Draft Letter to Vegetable Chemical Use respondents

Sample respondent letter DATE

Dear Mr/s (respondent name):

Your operation is among approximately 5,700 vegetable farms in 19 states that have been selected to participate in the 2006 Vegetable Chemical Use Survey. The survey provides you the opportunity to report first-hand information on your crop production practices, thus ensuring that accurate, real-world data are available to help government agencies and others make sound decisions about the future availability of crop protection products.

Within the next (#) weeks, a representative from the (State) Field Office of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will call you to set up a convenient time for an in-person interview. The interview should require only about one hour of your time. You can help things go smoothly by having your records readily available on vegetable fertilizer use, chemical use and pest management practices.

Your participation in the Vegetable Chemical Use Survey benefits you and the entire fresh vegetable industry because:

• The survey helps ensure that USDA has the most accurate, up-to-date chemical use information, straight from the source – producers themselves.

• Information on actual chemical usage is a critical component in the decision-making process for the federal Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA), helping the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency make informed decisions about pesticide registration, registration and product alternatives.

• Accurate and timely information on pesticide usage is the only way to ensure that you continue to have access to the chemicals you need. Many of the pesticides used on fruits, vegetables and other specialty crops are classified as “minor use.” In many cases, there are no alternatives to these chemicals. If growers do not accurately document their use of these products, the products might not be re-registered.

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 only state- and national-level data, ensuring that no individual operation or grower can be identified.

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 (First name Last name) at (800) xxx-xxxx.

Sincerely,

(State Director’s Name)

Enclosure