January Cattle Survey - News Release

NEWS RELEASE

United States Department of Agriculture

NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE

[STATE NAME] FIELD OFFICE

[ADDRESS]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	Contact: [Firstname] [Lastname]
[Month ##], [Year]	(XXX) XXX-XXXX

USDA TO SURVEY CATTLE INVENTORIES ACROSS THE NATION

[City, State] – For the first time in a year, this January the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will survey cattle operations throughout the country to obtain a current measure of beef and dairy cattle inventories, calf crop and cattle on feed operations. NASS will publish the survey results in the Cattle report on January 31, 2014.

“This January Cattle Survey is more important than ever because it’s NASS’ first comprehensive measurement of the industry in an entire year,” said [YOUR STATE] State Statistician [FIRSTNAME LASTNAME]. “Due to budget reductions there was no July Cattle Survey and resulting report, so this current information is much needed by producers and the industry.”

During the first two weeks of January [STATE] producers will have the opportunity to report their beef and dairy cattle inventories, calf crop and cattle on feed operations. In [STATE], NASS will contact about [# in your sample] operations to request their responses to the survey.

The information is a critical decision-making tool for the cattle industry, [LASTNAME] explained. “For instance, it helps producers make informed marketing decisions and plan for herd expansion or reduction. It also helps packers and government evaluate expected slaughter volume for future months and determine potential supplies for export.

To make it as easy as possible for producers to participate in the survey, NASS offers the option of responding via the Internet, telephone, mail, or a personal interview with a local NASS representative.

[LASTNAME] noted that, as is the case with all NASS surveys, information provided by respondents is confidential by law. “NASS safeguards the privacy of all responses and publishes only state- and national-level data, ensuring that no individual producer or operation can be identified,” [he/she] said.

The Cattle report and all NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov. For more information, call the NASS [STATE] Field Office at [Toll-free Number].

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