POLL RESULTS, 2002 and 2003

1
POLL RESULTS, 2002 and 2003

• For each conference, Dr. Boyd commissioned a poll
  of Alabamans on attitudes toward rural life, or
  toward land use and land value. About 100 people
  responded to each poll. The margin of error is
  about - 5 for any given question. The
  following slides give selected results.

2
Selected Results from 2002 Poll onAttitudes
Toward Rural Life

• 56 think Alabama is a leading agricultural state
  in the U.S.
• 77 think Alabama soil and water is well suited
  for agriculture
• 90 think that the climate is well suited for
  agriculture
• Over 50 know that the number of farms has
  declined
• 53 know that farming is generally not profitable
• 73 know that farmers need a second income
• 60 are willing to pay more for food to protect
  farms
• 76 are willing to limit imports to protect farms
• Only 4 felt that agriculture was the leading
  cause of pollution

3
Selected Results from 2003 Poll onLand Use, Land
Value, Land Taxes

• A selection of slides follows this summary
• Many people bought and sold land. Land moves in
  the market.
• People want rural land kept in stereotypical row
  crop farms and orchards.
• People do not know that Alabama is largely
  forested.
• People think that owners should be free to do
  whatever they wish with their land.
• At the same time, they think that owners should
  be good stewards and should keep rural land as
  natural as possible.
• People support current use evaluation for taxes.
• At the same time, most people thought that rural
  land taxes were more than 2 per acres, or more
  than 5 per acre, and that this was fair.

4
Motivations for Past Future Purchases of Rural
Land
5
B-1.Perceived Economic ValueEstimates of Current
versus Fair Annual Taxes on Rural Land
6
B-1.Perceived Economic ValueEstimates of Current
versus Fair Annual Taxes on Rural Land
7
C-1. Rural Land Usage

• Respondents indicated whether or not each of 11
  land uses would be acceptable

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D-1. Maintenance Protection

• 56.1 agreed that rural landowners should be
  awarded government subsidies to maintain land in
  its natural state.
• 61.3 agreed that more rural land should be put
  into protected state or national forests.

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D-2. Maintenance Protection
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D-2. Maintenance Protection