Continuing Education and
Communication Services
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
11/2/01
Contacts:
Paul Lasley, Extension Sociology, (515) 294-0937, plasley@iastate.edu
Del Marks, Extension Communication Systems, (515) 294-9807, delmarks@iastate.edu
Higher Wages Viewed as Key to Economic Development in Rural Iowa
AMES, Iowa -- Raising wages to attract and retain people is the most significant action that can be taken to aid economic development in rural Iowa, according to the 2001 Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll.
Seventy-six percent of the Iowa farm operators who participated in the poll say better wages are essential, according to Paul Lasley, Iowa State University Extension sociologist who directed the poll. "We should let the free market work to increase wages to attract more workers to Iowa," a Mitchell County farmer wrote in the comments section of the survey.
The wage issue was ranked highest in the survey, followed closely by the need for Iowa to base its future economic prosperity on production agriculture and related industries, which 69 percent agreed was important. Sixty-seven percent of the respondents agreed that economic development should emphasize main street businesses and the same percentage said the state should offer tax incentives or other financial rewards to employers who hire Iowa graduates. A Clinton County farmer said government incentives to large retail businesses "have caused a lot of small town businesses to go broke."
Agricultural biotechnology was viewed an area where Iowa should focus efforts for economic growth by 65 percent of the poll participants. Lasley said other strategies favored by a majority of Iowa farmers included more promotion of Iowa tourism (65 percent), and financial assistance to farmers to reduce pollution from agriculture, favored by 64 percent.
Fifty-nine percent of the poll respondents agreed with the view that employers who receive any government subsidies or tax incentives should be required to pay wages that exceed the local average wage. Fifty-two percent of farm operators also think Iowa could help low income families by implementing a childcare subsidy that would give children a head start in the educational system.
Farmers were less certain about increasing access to modern communication technology in every town in Iowa as a way to boost economic development. Forty-eight percent agreed that would be a good strategy, but 21 percent disagreed.
Other strategies that were viewed less favorably by poll participants included consolidation of county government and working to make the state's population growth rate match neighboring states. Thirty-one percent disagreed with the view that consolidating county governments would provide better efficiency for the taxpayer, and 45 percent opposed the idea of trying to make Iowa's growth rate match that of surrounding states.
The strategy eliciting the strongest opposition was recruiting of new immigrants. Sixty-five percent disagreed with this option, 23 percent were unsure, and only 12 percent supported recruiting new immigrants to Iowa. "If the state of Iowa lets more immigrants in, you can kiss Iowa goodbye," a Dubuque County farmer commented.
The Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll is funded by ISU Extension and the Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station. The purpose of the poll, conducted since 1982, is to ask farmers' views on a variety of rural and agricultural issues. A statewide random sample of 3,376 Iowa farm operators were sent mail questionnaires in February, with a 61 percent response rate. A summary report containing complete results of the survey is available at Iowa county extension offices and online at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/pubs/. Look for PM 1886, Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll 2001 Summary Report.
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