# Presentation: 373522

## eGovernment Marketing & Grower Relations Program
Farmer Focus Interview Research Findings

Dale Longfellow, President, Cambridge Research, Inc.
Ron Butler, Vice President, CCN Marketing Communications

**Farmer Focus Interview Research Findings**
- Dale Longfellow, President, Cambridge Research, Inc.
- Ron Butler, Vice President, CCN Marketing Communications

## Agenda

**Cambridge Report, Scope of Test & Objectives**
**Methodology & Participants**
**Executive Summary**
**USDA.Gov & FSA Home Page & eForms**
**e-LDP**
**my.USDA (TechReg, ProTracts, Thunder Book, eFOTG)**
**Other Recommendations/Considerations**
**Q&A/Next Steps**

**Agenda**

**Notes:**
High energy Welcome.

Get jazzed.  

Good things are happening:

	EITIRB meeting tomorrow for 30 minutes exclusively on 	eGov

	EC and I will be meeting with DS ideally this week as well 	but may slip to next week

	Relatively positive feedback from OMB based on our 	efforts – only Yellow

Thanks for efforts to date.  Time to roll up sleeves again.

## Scope of Test & Test Objectives

- How much do farmers use the Internet? Why do they go online? Do they visit USDA sites?
- Why did so few Farm Bill Calculator users go on to eForms and e-FILE?
- What turns farmers away from using e-FILE and e-LDP?
- If farmers try e-FILE, will they want to use it again?
- Is e-LDP working properly?
- What do farmers want in USDA eGovernment sites/applications?
- How will they like proposed changes/enhancements such as my.USDA?
- What general attitudes and obstacles impact use of eGovernment by farmers?
- Provide insight and clarify issues for USDA developers.

## Test Methodology

**Interviews:** Qualitative In-depth one-on-one interviews. All computers equipped with broadband. Video and audio taped. Observed by USDA local office in adjoining room.
**Objective:** Exploratory questioning without selling or teaching sites/applications.
**Testers: **Farmers known to be Internet users and suggested by USDA staff. Innovators and Leaders psycho-graphically.
**Tester Diversity: **12 farmers in Springfield, IL area and 12 in Lubbock, TX area provided some geographic and crop diversity, but time precluded focus on diversity of ethnicity, farm size, crops, and other areas.
**Summary of participant demographics:**** **

| Location | Crops | Farm Size Range | Average Farm Size |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Illinois | Corns and Soybeans. Some Livestock | 530 to 3,000 acres | 1,444 acres |
| Texas | Cotton, Sorghum, Wheat, Corn. | 643 to 6,000 acres | 2,400 acres |

## Executive Summary

**Access: **Dial-up Internet access is the norm, especially in Lubbock.
**Relationship to Staff Office: **Farmers prefer the comfort level they have with FSA staff helping assure accuracy. They may be reluctant to use e-Filing even if it saves time and bother.
**Supplier Relationships: **Elevators and Gins handle LDP paperwork for their farmer customers. Many farmers do not fill out own forms ?
**Security Concern: **Data security is not a factor unless Social Security number is requested. Reluctance to disclose personal information may limit “business tool” perception.
**As-Is: ***USDA.gov* home page has little appeal. Farmers desire information that relates directly to their business with USDA.
**To-Be: ***my.USDA* is customer-centered and offers simple customization appealing to growers.

