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aHD9001 N27
umj>a Prices Received
Standardized
United States Questionnaire Research
Department of
Agriculture
Project
Zulma T. Riberas
National
Agricultural
Statistics
Service
Research and
Development Division
Washington, DC 20250
RDD Research Report
Number RDD-04-01
August 2004
\
The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of NASS or USDA. This report was prepared
for limited distribution to the research community outside the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Prices Received Specification Team requested assistance from the Data Quality Research
Section (DQRS) of the Research and Development Division (RDD) in designing and testing a
standardized Crops and Oilseed Prices Received by Farmers Survey questionnaire that was
consistent across all program states. This new questionnaire had to be able to accommodate the
unique situations existing in each state and was required to follow established NASS formatting
guidelines.
The goal of this research project was to design and test a new standardized version of the Prices
Received by Farmers Survey questionnaire, and to collect supplemental data to determine if
survey results would be different under the two forms. The research design did not allow the
determination of whether the standardized form or the current form performed better at collecting
prices received information.
A two-phase research plan was developed to create and test this standardized questionnaire. The
first phase of the plan consisted of designing and pretesting the new standardized questionnaire
in several states. The second phase consisted of a comparison of the new and existing
questionnaires using a supplemental sample in selected states. Data from the supplemental
sample were summarized and compared to corresponding summarized data from the operational
sample for these states.
Results from this project produced little evidence to suggest that there are differences between
the estimates produced from data obtained from the current and standardized questionnaires.
Both forms are adequate for collecting information for the Prices Received by Farmers Survey.
The final decision about which form will be used to collect information for the Prices Received
by Farmers Survey will come from the Prices Received Specifications Team.
In addition, the author has two recommendations outside the goals outlined for this project.
These recommendations are: conducting detailed Operation Profile initial interviews and
including more detailed instructions within the sections of the questionnaire.
1
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. This author strongly recommends continuing conducting detailed Operation Profile initial
interviews. Collecting high quality information during the initial interview may help answer
questions when collecting monthly prices received data. This interview can help identify items
which the respondent cannot complete correctly or cannot estimate for each month. It can also
help to educate respondents of all the details they need to be aware of when reporting monthly
prices and quantities.
2. The author also recommends including more detailed instructions within the sections of the
questionnaire. This could help improve the quality of the data collected. Interviewers should be
instructed to go over these instructions with the respondents during the initial interview.
11
PRICES RECEIVED STANDARDIZED
QUESTIONNAIRE RESEARCH PROJECT
1
Zulma T. Riberas
The Data Quality Research Section (DQRS) of the Research and Development Division (RDD)
was assigned the task of designing and testing a standardized Prices Received by Farmers Survey
questionnaire to be used for all program states. A two-phase research plan was developed to create
and test this standardized questionnaire. The first phase consisted of designing and pretesting the
new standardized questionnaire in several states. The second phase compared the new and existing
questionnaires using a supplemental sample in selected states. Data from the supplemental sample
were summarized and compared to corresponding summarized data from the operational sample
for these states.
KEY WORDS: Standardized questionnaires. Prices Received, pretesting
1. INTRODUCTION AND In addition to the survey questionnaire, states
BACKGROUND are required to complete an Operation Profile
form for everyone in the sample. The profiles
The National Agricultural Statistics Service have three main functions: to screen out
(NASS) conducts the Prices Received by respondents who do not purchase any of the
Farmers Survey in 30 states on a monthly basis. commodities of interest from farmers, to
Most of the program states utilize different document any item that the respondent cannot
questionnaire versions. The questionnaire complete correctly or cannot estimate for each
versions accommodate differences in month, and to educate respondents of all the
commodities across states as well as a variety of details they need to be aware of when
unit-related issues and personal preferences calculating monthly prices and quantities.
(e.g., font size, paper size, use of logos, etc.).
The Prices Received by Farmers Survey The accuracy of the data collected is of extreme
questionnaires are mailed to the respondents, importance since Counter-Cyclical Payments
who are asked to complete them and either mail from the Federal Government through the Farm
or fax them back to the state offices. Non¬ Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 are
response follow up is performed by telephone made based, in part, on the reported commodity
enumerators in most states. prices. These prices are one of the primary
components used to calculate the amount of the
payments made to the farmers. A one-cent
1 Zulma Riberas is a Survey Statistician at the National difference in the market year average price
Agricultural Statistics Service, 3251 Old Lee Highway,
could result in a change either way, of more than
Room 305, Fairfax, VA 22030. The author would like to
$80 million in payments to com producers, over
thank Larry Beard, Daniel Beckler, Rhonda Brandt,
$70 million to cotton producers, and more than
Michael Easdale, Gail Gregory, David Hancock, Lori
Harper, John Lee, Kerry McBride, Gretchen McClung, $20 million each to soybean and wheat
Brad Summa, and all the state offices involved in producers.
collecting data for this report.
1
The Prices Received Specifications Team Farmers Survey questionnaire that addressed the
requested assistance from the Data Quality needs of each of the program states, yet was
Research Section (DQRS) of the Research and consistent across them. The details of Phase 1
Development Division (RDD) in designing and are as follows.
testing a standardized Prices Received by
Farmers Survey questionnaire that was DQRS reviewed all questionnaire versions used
consistent across all program states. This new in the program states to identify unique
questionnaire had to be able to accommodate situations that existed across states. It was
the unique situations existing in each state and found that questionnaire versions among states
was required to follow established NASS varied mostly in the paper size and font size
formatting guidelines. used. Some states also included additional
questions pertaining to their individual
A two-phase research plan was developed to programs.
create and test this standardized questionnaire.
The first phase of the plan consisted of The DQRS drafted a standardized questionnaire
designing and pretesting the new standardized (see Appendix A) which was circulated for
questionnaire in several states. The second comments to all program states, the
phase consisted of a comparison of the new and Environmental, Economic, and Demographics
existing questionnaires using a supplemental Branch (EEDB), the Crops Branch (CB), the
sample in selected states. Data from the Questionnaire Design Section (QDS) and other
supplemental sample were summarized and involved parties. Their comments were
compared to corresponding summarized data evaluated and changes were made to the
from the operational sample for these states. questionnaire.
The goal of this research project was to design The final draft of the questionnaire was
and test a new standardized version of the Prices pretested using cognitive interviews. Face-to-
Received by Farmers Survey questionnaire, and face pretest interviews were conducted with
to collect supplemental data to determine if firms in the current operational sample. DQRS
survey results would be different in the prepared a cognitive interview protocol for all
operational versus the standardized versions. interviewers to use. The pretest protocol
The research design did not allow the included probing questions to assess the
determination of whether the standardized form respondents’ understanding of the instructions
or the current form performed better at on the questionnaire, as well as whether or not
collecting prices received information. the instructions were actually -used. A
teleconference was conducted in early May
2003 with all the states which were asked to
2. METHODS participate in the pretest. The purpose of this
teleconference was to go over all pretesting
2.1 Phase 1: Standardized Questionnaire materials which included: the Instructions for
Design and Pretest Pretesters, the Pretest Probe Questionnaire, the
Interview Rating Form, and the new version of
The first phase of this research plan consisted of the state Questionnaires and Instructions (see
designing a standardized Prices Received by Appendices B - E).
2
