Journal of NACAA

The Alabama Farm Poll: Insights from the First Iteration of a Biennial Statewide Farm Survey

ISSN 2158-9429

Volume 19, Issue 1 - June 2026

Editor: Bindu Poudel-Ward

Abstract

In early 2025, a team with Alabama Extension and Auburn University Rural Partnership Institute conducted the first iteration of the Alabama Farm Poll, a statewide survey designed to capture agricultural producers’ perspectives on farm resilience, management decision-making, and well-being. In this paper, we report key findings from the pilot survey, related to farm operation satisfaction, farmer well-being, and farmer stress. Results show that a majority of respondents reported being “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their quality of life, despite substantial economic pressures. Over half of the producers who responded to the survey reported that the cost of farmland and the cost of farm inputs were “extremely stressful” or “stressful.” Negotiations with family members about the farm were the least stressful aspect of farming for respondents. These findings reveal a tension between economic pressures and overall well-being, suggesting that non-economic factors, including social relationships and aspects of lifestyle, play an important role in farmers’ quality of life. With the launch of the farm poll model in Alabama, this study contributes context-specific insights from a region that has been underrepresented in survey-based assessments of farmer sentiment. The results offer practical implications for Extension systems and policymakers seeking to address structural stressors while supporting farmer well-being. We also provide guidance for the development of future statewide farm polls.