Agricultural Surveys Program

	June Agricultural Survey
United States Department of Agriculture		National Agricultural Statistics Service
		June 2007

The June Agricultural Survey (also known as the Crops/Stocks Survey) is one of the most important surveys conducted each year by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). It provides the first clear indication of the potential production and supply of major commodities, including those from biotech varieties, for the year.

HOW IS THE DATA COLLECTED?

The June Agricultural Survey is conducted in all states except Alaska and Hawaii. NASS will collect data from approximately 73,000 farms, which are selected from among the nation’s 2.1 million farms. During the first two weeks of June, farm operators will be contacted through one of the following data collection methods:

• Telephone – Computer-assisted telephone interviewing (or CATI) is the primary method.

• Mail – Participants fill out and mail back the questionnaire that was mailed to them.

• Internet – A new, secure electronic data reporting (EDR) option is the timeliest, most cost-effective method.

• Personal interviews – An interview with an enumerator can be requested by the respondent.

The information collected about specific commodities varies somewhat from state to state. But all participating producers will be asked to provide information on their total acres, acres planted to specific commodities, and quantities of grains and oilseeds stored on-farm.

HOW IS THE INFORMATION USED?

Once results of the survey are compiled and analyzed, NASS will publish the information in a series of reports. These include the annual Acreage report and the quarterly Grain Stocks report, both to be released on June 29, 2007. Survey data also contribute to NASS’s monthly and annual Crop Production reports, as well as the annual Small Grains Summary, published in September.

All sectors of the agricultural industry rely on NASS acreage, production and stocks estimates to help make sound business decisions. For instance:

• The annual Acreage report is one of the most anticipated sources of accurate and timely information for buyers when making critical business decisions regarding future contracts and purchases.

• The data level the playing field for farmers and ranchers, giving them access to the same information as elevators, input suppliers, bankers and others with whom they do business.

• The information assures international customers that the United States will continue to be a reliable supplier of major commodities and enables the industry to evaluate export potential.

• USDA data on the number of biotech acres planted in the United States, also published in the Acreage report, allow producers and analysts to discover growing trends and cropping practices in U.S. agriculture.

• Universities, Extension agents, private and government economists, the farm media and others depend on the data to help them analyze what’s on the horizon.

The information provided by survey respondents is confidential by law. NASS safeguards the confidentiality of all responses and publishes only state- and national-level data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified.

All reports are available through the NASS web site: www.nass.usda.gov. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Agricultural Statistics Hotline at (800) 727-9540.