NASS Reduces Agricultural Estimation Programs

NASS Reduces Agricultural Estimation Programs

Issued October 17, 2011 by the Agricultural Statistics Board of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS). For more information, contact
Sue duPont, 202-690-8122.

In light of funding reductions in fiscal year (FY) 2011 and the
likelihood of additional reductions in FY 2012, NASS conducted
deliberate reviews of all programs against mission- and user-based
criteria, aimed at finding cost savings and forward-thinking
business efficiencies so that key timely, accurate and useful data
remains available in service to agriculture. As a result, the
agency is discontinuing or reducing a wide range of agricultural
survey programs. The decision to eliminate or reduce these reports
was not made lightly, but it was nevertheless necessary, given the
funding situation. Because of the timing of the agency's survey
work during the coming year, these decisions are necessary now.

These programs are:
- Annual Reports on Farm Numbers, Land in Farms and Livestock
Operations - Eliminate
- Catfish and Trout Reports - Eliminate all
- Annual Floriculture Report - Eliminate
- January Sheep and Goat Report - Eliminate
- Chemical Use Reports - Reduce frequency of commodity coverage
- July Cattle Report - Eliminate
- Distiller Co-Products for Feed Survey - Cancel
- Annual Bee and Honey Report - Eliminate
- Annual Hops Production Report - Eliminate
- Monthly Potato Stocks Report - Reduce from monthly to quarterly
- Annual Mink Report - Eliminate
- Fruit and Vegetable in-season forecast and estimates- Reduce from
monthly and quarterly to annual report
- Nursery Report - Eliminate
- Rice Stocks June and September reports - Eliminate but continue
January, March and August reports

Recognizing the importance of NASS's data products and services to
U.S. agriculture, NASS will make available similar data either less
frequently or within the every 5-year Census of Agriculture. The
next census will be conducted beginning January 2013 to reflect
activities in the 2012 calendar year.

A Federal Register notice announcing the program changes will
be forthcoming.