December Crops'Stocks Pre-survey letter

[Date]

Dear Mr./Ms. [Lastname]:

With the 2010 harvest season complete, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is conducting the December Agricultural Survey. This survey will provide the year-end numbers used to determine USDA’s official estimates for final production and harvested acres of major agricultural commodities in the United States.

Your participation is important, as your operation represents many others like it in [State] and around the nation. Because we want to make it as easy as possible for you to respond, we are offering you a number of reporting options:

• You can follow the enclosed instructions for using our secure online response system.

• You can fill out and mail back the enclosed survey form by [Date].

• Or, if you would prefer to provide the information by phone or in person, a representative from the NASS [State] Field Office will contact you between [Date] and [Date].

You will be asked to provide information on the total number of acres, acres planted and harvested, and total yield and production of specific commodities. NASS will also gather information on the quantities of grains and oilseeds stored on your farm.

Please be assured that your responses to this survey will be kept completely confidential, as required by federal law. NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents and publishes data only in aggregate form, ensuring that no individual operation or grower can be identified. Results of the survey will be published in the annual Crop Production summary and the quarterly Grain Stocks report, both to be released on January 12, 2011. These, and all NASS reports, are available online at www.nass.usda.gov.

Thank you in advance for your support of our programs and [State] agriculture. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact [Firstname Lastname] at (800) XXX-XXXX.

Sincerely,

[Director’s Name]

Director

Enclosures