Pesticide usage in Scotland: arable crops and potato stores 2016

Table 50 Response rate - 2016

Response rates

The table below summarises the number of holdings who were contacted during the survey.

Financial burden to farmers

In order to minimise the burden on farmers, the survey team used non-visit methods of collection such as email, post or telephone call, where possible.

To determine the total burden that the 2016 Arable Crop Survey and the Integrated Pest Management Survey placed on those providing the information, the surveyors recorded the time that 235 respondents spent providing the data during the surveys. This sample represents 82 per cent of growers surveyed. Information was recorded from all strata of the sample to ensure that the overall estimate of burden was representative. The median time taken to provide the information was 30 minutes.

The following formula was used to estimate the total cost of participating:

Burden (£) = No. surveyed x median time taken (hours) x typical hourly rate*

(* using median "Full Time Gross" hourly pay for Scotland of £13.48) ^{( 12)}

The total financial burden to all growers resulting from participation in the 2016 Arable Crop Survey and the Integrated Pest Management Survey was calculated to be £1941.