December Agricultural Survey - Fact Sheet

NASS Programs

2013 December Agricultural Survey:
Grain Crops and Stocks
About the Survey

How NASS Collects Data

The December Agricultural
Survey (also known as the Crops/
Stocks Survey) gives producers
and industries estimates of 2013
production and 2014 supplies.

In November, NASS will mail
December Agricultural Survey
questionnaires to farmers in all
states except Hawaii, reaching
approximately 80,000 farms
selected from among the nation’s
2.2 million farms.

The USDA’s National Agricultural
Statistics Service (NASS) conducts
the survey, which will be added
to the County Agricultural
Production Survey data and
used to calculate county yields
to be released in the spring.
These yields are used by USDA
to evaluate and administer farm
disaster and insurance programs.
NASS will release the results
of the survey in the Crop
Producution Annual Summary and
quarterly Grain Stocks report. All
reports are available on the NASS
website: www.nass.usda.gov/
Publications/index.asp.

Response Confidentiality
The information NASS collects
in this survey will be kept strictly confidential, as required by
federal law. The results of this
survey will be available in aggregate form only, ensuring that no
individual operation or producer
can be identified.

The survey asks producers to
provide information on their
planted and harvested acres,
total yield and production of
specific commodities, and the
quantities of grains and oilseeds
stored on-farm.
At the same time, NASS will
survey grain facility operators
to determine year-end off-farm
grain and oilseed stocks.
Producers receiving the survey
may respond in either of the
following ways:
• Online – Secure, online
reporting is the most timely,
cost-effective option.
The cover letter includes
instructions for this easy
option.
• By mail or fax – Producers fill
out the survey questionnaire
and return it in the envelope
provided or via fax.

United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service

A NASS representative will
contact producers who do not
respond to offer the option of a
telephone or personal interview.

Who Uses the Information?
All agricultural sectors rely on
NASS to produce timely and
accurate acreage, yield, and
production estimates.
• The grain industry uses stocks
estimates to calculate the
supply of the crop available
for the marketing year.
• Agricultural businesses use
the information to ensure an
orderly flow of goods and
services among producers,
processors, and agriculture
commodity handlers.
• USDA agencies use the
information to evaluate
and administer vital
farm commodity, credit,
conservation, disaster,
insurance, and loan
programs.
• Agricultural traders and the
international community
rely on the data to accurately
evaluate U.S. export
potential.
• Universities, extension agents,
private and government
economists, farm media, and
others use the data to analyze
past and current trends.

www.nass.usda.gov