The Progressive Farmer commissioned a poll on farming and rural life by the Zogby opinion polling organization. Three thousand adults living in rural America were interviewed. Politically, they remain overwhelmingly Republican (50% support McCain; 35% support Obama; 11% indicated "none of the above"); but their main concerns are the economics of farming and rural living, not political ideology in a philosophical sense. The rising costs of production inputs, such as fertilizer, and rising land costs and land rents are squeezing farming profits, even as commodity prices rise.
A question that interests me concerns land use: "What, if anything, is deteriorating landowner rights?" The answers:
- Increased government regulations -- 61%
- Land-use restrictions -- 51%
- Environmental restrictions -- 50%
- I do not think landowner rights are deteriorating -- 17%
- None of the above -- 2%
- Not sure/other -- 20%
On issue statements, to which the interviewee could agree, disagree, or indicate not sure, taxes and education obtained overwhelming assent.
"The amount of taxes people pay does not match the services provided by the government"
- Agree -- 81%
- Disagree -- 16%
- Not sure -- 4%
"The quality of rural education needs to be improved"
- Agree -- 72%
- Disagree -- 23%
- Not sure -- 5%
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