## Internet Usage

**Primary Uses: **Internet is used primarily for weather, markets, product price discovery, parts.
**Frequency of Use: **Internet usage ranges from daily (many in our sample) to weekly or less.
**Connection Speeds: **
***Broadband**** is starting to make inroads, but has a long way to go. Farmers use a variety of satellite (StarBand, DTN SpeedNet), wireless (Prairie I.Net), DSL. Broadband is often seen as too expensive and unnecessary. USDA may need to educate farmers about broadband benefits or consider incentives.*
***Dial-up ****at speeds of**** ****28.8 (or less) kbps impacts how farmers will use eGovernment. Graphics, forms and links load slowly. *

## Interaction With USDA

**At home: **Farms are rarely visited by USDA staff.
**Service Office Dependency: **Farmers make 4-8 visits to USDA offices per year
*Certify acres, sign-up for programs, get help with LDP and loans, power of attorney.*
*The right form is used. Forms are filled out correctly. Answers are filled in ahead of time. Farm history is readily available. This leads to some inertia and some trepidation about going electronic.*
**Willingness to learn: **Many would prefer e-Filing, especially during busy times.
*Would like to be able to certify acreage, complete LDPs, fulfill landlord paperwork burden, sign-up for new programs, and apply for disaster relief. *

## Selected Video Verbatims

- Harry Schirding, Petersburg, IL
- Doug Hlavaty, of Lubbock, TX
- Steve Rackler, of Shallow Water, TX
- Weldon Melton, Plainview, TX
- Randy Brim, Green Valley, IL

## USDA.gov Home Page

- Rarely visited USDA.gov page except for Farm Bill news or sign-up information.
- Page is understood, but holds little appeal for most farmers.
- Farmers seek information directly impacting them.
- The news stories of the Secretary’s activities generally are not thought to be particularly relevant.
- Farmers would visit site more often if they could relate to and use the information.

## Selected Video Verbatims

-   Steve Turner, Chandlerville, IL
-   Steve Rackler, Shallow Water, TX
-   Cody Maines, Lubbock, TX
-   Kevin Riley, Springlake, TX
-   Doug Hlavaty, Lubbock
-   Wendell Barrick, Abernathy, TX
-   Craig Kitten, Lubbock.

-   Tim & Cindy Kinner, New Berlin, IL
-   Neil Parr, Mason City, IL
-   Randy Fornoff, Havana, IL
-   Harry Schirding, Petersburg, IL
-   Larry Clark, Maroa, IL
-   Casey Jones, Lubbock

## FSA and eForms

- FSA home page seen as complete and easy to navigate, but too much information is presented.
- Quick reminders of program deadlines and sign-ups preferred.
*Often buried in the long menu lists.*
*Must scroll down to find in center column.*
- Items in small red type on right menu are harder to read or find topics than those in left menu.
- Only 2 of 22 farmers noticed the e-Forms link in upper right header.
*Farmers don’t expect links there. Reserved for static header, advertising, settings.*
*Color defeats it?*
*Disappears as scroll down. *

## Selected Video Verbatims

- Steve Turner, Chandlerville, IL
- Neil Parr, Mason City, IL
- Steve Rackler, Shallow Water, TX
- Casey Jones, Lubbock

## eForms and e-FILE

- Farmers want forms fast and easy.
*Clicking on Online Forms leads to an confusing intermediate page, “Service Center Agencies Online Services” that farmers do not expect. List of forms should be displayed from Forms links.*
*Common Services, Citizens and Businesses categories force delay, confusion, fear of wrong choice. Both eForms buttons go to the same place, so the breakout is unnecessary. *
*The eForms welcome page adds another undesired step.*
*“**Browse Forms” accesses a confusing search engine, but not a list of forms.*
- Form descriptions must be clear.
*FSA office usually hands them the form, so they don’t need to know its number/name.*
*Many forms are listed by number, but farmers know most forms by name if at all.*
- Farmers like the idea of e-FILING, but found existing application too difficult to be practical.

