Missouri Ag Connection - USDA Seeks Grower Input on Crops, Stocks, Values

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USDA Seeks Grower Input on Crops, Stocks, Values
Missouri Ag Connection - 05/25/2016

During the next several weeks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct two major mid-year surveys, the June Agricultural Survey and the June Area Survey. The agency will survey over 4,000 farms across Missouri to determine crop acreage for 2016 and stocks on hand as of June 1.

"Due to the widespread impact of its results, the June Agricultural Survey, also known as the Crops/Stocks Survey, and the June Area Survey, are two of the most significant surveys NASS conducts," explained Bob Garino, director of the NASS Missouri Office. "Information that growers provide serves as the first clear sign of the prospective production and supply of major commodities in the United States for the 2016 crop year."

NASS gathers the data for the June Agriculture Survey online, by mail and by phone. For the June Area Survey, agency representatives will visit randomly selected tracts of land and interview the operators of any farm or ranch on that land. Growers will provide information on crop acreage as well as grain stocks, livestock inventory, cash rents, land values, and value of sales.

NASS will compile and analyze the survey information and publish the results in a series of USDA reports, including the annual Acreage report and quarterly Grain Stocks report, both to be released June 30, 2016. Survey data contribute to NASS's monthly and annual Crop Production reports, as well as the annual Small Grains Summary and USDA's monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates.

As with all NASS surveys, information provided by respondents is kept strictly confidential, as required by federal law. "NASS safeguards the privacy of all responses and publishes only state- and national-level data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified," stated Garino. "We recognize this is a hectic time for farmers and ranchers, but the information they provide is essential to everyone involved in U.S. agriculture. I urge them to respond to these surveys and thank them for their cooperation," he added.

For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Missouri Field Office at (800) 551-1014.

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