THE BEST PLACE TO DAIRY - SURVEY

To calculate your own county's score, first complete the survey. Then use the following formula to calculate your final score:

[(Average 9197 net mailbox price + markets category point total) X .3] +
[(Inputs category point total) X .2] + [(Overall business climate category point total) x .2] +
[(Quality of life category point total) X .15] = Final score

Rankings:

Excellent: 19 or higher
Very good: 18 or higher
Good: 17 or higher
Fair: Less than 17

CATEGORY - MARKETS

1. 1997 USDA average mailbox price for the county:

$_____/cwt.

2. How many milk handlers (co-ops, proprietary plants, fluid milk processors, etc.) can a dairy producer in your county ship their milk to?

(3 points) _____ more than 5
(2 points) _____ 4 to 5
(1 point ) _____ 3 or fewer

3. What percentage of milk handlers working with dairy producers in your county offer milk quality and/or volume premiums?

(3 points) _____ 70% to 100%
(2 points) _____ 36% to 69%
(1 point) _____ 35% or less

4. In general, which of the following statements best describes the market situation in your county?

(3 points) _____ The milk handlers doing business here are actively recruiting new shippers (dairy producers) or encouraging existing producers to expand because they don't have enough milk to meet their needs.
(2 points) _____ The milk handlers here are not actively recruiting or encouraging expansion, but they're not turning away milk either.
(1 point) _____ The milk handlers here are turning away producers because they have more milk than they know what to do with.

 

CATEGORY - INPUT COSTS
5. Over the past year, how much did a dairy producer in your county pay for alfalfa hay with a relative feed value of 150 delivered to the dairy.

(3 points) _____ less than $120 per ton
(2 points) _____ $120 to $150 per ton
(1 point) _____ more than $150 per ton

6. Over the past year, how much did a dairy producer in your county pay for 44% soybean meal delivered to the dairy?

(3 points) _____ less than $220 per ton
(2 points) _____ $220-250 per ton
(1 point) _____ more than $250 per ton

7. How difficult is it for dairy producers in your county to find qualified dairy labor?

(3 points) _____ not very difficult
(2 points) _____ somewhat difficult
(1 point) _____ very difficult

8. What is the average annual salary (including benefits) for a herdsperson in your county?

(3 points) _____ less than $30,000 per year
(2 points) _____ $30,000 to $40,000 per year
(1 point) _____ more than $40,000 per year

9. What is the average hourly wage for a full-time milker in your county?

(3 points) _____ less than $7 per hour
(2 points) _____ $7.01 to $10 per hour
(1 point) _____ more than $10 per hour

10. What is the average milk hauling cost charged by haulers in your county?

(3 points) _____ 50¢ per cwt. or less
(2 points) _____ 51¢ to $1 per cwt.
(1 point) _____ more than $1 per cwt.

11. If a dairy producer in your county wanted to build a new facility on a 40-acre vacant land site, how much would he or she pay per acres?

(3 points) _____ $500 per acre or less
(2 points) _____ $501 to $1,000 per acre
(1 point) _____ more than $1,000 per acre

CATEGORY - OVERALL BUSINESS CLIMATE

12. How many veterinarians (bovine practitioners) make their services available to dairies in your county?

(3 points) _____ 11 or more
(2 points) _____ 7 to 10
(1 point) _____ 6 or fewer

13. How many dairy nutritionists/consultants make their services available to dairies in your county?

(3 points) _____ 7 or more
(2 points) _____ 4 to 6
(1 point) _____ 3 or fewer

14. How adequate is the service infrastructure for dairies in your county?

(3 points) _____ We have dairy equipment dealers competing strongly for producer business.
(2 points) _____ We have a few dealers in the area that provide adequate, timely service.
(1 point) _____ Adequate service from dealers is a real concern for our producers.

15. Which of the following statements would best sum up the knowledge of bankers and other lending institutions based in you county toward dairying?

(3 points) _____ Most of the bankers in this area have excellent overall knowledge of the dairy industry.
(2 points) _____ Most of the bankers in this area are somewhat familiar with the dairy industry.
(1 point) _____ Most bankers in this county don't know beans about the dairy industry.

16. On average, how far would a dairy producer in your county have to drive to reach a regular weekly cattle auction?

(3 points) _____ 30 miles or less
(2 points) _____ 31 miles to 60 miles
(1 point) _____ more than 60 miles

17. How far away is the main campus of the state land grant University from the county seat in your county?

(3 points) _____ 60 miles or less
(2 points) _____ 61 to 120 miles
(1 point) _____ more than 120 miles

18. How many new dairies-with 100 or more cows-have started operation in your county within the last 12 months?

(3 points) _____ more than 3
(2 points) _____ 2 to 3
(1 point) _____ none or 1

19. How many dairies in your county -with 40 cows or more-have exited the dairy business within the last 12 months?

(3 points) _____ none or 1
(2 points) _____ 2 to 5
(1 point) _____ 6 or more

20. Does your state have a statewide professional dairy producers organization?

(3 points) _____ yes (0 points) _____ no

21. If dairy producers in your county were asked to describe the effect of taxes (property, income, etc.) how would they likely respond?

(3 points) _____ Most would say that taxes are no problem.
(2 points) _____ Most would say that taxes are not much of a problem.
(0 points) _____ Most would say that taxes are a big, big problem.

22. How burdensome are environmental regulations for dairy producers trying to do business in your county?

(3 points) _____ not burdensome
(2 points) _____ somewhat of a concern
(0 points) _____ very burdensome

23. Is urban encroachment a concern for dairies in your county?

(3 points) _____ It is of no concern here.
(2 points) _____ Yes, it is somewhat of a concern.
(0 points) _____ Yes, it is a major problem.

CATEGORY - QUALITY OF LIFE
24. How much of a problem is automobile traffic in your county?

(3 points) _____ not a problem
(2 points) _____ somewhat of a problem
(0 points) _____ a big problem

25. How much of an issue is crime for the average person in your county?

(3 points) _____ not an issue
(2 points) _____ somewhat of an issue
(0 points) _____ very much of an issue

26. How far would the average dairy producer in your county have to drive to attend a professional sporting event?

(3 points) _____ 60 miles or less
(2 points) _____ 61 miles to 120 miles
(1 point) _____ more than 120 miles

27. How far would the average dairy producer in your county have to drive in order to attend a cultural event (major symphony orchestra, opera, ballet, etc.)?

(3 points) _____ 60 miles or less
(2 points) _____ 61 miles to 120 miles
(1 point) _____ more than 120 miles

28. How far would the average dairy producer in your county have to drive to reach a major hub airport?

(3 points) _____ 60 miles or less
(2 points) _____ 61 miles to 120 miles
(1 point) _____ more than 120 miles

29. How many movie theater screens are there in your county's largest town or city?

(3 points) _____ more than 5
(2 points) _____ 2 to 5
(1 point) _____ none or 1

30. How would you rate the elementary schools and high schools countywide in your county?

(3 points) _____ excellent
(2 points) _____ good
(1 point) _____ fair

CATEGORY - CLIMATE

31. What is the average annual precipitation in your county?

(3 points) _____ less than 10" per year
(2 points) _____ 11" to 30" per year
(1 point) _____ more than 30" per year

32. What is the average daily high temperature for your county in January?

(3 points) _____ greater than 40º F
(2 points) _____ 21º to 40ºF
(1 point) _____ 0º to 20º F

33. What is the average daily high temperature for your county in July?

(3 points) _____ 60º to 75º F
(2 points) _____ 76º to 90ºF
(1 point) _____greater than 90ºF