Wisconsin Ag Connection - USDA Surveys to Provide Insight on Wisconsin Agriculture

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USDA Surveys to Provide Insight on Wisconsin Agriculture
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 05/21/2015

A sample of Wisconsin farm operators will have an opportunity to provide information during the June Agricultural Survey period. These questionnaires are among the largest and most important data finding efforts conducted by the National Ag Statistics Service's Great Lakes Regional Field Office and serve as a primary source of agricultural information.

NASS gathers the data online, by mail and/or by phone. USDA representatives will also visit randomly selected tracts of land and interview local operators. State Ag Statistician Greg Bussler says the surveys will provide accurate and reliable data about 2015 planted acreages of major crops, as well as grain stocks, livestock inventory, cash rents, land values and value of sales.

"Due to the widespread impact of its results, these are two of the most significant surveys NASS conducts" Bussler explains "The information growers provide serves as the first clear sign of the prospective production and supply of major commodities in the United States for the 2015 crop year."

Producers rely on the survey results to make valid production, marketing and investment decisions. Congress uses the information to design better regulations and farm programs. And industry analysts, extension agents, farm organizations, and agricultural lenders use the data in a variety of ways to directly benefit the grower.

All survey responses are protected by law and remain strictly confidential. Information from individual operations will not be disclosed but will be combined with others to make reliable state, regional and national estimates.

Results will be released soon after the survey is complete.

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