real estate transfers to pay farmers for temporarily (15-25 years) surrendering their development rights? Would support	Creating a program through grants, donations and a tax on real estate transfers to pay farmers for temporarily (15-25 years) surrendering their development rights? Would strongly support	Creating a program through grants, donations and a tax on real estate transfers to pay farmers for temporarily (15-25 years) surrendering their development rights? N/A
Creating a program to temporarily (15-25 years) grant participating farmers further tax decreases in return for surrendering development rights?	Creating a program to temporarily (15-25 years) grant participating farmers further tax decreases in return for surrendering development rights? Would NOT support	Creating a program to temporarily (15-25 years) grant participating farmers further tax decreases in return for surrendering development rights? Would support	Creating a program to temporarily (15-25 years) grant participating farmers further tax decreases in return for surrendering development rights? Would strongly support	Creating a program to temporarily (15-25 years) grant participating farmers further tax decreases in return for surrendering development rights? N/A
Developing a Town of Cobleskill brochure to promote more agricultural tourism ventures through driving tours and the like?	Developing a Town of Cobleskill brochure to promote more agricultural tourism ventures through driving tours and the like? Would NOT support	Developing a Town of Cobleskill brochure to promote more agricultural tourism ventures through driving tours and the like? Would support	Developing a Town of Cobleskill brochure to promote more agricultural tourism ventures through driving tours and the like? Would strongly support	Developing a Town of Cobleskill brochure to promote more agricultural tourism ventures through driving tours and the like? N/A
Developing new outlets for farm products?	Developing new outlets for farm products? Would NOT support	Developing new outlets for farm products? Would support	Developing new outlets for farm products? Would strongly support	Developing new outlets for farm products? N/A
Encouraging more small farm activities (less than $10,000 per year gross income) on otherwise residential properties?	Encouraging more small farm activities (less than $10,000 per year gross income) on otherwise residential properties? Would NOT support	Encouraging more small farm activities (less than $10,000 per year gross income) on otherwise residential properties? Would support	Encouraging more small farm activities (less than $10,000 per year gross income) on otherwise residential properties? Would strongly support	Encouraging more small farm activities (less than $10,000 per year gross income) on otherwise residential properties? N/A
Increasing minimum lot sizes in areas with karst issues to protect water supplies?	Increasing minimum lot sizes in areas with karst issues to protect water supplies? Would NOT support	Increasing minimum lot sizes in areas with karst issues to protect water supplies? Would support	Increasing minimum lot sizes in areas with karst issues to protect water supplies? Would strongly support	Increasing minimum lot sizes in areas with karst issues to protect water supplies? N/A
Increasing the minimum lot size in agricultural zoning districts to restrict development and prevent conflicts with agriculture?	Increasing the minimum lot size in agricultural zoning districts to restrict development and prevent conflicts with agriculture? Would NOT support	Increasing the minimum lot size in agricultural zoning districts to restrict development and prevent conflicts with agriculture? Would support	Increasing the minimum lot size in agricultural zoning districts to restrict development and prevent conflicts with agriculture? Would strongly support	Increasing the minimum lot size in agricultural zoning districts to restrict development and prevent conflicts with agriculture? N/A
Promoting conservation subdivision techniques that would allow farmers to sell lots provided they kept most of the farmland intact and in farm use?	Promoting conservation subdivision techniques that would allow farmers to sell lots provided they kept most of the farmland intact and in farm use? Would NOT support	Promoting conservation subdivision techniques that would allow farmers to sell lots provided they kept most of the farmland intact and in farm use? Would support	Promoting conservation subdivision techniques that would allow farmers to sell lots provided they kept most of the farmland intact and in farm use? Would strongly support	Promoting conservation subdivision techniques that would allow farmers to sell lots provided they kept most of the farmland intact and in farm use? N/A

Other (please specify)

	Diasgree	Agree
Agriculture and farming are high-technology industries	Agriculture and farming are high-technology industries Diasgree	Agriculture and farming are high-technology industries Agree
Farmers are good neighbors	Farmers are good neighbors Diasgree	Farmers are good neighbors Agree
Farmers get paid too little for their labor	Farmers get paid too little for their labor Diasgree	Farmers get paid too little for their labor Agree
Farmers get too many tax breaks already	Farmers get too many tax breaks already Diasgree	Farmers get too many tax breaks already Agree
Farmers need to act more like other businesses and compete	Farmers need to act more like other businesses and compete Diasgree	Farmers need to act more like other businesses and compete Agree
Farming doesn't have much of a future in this area	Farming doesn't have much of a future in this area Diasgree	Farming doesn't have much of a future in this area Agree
Farming enhances the scenic beauty of Cobleskill	Farming enhances the scenic beauty of Cobleskill Diasgree	Farming enhances the scenic beauty of Cobleskill Agree
Farming is positive for the environment	Farming is positive for the environment Diasgree	Farming is positive for the environment Agree
Farming presents a good career opportunity for bright, enterprising individuals	Farming presents a good career opportunity for bright, enterprising individuals Diasgree	Farming presents a good career opportunity for bright, enterprising individuals Agree
Farming preserves valuable open space	Farming preserves valuable open space Diasgree	Farming preserves valuable open space Agree
Farmland preservation incentives are important to the area	Farmland preservation incentives are important to the area Diasgree	Farmland preservation incentives are important to the area Agree
Loans and grants to develop farm enterprises in the area are important	Loans and grants to develop farm enterprises in the area are important Diasgree	Loans and grants to develop farm enterprises in the area are important Agree
Local farmers deliver generally high-quality products	Local farmers deliver generally high-quality products Diasgree	Local farmers deliver generally high-quality products Agree
Tax breaks for farmers are important	Tax breaks for farmers are important Diasgree	Tax breaks for farmers are important Agree
The price of food is too high	The price of food is too high Diasgree	The price of food is too high Agree
The price of most farm food commodities is relatively low	The price of most farm food commodities is relatively low Diasgree	The price of most farm food commodities is relatively low Agree

Question Title

1. If you would like to receive more information on the Agricultural Protection Plan for the Town of Cobleskill, please provide your contact information below. Otherwise you may skip this question.

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2. Please tell us your relationship to the Town of Cobleskill.

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3. Please tell us how familiar you are with farming:

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4. When was the last time you visited a farm?

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5. Which of the following represent your view of Cobleskill agriculture over the last 10 years?

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6. Which of the following businesses do you regularly patronize?

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7. What features, if any, cause you to spend more for food?

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8. What features, if any, would cause you to buy more of your food locally?

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9. Please tell us whether you agree or disagree with the following:

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10. Please, if you are a Town of Cobleskill resident, tell us whether you would support the following measures by the Town?

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11. Do you have some additional ideas you'd like to share with us for the Town of Cobleskill Agricultural Plan?