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Soil health initiative long survey

Soil metrics, monitoring and support for soil management

This survey should take you 20-30 minutes to complete. Our goal is to gain broad and detailed information about your perspectives and experiences with managing and monitoring your soils. All survey responses will be kept confidential and anonymous. 
Please tell us a little about your operation
2. What do you raise commercially? (select all that apply)
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Soil conditions and management practices
5. For each soil condition relevant for at least part of your operation, please consider the following questions:
Space Cell To what degree do you think the following are trending as desired? Scale of 1-5, with 1 being very undesirable and 5 being optimalHow do you know? (e.g. e.g general observation, particular on-farm soil test, send in to the lab, monitoring transect, GIS tool, etc)To what degree do you see this as something that can be significantly improved? Scale of 1-5, with 1 being not at all and 5 being high potentialRelative to the other soil health priorities you have, how big a priority is it for you to improve this particular metric? Scale of 1-5, with 1 being not at all a priority and 5 being a top priority
Acidity
Erosion
Salinity
Water availability
Water infiltration
Water quality
Bare ground
Noxious weeds
Chemical-resistant weeds
Beneficial insects
Pests
Chemical-resistant pests
Microbial diversity
Microbial activity
Plant diversity
Net carbon capture
Nutrient runoff
Overall productivity
Other
6. How do you view the utility or potential utility of the following practices or strategies for your Montana operation?
Space Cell To what degree has this showed promise or do you feel that it may show promise? Scale of 1-5, with 1 being not at all a priority and 5 being a top priorityAnything that would help make this more useful or relevant?Relative to the other items, how important is this strategy or practice to you? Scale of 1-5, with 1 being not at all a priority and 5 being a top priority
Reduced fertilizer or improved timing and targeting
Reduced liming
Improved timing and targeting of liming
Greater diversity in crop rotation
Cover cropping
Intercropping
Zero-till (disc drill)
No-till (hoe drill)
Strip till
Integrating livestock into cropping systems
Type or method of irrigation
Planned grazing/AMP/MIG
Rest rotation grazing
Adjustment to stocking rates
Incorporating multi-species into grazing
Decreased chemical use
Improved chemical targeting and timing
Tissue testing
Biological soil testing
Biological amendments
Other
7. Please select the practices (in each column) that you see as contributing positively to a given metric (in each row).
Space Cell Planned grazing/ AMP/ MIGMulti-species in grazingPlan stocking rate for droughtType of irrigationZero-till (disc drill)No-till (hoe drill)Strip tillContinuous croppingRotating crops/ perennialsCover cropsInter- croppingIntegrating livestock into cropping systemsContract grazing or provide forageReduced fertilizer or improved timing/ targeting
Erosion
Net carbon capture
Acidity
Beneficial insects
Salinity
Nutrient runoff
Bare ground
Plant diversity
Pests
Chemical-resistant pests
Weeds
Chemical-resistant weeds
Water infiltration/Compaction
Overall productivity
Existing assistance on soils
8. For each form of assistance that you already utilize or have utilized, please consider:
Space Cell Programs, networks, organizations, or certifications that are helpful to youSuggestions for how to improve?Relative to the other items, how important is this form of assistance to you? Scale of 1-5, with 1 being not very important and 5 being of great importanceAnything else you'd like to share?
Technical assistance
Monitoring or testing availability
Formal research
Index or baseline for soil health metrics in your region against which to compare your data
Improved peer-to-peer networking and education
Basic soils education
Cost share to purchase equipment or do projects
Changes to crop insurance
Market development for specialty crops
Improved management of wildlife impacts or mitigation of those impacts (e.g. elk grazing)
Payments for ecosystem services (e.g. Conservation Stewardship Program)
Markets for ecosystem services (e.g. carbon sequestration)
Better markets for specialty crops or livestock
Better infrastructure for processing crops or livestock
Farm-ranch networking to match livestock producers looking for forage with farmers looking to lease livestock or livestock services
Other
New assistance on soils
9. Please consider whether you have any suggestions for new forms of assistance or ways of delivering it:
Space Cell What else would be helpful in these categories that is not currently available?How should it be provided?Which type of entity(ies) might be best way deliver this assistance? (e.g. agency, non-profits, conservation districts, a coalition of groups, university, etc)Relative to the other items, how important would this new assistance be for you? Scale of 1-5, with 1 being not at all a priority and 5 being a top priority
Technical assistance
Monitoring or testing availability
Formal research
Index or baseline for soil health metrics in your region against which to compare your data
Improved peer-to-peer networking and education
Basic soils education
Cost share to purchase equipment or do projects
Changes to crop insurance
Market development for specialty crops
Improved management of wildlife impacts or mitigation of those impacts (e.g. elk grazing)
Payments for ecosystem services (e.g. Conservation Stewardship Program)
Markets for ecosystem services (e.g. carbon sequestration)
Better markets for specialty crops or livestock
Better infrastructure for processing crops or livestock
Farm-ranch networking to match livestock producers looking for forage with farmers looking to lease livestock or livestock services
Other
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