## Selected Video Verbatims

- Wendell Barrick, Abernathy, TX
- Randy Fornoff, Havana, IL
- Kevin Riley, Springlake, TX
- Kent Nix, Lamesa, TX
- Neil Parr, Mason City, IL
- Craig Kitten, Lubbock
- Dave Sasse, Beason, IL
- Weldon Melton, Plainview, TX
- Cody Maines, Lubbock

## eForms and eFILE

- Confidentiality and security were not significant issues unless asked to provide Social Security number.
- Accuracy and mistakes are the biggest concerns.
*FSA Office staff typically guide farmers through forms.*
*Legalistic questions leave them fearful and guessing.*
*Farmers would like to be able to call FSA office to ensure online forms arrived.*
*Farmers would like a “help line” available 24/7.*
*Would feel they’ve lost a personal connection with USDA.*

## Selected Video Verbatims

- Kent Nix, Lamesa, TX
- Casey Jones, Lubbock
- Dave Clement, Virginia, IL
- Randy Fornoff, Havana, IL
- Kevin Riley, Springlake, TX
- Weldon Melton, Plainview, TX
- Steve Rackler, Shallow Water, TX
- Cody Maines, Lubbock

## FSA and eForms

- The legal questions on the eForms LDP and e-LDP cause concern and unease. For example:
*13. Does more than one producer have an interest in the quantity for this request?*
*14. Do all producers requesting this LDP have title, control, and risk of loss (beneficial interest) in accordance with 7 CFR Part 1421 at the time of this LDP request?*
***"What is the 7CFR Part 1421? How would you answer that in the middle of the night after you've been on the tractor for 12 hours? I don't think my lawyer is up that late."***
*15. Has any producer requesting this LDP entered into a contract or option to purchase either verbally or in writing?*

## Selected Video Verbatims

-   Randy Brim, Green Valley, IL
-   Neil Parr, Mason City, IL
-   Casey Jones, Lubbock
-   Tim & Cynde Kinner, New Berlin, IL
-   Dave Clement, Virginia, IL

-   Larry Clark, Maroa, IL
-   Steve Turner, Chandlerville, IL
-   Weldon Melton, Plainview, TX
-   Linda Taylor, Ropesville, TX
-   Dave Sasse, Beason, IL

## FSA and eFORMS

- Farmers want their farms’ information prepopulated.
*Data is at the FSA office, and perhaps not readily available at the farm office.*
- Farmers want to control where the forms go.
*Distrust of Kansas City.*
*Trust their local FSA office.*
*Verify arrival of form and start of processing.*
- Training sessions may be necessary.

## Selected Video Verbatims

- Mark Schleder, Green Valley, IL
- Dave Sasse, Beason, IL
- Kevin Riley, Springlake, TX
- Dave Clement, Virginia, IL
- Steve Turner, Chandlerville, IL
- Harry Schirding, Petersburg, IL
- Doug Hlavaty, Lubbock
- Randy Fornoff, Havana, IL

## e-LDP

- Farmers found the latest version of e-LDP to be impressive and simple.
- Preferable to a trip to the FSA office.
- Issues remain.
*Faxing is just as easy.*
*Elevators and Gins file LDPs for them.*
*Questions about bins, farms, and crop measurements were unclear or did not allow enough flexibility in answering.*
*Users with shares, partners and landlords, and multiple farms were not accommodated with online application. *
*Can they access the information from more than one computer?*

## Selected Video Verbatims

-   Mark Schleder, Green Valley, IL
-   Dave Clement, Virginia, IL
-   Kevin Riley, Springlake, TX
-   Steve Rackler, Shallow Water, TX
-   Steve Turner, Chandlerville, IL
-   Harry Schirding, Petersburg, IL
-   Randy Brim, Green Valley, IL

-   Dave Sasse, Beason, IL
-   Larry Clark, Maroa, IL
-   Neil Parr, Mason City, IL
-   Kent Nix, Lamesa, TX
-   Linda Taylor, Ropesville, TX
-   Weldon Melton, Plainview, TX
-   Tim & Cynde Kinner, New Berlin, IL

## my.USDA

- Farmers were very favorable toward the my.USDA proposed portal.
*Organizational structure simplified location of information specific to their farms.*
- Farmers want it to have customized information relating to their crops and program dates

