The results of a new national poll released this week reveal that nearly 90 percent of Americans have a favorable view of farmers, and 92 percent feel it is important to provide them with federal funding. Positive marks from respondents also cut across party lines, showing that a strong farm policy is a bipartisan issue.

The public opinion poll was administered as a phone survey of 1,000 registered voters. The poll was commissioned by the National Crop Insurance Services, and was conducted April 3-7. The poll’s margin of error is 3.1 percent. The results are available online here.

“Americans overwhelmingly like farmers and support the programs that protect them,” explained Jon McHenry, vice president of North Star Opinion Research, the polling firm that explored the general public’s views on farmers, farm policy and crop insurance. “This response is not surprising when you consider that eight in 10 voters believe a vibrant agricultural industry was critical to the country’s national security.”

More than 70 percent of respondents said they believed farmers should help fund part of their own safety net. This cost-sharing structure is at the heart of America’s crop insurance policy, with farmers paying a portion of their insurance premiums and shouldering, on average, 25 percent of crop losses through deductibles.

Nearly 80 percent of respondents support giving farmers discounts on insurance premiums, and the vast majority agreed with the current premium and deductible amounts absorbed by farmers.

Support for farm policy and crop insurance continued to remain high even when poll respondents were read a misleading statement often used by farm policy’s critics.

“In a question providing both sides, the security argument in favor of protecting farms wins by a two-to-one margin over the argument used by farm policy opponents,” McHenry said.