The Agricultural Resource Management Study (ARMS) Phase III collects specific information from farm operators regarding their rates of production, expenses, returns, and profits. An ARMS panel plus pilot study was started in survey year 1998 and continued in survey year 1999 to assess operator cooperation rates over a three year period. First year results can be found in RD-99-05. During the second year, a new sample was added and operators from the first year were re-contacted to complete another ARMS questionnaire. For the pilot study, we increased the public relations and promotion activities for a small group of operators and enumerators in order to retain operator cooperation over a period of three years. In general, even with an intensive promotion effort up front, we obtained a slightly lower response rate on the ARMS panel than on the regular ARMS survey
