Indirect Monetary Incentives with a Complex Agricultural Establishment Survey

• Activity Number: 107
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Monday, August 7, 2006 : 8:30 AM to 10:20 AM
• Sponsor: Section on Survey Research Methods
• Author(s): Daniel Beckler*+ and Kathleen Ott
• Companies: National Agricultural Statistics Service and National Agricultural Statistics Service
• Keywords: response rate ; financial incentives ; agricultural survey

Abstract

The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service conducts agricultural surveys. One of the most complex is the Agricultural Resource Management Survey Phase III, which collects detailed economic data, such as assets, expenses, income, debt, and operator characteristics. Part of this survey's sample uses a 16-page questionnaire with mail-out/mail-back data collection and face-to-face nonresponse follow up. Both prepaid and promised indirect monetary incentives were used in 2004 to increase mail response rates and reduce costly face-to-face follow-up interviews. Five treatment groups, including a control group, were used for the incentive experiment. Prepaid and promised indirect cash incentives---in the form of $20 ATM cards---and priority mail were used as stimuli. Response rates, ATM card usage, and costs for the treatment groups will be presented.