Pre-Survey Letter

United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service

October 4, 2012
Dear Agricultural Producer:
Enclosed is the Agricultural Labor Survey. I hope you will take a few moments to respond to this
important survey, in which USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) collects
data on the number of farm workers hired, the hours they work, and average wage rates by type
of worker.
The survey asks you to provide information for two one-week periods: July 8-14 and October 713. Your information will be combined with that of some 12,000 other producers nationwide and
help NASS develop regional and national farm labor estimates. Farm organizations, private
sector employers, and Federal, state, and local agencies use these estimates for such important
purposes as setting minimum wage rates for agricultural workers, administering farm labor
recruitment and placement service programs, and developing labor policies.
For your convenience, you have the following options to respond:
 Online at www.agcounts.usda.gov. It’s easy, secure and fast. Please follow the
instructions on the back of this letter.
 By mail. Complete the enclosed questionnaire and return it in the postage-paid envelope
provided.
If you do not respond by October 17, 2012, we will contact you to arrange a telephone or
personal interview. Please be assured that your responses to this survey are completely
confidential, as required by federal law. NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents,
ensuring that no individual operation or grower can be identified.
Thank you in advance for your participation in this important survey. NASS will publish the results
of the survey in the Farm Labor report on November 15, 2012.
Sincerely,

Hubert Hamer
Chairperson, Agricultural Statistics Board
Enclosures

1400 Independence Ave, SW · Washington, D.C. 20250
www.nass.usda.gov
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.