As the 2015 growing season officially comes to an end, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will contact producers nationwide to gather final year-end crop production numbers and the amount of grain and oilseed they store on their farms. At the same time, NASS will survey grain facility operators to determine year-end off-farm grain and oilseed stocks. Having experienced volatile growing conditions this season – including floods, drought, and wild fires in some parts of the country, it’s vital for farmers and facility operators to respond to the December surveys.
“These surveys are the largest and most important year-end surveys conducted by NASS,” explained Vic Tolomeo, Director of the Pacific Region at USDA, NASS. “They are the basis for the official USDA estimates of production and harvested acres of all major agricultural commodities in the United States and year-end grain and oilseed supplies. Data from the survey will benefit farmers and processors by providing timely and accurate information to help them make critical year-end business decisions and begin planning for the next growing and marketing season.”
The information will be compiled, analyzed and then published in a series of USDA reports, including the Crop Production Annual Summary and quarterly Grain Stocks report.
“Responses to the producer survey will be included in the County Agricultural Production Survey and used in calculating county yields,” explained Tolomeo. “USDA uses county yield information from the survey to evaluate and administer vital farm disaster and insurance programs. Farmers who receive this survey are not included in the County Agricultural Production Survey; therefore this is their only opportunity to be included in the calculation of county yields.”
As with all NASS surveys, information provided by respondents is confidential, as required by federal law. NASS safeguards the privacy of all responses and publishes only aggregate data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified. These and all NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov. For more information call the NASS Pacific Regional Field Office at 1-800-851-1127.