## Selected Video Verbatims

-   Craig Kitten, Lubbock
-   Wendell Barrick, Abernathy, TX
-   Randy Fornoff, Havana, IL
-   Cody Maines, Lubbock
-   Harry Schirding, Petersburg, IL
-   Neil Parr, Mason City, IL
-   Steve Turner, Chandlerville, IL
-   Randy Brim, Green Valley, IL

-   Steve Rackler, Shallow Water, TX
-   Mark Schleder, Green Valley, IL
-   Kent Nix, Lamesa, TX
-   Dave Clement, Virginia, IL
-   Kevin Riley, Springlake, TX
-   Dave Sasse, Beason, IL
-   Doug Hlavaty, Lubbock
-   Casey Jones, Lubbock

## TechReg, ProTracts, Thunder Book, eFOTG 

- Reactions to each application were positive.
- Use would depend on whether the grower has NRCS contracts.
- Name ”Thunder Book” caused confusion.
- Simpler terminology, consistent with the “my.USDA” concept would be helpful.
- Informational captions when growers “mouse over” links would help farmers understand occasionally confusing terminology.

## Selected Video Verbatims, TechReg and ProTracts 

- Larry Clark, Maroa, IL
- Steve Turner, Chandlerville, IL
- Neil Parr, Mason City, IL
- Dave Clement, Virginia, IL
- Harry Schirding, Petersburg, IL
- Craig Kitten, Lubbock
- Steve Turner, Chandlerville, IL
- Dave Sasse, Beason, IL

## Selected Video Verbatims, Thunder Book and eFOTG

- Larry Clark, Maroa, IL
- Casey Jones, Lubbock
- Neil Parr, Mason City, IL
- Steve Turner, Chandlerville, IL
- Harry Schirding, Petersburg, IL
- Kent Nix, Lamesa, TX
- Tim & Cynde Kinner, New Berlin, IL

## Other Recommendations/Considerations

***"I’m glad they’re asking people. Instead of just creating a product without asking customers what they want...They're doing the right thing by asking people."***
- Cody Maines, 1,120-acre Cotton Grower, Lubbock, TX
- Farmers were pleased to be asked for their opinions and suggestions.
- Time pressures are intense with large acreages spread across several farms, often in 2 or 3 counties.
- Farmers would like to save time by eliminating trips to the FSA office, but unless USDA sites are easy to download, understand, navigate, and use there is no time saved.
- Even where broadband is available most do not buy it. Designs should take slower connections into account. Other incentives to e-FILE could help.
- Simplify sign-up for e-FILE in line with private sector best practices. Allow local FSA office administrative views and access.

## Other Recommendations/Considerations 

- For the most part, farmers like e-FILE and e-LDP. Most glitches have been addressed, but some remain.
*Simplify how you get to each application. *
*Simplify legalistic questions and terminology.*
*Find ways to make the applications as helpful as the local FSA staff.*
*Indicate mistakes and assist in correcting.*
*Aggregate and provide as much of the farm’s information as possible automatically.*
*Make the farm the focus.*
*24/7 help line. County-level confirmation of receipt and acceptance, via email. *

## Other Recommendations/Considerations 

- Continue development of my.USDA.
*Make it highly but easily customizable.*
*Add FSA tab/functionality.*
*Use easily understood names: My Tech Briefcase, My Field Guides, My Contracts, My Tech People. *
*Provide educational tools such as local seminars/workshops, online guides, 24/7 help line.*
- Reduce unnecessary steps or detours or pages. Strengthen taxonomy with items within a few clicks.
- Develop to the skill level of the majority of the target audience.
- Include suppliers who provide services (LDP), and help local FSA staff promote and backstop e-Filing.

## Q&A, Contact Info

***  ******Questions?***
***  ******Contact Info:***
**	****Ron Butler – CCN**Phone: 573/345-1124E-Mail: ron@ccnmarketing.com
**	****Dale Longfellow – Cambridge Research**Phone: 612/929-8450E-Mail: dalelongfellow@cambridgeresearch.com

## Next Steps

**Discussion.**
**Actions.**