ARMS II Brochure - Better Decisions

Agricultural Resource
Management Survey
(ARMS)

B E C AU S E B E T T E R D ATA =

Better Decisions

Just about every Federal policy and
program that affects U.S. farmers and
farm families is based on information
from the Agricultural Resource
Management Survey (ARMS).

ARMS

is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
primary source of information on the production practices,
resource use, and economic well-being of America’s farm
households. This information is used not just by USDA,
but also by Congress, farm groups, agribusinesses, and
others who make the decisions that shape the future of U.S.
agriculture.
ARMS gives U.S. farmers the opportunity to set the record
straight about the issues that affect them – and to ensure
that policies and programs are based on accurate, real-world
data that comes straight from the producers themselves.
n A
 RMS provides annual cost-

of-production estimates
required by Congress for
more than 15 commodities
covered under farm-support
legislation.

n W
 hen considering Federal

disaster assistance for
producers, policymakers
rely on ARMS as a source of
baseline data.
n A
 RMS documents farmers’

use of crop protection
chemicals, ensuring that the
Environmental Protection
Agency and other regulators
use real-world data when
making decisions about the
future availability of these
products.

n A
 RMS data underpin

USDA’s estimates of net farm
income and demonstrate
agriculture’s contribution to
the gross domestic product.
nA
 RMS tracks farmers’

adoption of new technologies
such as bio-engineered seed,
livestock waste management
practices, chemical and
biological pest management
alternatives, and information
management technologies
such as the Internet and GPS
(global positioning system).
n U
 SDA’s Office of Energy

Policy and New Uses relies
on ARMS data to estimate
farmers’ annual expenses for
gasoline, diesel, natural gas,
propane, and other fuels.
n The Agricultural Marketing

Service uses ARMS data in
deriving its monthly cost-ofproduction estimates for milk
production for the United
States and five regions.
n The Bureau of Land

Management and the Forest
Service use ARMS data to
determine annual Federal
grazing fees on the Nation’s
public lands.
n The Risk Management

Agency uses ARMS data
to understand levels of
farm income and risk
management tools used
by farmers.

n U
 SDA is required to report

to Congress each year on the
status of America’s family
farms and how they are affected
by government programs and
Federal laws. The Economic
Research Service garners
this information directly
from ARMS.
n The Agricultural Research

Service uses ARMS data
to better understand the
structural and production
characteristics of farms
and the demographic
characteristics of farm
operators for each of its
research planning regions.
n The Natural Resources

Conservation Service uses
ARMS data on production
costs, input use, and
technology adoption to
assess the performance of
conservation programs.
n The Rural Business -

Cooperative Service
uses ARMS to obtain
information about the use of
cooperatives by farmers.
n The Cooperative Extension

System uses ARMS-based
data about farm sizes and
types to better target farmer
education programs.

Your participation in ARMS ensures that
decisions affecting you, your family, your
business, and your community are based
on the facts, straight from the source.

B E C AU S E B E T T E R D ATA =

Better Decisions
The information provided by survey respondents is confidential by
law (Title 7, U.S. Code). The National Agricultural Statistics Service
safeguards the confidentiality of all responses and publishes only
State- and national-level data, ensuring that no individual operation
or producer can be identified.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color,
national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital
status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation,
genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of
an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program.
(Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program
information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact
USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To
file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office
of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington,
D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382
(TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
November 2006