Draft News Release for Vegetable Chemical Use Survey

NEWS RELEASE

United States Department of Agriculture

NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE

[STATE NAME] FIELD OFFICE

[ADDRESS] • [PHONE NUMBER]

Ag Statistics Hotline: (800) 727-9540 • www.nass.usda.gov

Contact: [FIRSTNAME] [LASTNAME]

(XXX) XXX-XXXX

NASS TO COLLECT DATA ON VEGETABLE FARMERS’ CHEMICAL USE

[CITY, STATE], [MONTH XX,] 2006 – During the upcoming Vegetable Chemical Use Survey conducted by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), [STATE] vegetable producers will have the opportunity to provide first-hand information on their crop production practices.

By taking part in this survey, growers can help ensure that accurate, real-world data are available to help government agencies and others make sound decisions about the future availability of crop protection products,” said [FIRST NAME LAST NAME], director of the NASS [YOUR STATE] Field Office.

NASS field offices in 19 states will collect data for 29 target crops. In [STATE] these crops include [LIST SOME OR ALL OF THE CROPS YOU WILL BE SURVEYING]. During the [LIST RANGE OF DATES FOR YOUR STATE] data collection period, NASS representatives will be conducting in-person interviews with growers to gather information on their fertilizer use, chemical use and pest management practices.

Information from the survey will help ensure that USDA and other agencies have the most accurate, up-to-date chemical use information, straight from the source – producers themselves, [LAST NAME] explained.

“Accurate and timely information on pesticide usage is the only way to ensure that producers continue to have access to the chemicals they need,” [S/HE] said. “For instance, information from the survey is a critical component of the decision-making process for the Food Quality Protection Act, helping the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency make informed decisions about pesticide registration, re-registration and product alternatives.”

Survey responses will be compiled in NASS’s Agricultural Chemical Usage – 2006 Vegetable Summary to be released July 30, 2007.

As with all NASS surveys, information provided by respondents is confidential by law. NASS safeguards the confidentiality of all responses and publishes only state- and national-level data, ensuring that no individual producer or operation can be identified. All NASS reports are available online at: www.nass.usda.gov.

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