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11/08/24 MEDIA ADVISORY: USDA NASS and ERS to attend National Association of Farm Broadcasting 2024 Trade Talk

11/07/24 NASS releases 2022 Census of Agriculture Zip Code Tabulations

10/31/24 2023 Irrigation and Water Management data now available

10/23/24 USDA seeks nominations for the Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics

10/11/24 US corn production up while soybean production down from September

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ASB Notices

09/25/24 NASS to publish 2023 Irrigation and Water Management report earlier

07/31/24 NASS to Review Acreage Data

04/15/24 NASS appoints Lance Honig as new ASB Chair

04/09/24 NASS discontinues select 2024 data collection programs and reports

04/04/24 NASS announces program changes following five-year review

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02/13/24 2022 Census of Agriculture Data Highlights

02/13/24 How to Find 2022 Census of Agriculture Data

02/13/24 2022 Census of Agriculture Data Release Event

07/16/21 What is a Farm?

08/05/20 The NASS Mission: We do it for you

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11/08/24 Crop Production (November 2024)

10/11/24 Crop Production (October 2024)

09/30/24 Small Grains Summary and Grain Stocks (September 2024)

09/26/24 Quarterly Hogs and Pigs (September 2024)

09/12/24 Crop Production (September 2024)

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Agricultural Statistics: A Historical Timeline - Era of Computerization and Research

A poorly estimated cotton forecast creates opportunities for research into better data collection methodologies. Computers, satellites and networks revolutionize how agricultural data are collected and analyzed. The Statistical Reporting Service becomes a stand-alone agency and celebrates 100 years of service to U.S. Agriculture.

Division of Agricultural Statistics, Agricultural Marketing Service 1939–1942

William F. Callander
CRB Chairperson
1937–1942

Joseph A. Becker
CRB Chairperson
1942–1944

1941 - The Chicago Dairy Office is established within the USDA Division of Agricultural Statistics for weekly reports on butter, cheese and other dairy reports. 1943 - The Chicago Dairy Office becomes the coordination center for all war time reports on the dairy industry.

U.S. Population 1940 - 132,164,569 | Number of Farms 1940 - 6,102,417

Division of Agricultural Statistics Bureau of Agricultural Economics 1942–1953

Joseph A. Becker
CRB Chairperson
1942–1944

Paul L. Koenig
CRB Chairperson
1944–1946

1943 - Iowa State College develops the first area sampling frame for agriculture through a cooperative agreement among Iowa State College, the Department of Agriculture and the Census Bureau. The Census Bureau utilizes a sample from the area frame to collect supplementary information in conjunction with the 1945 Census of Agriculture.

U.S. Population 1940 - 132,164,569 | Number of Farms 1940 - 6,102,417

Division of Agricultural Statistics Bureau of Agricultural Economics 1942–1953

William F. Callander
CRB Chairperson
1946–1949

1947 - Cooperative projects authorized by the Research and Marketing Act of 1946 begin in a number of states to provide special statistical information covering local needs for county and local market areas. County production estimates, pig crop reports, cattle-on-feed reports, local area truck crop reports, and many other reports are added.

U.S. Population 1940 - 132,164,569 | Number of Farms 1945 - 5,859,169

Division of Agricultural Statistics Bureau of Agricultural Economics 1942–1953

William F. Callander
CRB Chairperson
1946–1949

1949 - A group of agency employees undertake the first documented resident assignment to Puerto Rico.

U.S. Population 1940 - 132,164,569 | Number of Farms 1945 - 5,859,169

Division of Agricultural Statistics Bureau of Agricultural Economics 1942–1953

William F. Callander
CRB Chairperson
1946–1949

1948 - Weekly publishing of the Broiler report begins as the broiler industry moves quickly to adopt vertical integration.

U.S. Population 1940 - 132,164,569 | Number of Farms 1945 - 5,859,169

Division of Agricultural Statistics Bureau of Agricultural Economics 1942–1953

Sterling R. Newell
CRB Chairperson
1950–1962

1952 - After a poorly estimated cotton forecast results in a congressional investigation, a House Agriculture subcommittee recommends strengthening the reporting service and improving statistical techniques. The Appropriation Act of 1952 provides $250,000 for methodological research.

U.S. Population 1950 - 151,325,798 | Number of Farms 1950 - 5,388,437

Agricultural Economics Division, Agricultural Marketing Service 1953–1961

Sterling R. Newell
CRB Chairperson
1950–1962

1954 - The June Enumerative Survey begins on a pilot basis in 10 states. This survey is a mid-year area frame survey of planted acres and livestock inventory that involves outlining fields and other land uses on a large aerial photograph. The fields are measured to determine the amount of acreage.

U.S. Population 1950 - 151,325,798 | Number of Farms 1954 - 4,782,416

Agricultural Economics Division, Agricultural Marketing Service 1953–1961

Sterling R. Newell
CRB Chairperson
1950–1962

1955 - Reader’s Digest introduces subscribers to the workings of the Crop Reporting Board in an August article, “Drama Behind the Crop Forecasts.”

U.S. Population 1950 - 151,325,798 | Number of Farms 1954 - 4,782,416

Agricultural Economics Division, Agricultural Marketing Service 1953–1961

Sterling R. Newell
CRB Chairperson
1950–1962

1956 - Early in 1956, Sterling Newell, Chairman of the Crop Reporting Board, appoints a 10-person working group to study the agency's research and development problems. In July, Jamie L. Whitten, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Agricultural Appropriations, asks Secretary of Agriculture Ezra Taft Benson for a specific plan to improve the U.S. agricultural statistics program.

U.S. Population 1950 - 151,325,798 | Number of Farms 1954 - 4,782,416

Agricultural Economics Division, Agricultural Marketing Service 1953–1961

Sterling R. Newell
CRB Chairperson
1950–1962

1957 - Sterling Newell presents a 15-page long-range plan to Congress. The report leads to significant changes in methodology and technological advances in computer automation.

U.S. Population 1950 - 151,325,798 | Number of Farms 1954 - 4,782,416

Agricultural Economics Division, Agricultural Marketing Service 1953–1961

Sterling R. Newell
CRB Chairperson
1950–1962

1958 - NASS takes a step toward automated data processing by installing an IBM 650 mid-sized computer, which requires a full room of air conditioning equipment, and creating the Data Processing Branch, which eventually becomes one of three USDA computer centers. In 1966, it is named the Washington Data Processing Center.

U.S. Population 1950 - 151,325,798 | Number of Farms 1954 - 4,782,416

Agricultural Economics Division, Agricultural Marketing Service 1953–1961

Sterling R. Newell
CRB Chairperson
1950–1962

1958 - The monthly Cold Storage Survey is among the first reports to be converted from a punched card system to the new IBM 650 computer. Not long after, the monthly Livestock Slaughter Survey is programmed.

U.S. Population 1950 - 151,325,798 | Number of Farms 1954 - 4,782,416

Agricultural Economics Division, Agricultural Marketing Service 1953–1961

Sterling R. Newell
CRB Chairperson
1950–1962