Summer 2004 Farmers Survey Questionnaire

1. What type of farming are you engaged in?

2. Thinking about weather information and farming, have you made decisions based on or influenced by the weather, related to any of the following?

3a. Of those decisions you have just mentioned, which is the single most important

3b. In which season/s do you make decisions related to your single most important decision?

4. Thinking about your single most important decision, what types of weather related information did you use to make your decision?

5. Of those weather elements just mentioned, which element information is most important when making your decision?

6. Which of the following do you refer to for weather information to make your decision?

If "no" to Seasonal Climate Outlooks:

7. For what reasons have you not used Seasonal Outlooks?

8. Think back to the last time you made your single most important decision. How far ahead of performing that activity did you first access weather information?

9. During that time period, how often did you access weather information to make your decision?

10. Thinking about your single most important decision, is the sought after weather information available in time for you to make your decision?

11. Does the weather information you access to make your single most important decision meet your requirements?

12. How could weather information be improved to better meet your needs?

13a. Are you aware that daily evaporation rates and soil temperatures are available on the Bureau's web site?

13b. Do you consider that this information would be useful to you?

Now I'd like you to think about the accuracy of weather forecasts and warnings.

14.        How important is accuracy of weather information to you? 

The following questions relate to your perceptions of forecast accuracy for your local area.

15. Firstly, are you aware of what Bureau of Meteorology forecast district you are located in?

16. The following questions related to forecast accuracy can be answered on a 5-point scale where 1 = always accurate and 5 = always inaccurate.  On a scale of 1 to 5, how accurate are weather forecast and warnings provide by the Bureau?

17. Using the 5-point scale, where 1 = always accurate and 5 = always inaccurate, how accurate do you think weather forecasts and warnings for the next 24 hours have been over the past month?

18. And how accurate do you think two to four-day forecasts have been over the past month?

If respondent indicated that they use Seasonal Outlooks:

19. Thinking about Seasonal Outlooks, how accurate do you think Seasonal Outlooks have been over the past year? 

Thinking about the accuracy of weather forecasts over the past month, how accurate do you think the following types of forecast components to be, using the 5-point scale where 1 = always accurate and 5 = always inaccurate.

20a. Rainfall forecasts?

20b. Maximum temperature forecasts?

20c. Minimum temperature forecasts?

20d. Forecasts for cloud or sunshine?

20e. Wind forecasts?

21. Generally, do you think that the accuracy of weather forecasts and warnings are getting more accurate, less accurate or haven't changed over the past few years?

22a. Thinking about the different ways in which people can receive or access weather information, which of the following mediums have you used over the past month to get weather information?

22b. Of those access means mentioned, which do you find the most valuable source of weather information to enable you to make weather related farming decisions? 

For those who responded "free to air television" for Question 22a:

22c Which free to Air TV station do you most watch for weather information

For those who responded "free to air television" for Question 25a (except SA):

For those who responded "radio" for Question 22a:

22e.  Which Radio Stations do you listen to for weather information, please indicate the one that you most listen to first.

22f.  What hour of the day are you most likely to listen to the radio for weather information? (multiple responses okay)

23. Do you listen to broadcasts and interviews of Bureau of Meteorology forecasters on the radio?

24. Now thinking about the radio broadcasts by Bureau of Meteorology forecasters, do you find these to be:?

For those who indicated that they do not use the Internet to access weather information:

26. Do you plan to access weather information via the Internet in the next 12 months?

27. What hour of the day are you most likely to access weather information?

28. How frequently do you access or receive weather information?

29. How well do the available options for accessing weather information meet your needs? 

30.        How could accessing of weather information be improved?

For those who indicated that they use the Internet to access weather information:

31a. Which Internet sites do you use to access weather information?

31b. How often do you access weather information via the Internet?

31c. What aspects of weather information available on the Bureau of Meteorology website do you find the most valuable?

31d. How could the Bureau's website be improved to assist you with making farming related decisions?

32. Overall, thinking about all aspects of weather information, how satisfied  are you with the information you receive from the Weather Bureau  through the different sources you use?

33. Are there any other comments you wish to add?

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