United States Department of Agriculture

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27, 2012 - USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is asking approximately 85,000 producers across the country to respond to important surveys involving corn, soybeans, sorghum, rice, cotton, and hogs. From November 29 to December 17, NASS will be gathering final information about the 2012 U.S. row crops focusing on harvested acreage, as well as crops produced and stored.  There will also be a hog survey that will capture  current inventory figures.  

“It is important to note that responses to these surveys will be included in the County Agricultural Production Survey data and used in calculating county yields,” said Bob Bass, director of NASS’s data collection and processing center. “Producers should not underestimate the importance of their participation in these surveys because USDA uses county yields to evaluate and administer vital farm disaster and insurance programs.”

In addition to row crops, NASS is asking hog producers about their fall pig crop, farrowing intentions for the next six months and current inventory for the quarterly Hogs and Pigs report.   

Many respondents have already received their surveys for both row crops and hog information in the mail. Respondents can either fill out the questionnaire using NASS’s easy and secure online system or mail it back. NASS representatives will also contact producers who do not respond to the survey in order to help them  complete the questionnaire over the telephone.

"After another growing season with unprecedented weather-related challenges in many parts of the country, farm and ranch operators can help ensure that the farm and insurance programs USDA administers  appropriately meet producer needs by providing the Department with complete and accurate data,” said Bass.  “We can’t underscore enough the value of their participation in these surveys. The information collected can considerably help rural businesses, communities and industries, and so we urge producers to take the time to respond to these important surveys.

As with all NASS surveys, the information collected in the December surveys is kept strictly confidential, as required by federal law. NASS will not publish any individual’s information. By law, individual information is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act and is not shared with anyone, including other government agencies. Survey results are available in aggregate form only and are equally available to all parties. For more information about these surveys, visit www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys.