Fact Finders for Agriculture - NASS at Work

Fact Finders for
Agriculture:
NASS at Work

United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service

Our Mission…
to provide timely, accurate, and useful
statistics in service to U.S. agriculture

Agricultural producers, farm organizations, policymakers,
community groups, researchers, government agencies,
agribusinesses, and a host of related industries all need consistent,
reliable data on U.S. agriculture. The National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS) conducts hundreds of surveys each year and
prepares reports on virtually every aspect of U.S. agriculture. Every
five years NASS also conducts a detailed census of every farm and
agricultural producer in the country.
NASS staff and partners who collect, assemble, and analyze
these rich information sources are rightly called “fact finders
for agriculture.”

FACT FINDERS FOR AGRICULTURE: NASS AT WORK

DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING

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As the statistical agency for the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA), NASS is the official source of comprehensive, current
information on the farms, ranches, and people who provide food,
feed, and fiber to our nation and the world. NASS collects data
and reports on agricultural production and inventories, the prices
farmers pay and receive, farm labor and wages, farm income
and finances, kinds and amounts of chemicals used, and rural
development, among many other topics.
In addition, NASS works to advance the accuracy of statistical
science by conducting research on survey design, sampling,
and other issues. NASS provides key statistical information and
basic research that informs decision making. NASS headquarters
in Washington, D.C., manages surveys, analyzes data, conducts
cutting edge statistical research, and publishes national reports.
Field offices across the country collect and publish similar data
specific to their regions, states, and localities.

STAFF AND PARTNERS
NASS employees come from many different geographic areas and
academic backgrounds, and they are some of the best statisticians,
mathematicians, and agricultural economists anywhere. They
also include geographers, computer scientists, managers, and
communications professionals, among other disciplines.
Cooperating partners play an essential role in data collection.
NASS’s partners include state agriculture departments, land grant
universities, community-based organizations, and agriculture
industry organizations.

NASS Reports
The topics NASS covers include:
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Land use and ownership
Operator characteristics
Farm labor
Farm income
Production costs
Machinery and equipment
Irrigation
Prices paid and prices received
Market value of land and buildings
Crops planted, harvested and sold
Livestock and poultry inventory
and sales

• In-season crop progress
• Organic and other specialized
farming
• Fertilizer and chemical use
• Grain storage capacity
• Farm program participation
• Computer/Internet use

See the full list of surveys and reports.
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NASS Counts…
the farms and people who feed our
nation and the world

In conducting its work, NASS relies on those who know the
situation best—farmers and ranchers, livestock feeders,
slaughterhouse managers, grain elevator operators, and others
involved in agriculture. They supply data and are also among the
major users of the reports, forecasts, and estimates NASS produces.
In fact, they participate in NASS surveys because they know
complete and accurate data about their industry help them make
better production and marketing decisions.

FACT FINDERS FOR AGRICULTURE: NASS AT WORK

SURVEYS, ESTIMATES, AND FORECASTS

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Every year, NASS conducts hundreds of surveys using a statistically
valid sample of the target population. In these surveys, NASS
collects information from a cross-section of a specific group (corn
growers, feedlot managers, dairy producers, etc.). Depending upon
the particular crop, livestock, or topic of concern, surveys vary in
size (from a few hundred to tens
of thousands), frequency (weekly,
monthly, quarterly, or annually),
and coverage (the number of states
involved).
After the data are collected,
statisticians analyze the
information to prepare estimates
and forecasts. At NASS, an estimate
is a determination of size or value and refers to what has already
occurred, such as last year’s wheat harvest or cattle inventory.
A forecast is an approximation of what may occur by the end of
the season, such as average corn yield or total production for the
current harvest year.

THE CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE
Every five years, NASS conducts the Census of Agriculture. Similar
to the population census that attempts to count and collect data
on every man, woman, and child in the United States, the Census
of Agriculture takes a complete count of farms, ranches, and
agricultural production in the entire country.
Conducting the Census of Agriculture is a large undertaking
requiring coordination among field offices and with NASS
headquarters in Washington, D.C. Participation by every farmer
and rancher, regardless of the size or type of operation, is vitally
important. Most NASS surveys are voluntary, but in the case of
the census, participation is required by law (Title 7, U.S. Code).
By responding to the census, producers help themselves, their
communities, and U.S. agriculture overall.

Responding to a NASS Survey
Increasingly NASS encourages those who receive a survey or
census questionnaire to respond online. It is fast, easy, and secure.
Other options include returning the questionnaire in a postagepaid envelope or by fax. In some instances, a NASS representative
may telephone nonrespondents to offer assistance and take their
information over the phone or arrange a personal interview.
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NASS Data Serve…
farmers, ranchers, and others concerned
about agriculture

FACT FINDERS FOR AGRICULTURE: NASS AT WORK

Farmers, ranchers, policymakers, community planners,
agribusinesses, researchers, USDA, and other federal and
state government agencies use NASS data for planning,
market assessment, decision making, and ongoing research.

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Farmers and ranchers use the data to:
• Make specific decisions about their operations, such as what
crops to plant, how many cattle or other livestock to raise,
when to buy or sell agricultural commodities, and many more
Policymakers use the data to:
• Allocate funds based on state and community needs
• Evaluate the impact and effectiveness of programs and
policies
• Determine who may be affected by proposed agricultural
legislation
Community planners and cooperatives use the data to:
• Identify needed services and facilities
• Plan recreational, educational, and community awareness
programs based on the interests and concerns of local
producers
Companies and industry groups use the data to:
• Monitor trends
• Evaluate financial performance
• Develop unbiased baseline industry information
• Determine supply, prices, and export potential
Researchers and analysts use the data to:
• Monitor industries and their impacts on the economy
• Adapt new technologies to increase agricultural productivity
• Forecast trends, evaluate responses, and determine the social
and economic implications

USDA agencies use the data to:
• Administer farm loan, insurance, disaster assistance, and
other programs
• Allocate local and national funds for farm programs (including
extension service projects, agricultural research, conservation,
farm loans, and land grant colleges and universities)
Federal and state agencies use the data to:
• Plan and administer agriculture programs as well as
conservation, consumer protection, education, land valuation,
recreation, trade, transportation, water and irrigation use, and
worker safety programs
High-quality statistical information is essential to those involved
in agriculture. But it is equally essential to directly and indirectly
related industries, services, programs, and economic sectors.
Good data provide an understanding of current conditions as
well as future trends and possibilities. In addition to creating an
accurate, up-to-date picture of U.S. agriculture, the information
NASS provides contributes to a stable economic climate and
reduces risk. By being equally available to all users, NASS data help
to level the playing field.

Quick Stats: Online Access to NASS Data
NASS makes past and current data available through Quick Stats,
an easy-to-use online query tool. This comprehensive tool allows
users to access NASS data by commodity, geography, and date.
Users can put the data on a map, manipulate and export the
results, and save a link for future use.
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NASS Protects…
your privacy and your data

A number is only as good as the reputation of the organization
that stands behind it. NASS realizes the importance of providing
timely and reliable data, remaining free from political influence,
and refraining from policy advocacy. We are committed to
preserving a relationship of mutual respect and trust with those
who supply and those who use the information we collect and
provide. We go to great lengths to ensure the data remain both
confidential and secure.

CONFIDENTIALITY

FACT FINDERS FOR AGRICULTURE: NASS AT WORK

NASS is required by law to keep every survey respondent’s
information confidential. This includes names, addresses, personal
identifiers, and reported data. Only authorized persons working
for or on behalf of NASS can access individual data records and
only for approved official purposes. Anyone who discloses the
information is subject to a fine, a jail term, or both.

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SECURITY
Another top priority at NASS is data security during data collection
and report preparation. NASS prepares reports under tight security
until they are publicly released at preannounced dates and times.
Market-sensitive reports in particular are protected through an
elaborate set of physical and electronic security measures—called
Lockup—to ensure no one has access to the information before
anyone else. Not even the Secretary of Agriculture knows a report’s
contents until he enters the Lockup area to sign the report just
prior to release.

Lockup: Protecting Market-Sensitive Reports
Anyone having early access to sensitive information such as production
forecasts for corn, wheat, cotton, soybeans, poultry, or livestock would have
an obvious advantage in trading on the commodities market. Lockup ensures
that no information is released early to anyone.
The process begins when NASS field offices transmit the survey data they
collected to headquarters through specially encoded equipment. The
encoded data are saved on portable storage devices and locked in a safe; the
files are immediately purged from the computer system.
In the hours before a report is released, employees prepare the forecast or
estimate in a secure locked area guarded by officers stationed in the hallways.
Telephones are disconnected, cell phones must be left outside, vinyl shades
with steel reinforcers are drawn over windows, and computer systems are
secured against tampering. Anyone entering the Lockup area prior to release
of the report has neither Internet nor telephone access and may not leave or
contact anyone outside the Lockup area until the report has been issued.

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NASS Offices
Headquarters
Washington, D.C.
(800) 727-9540
[email protected]

National Operations Center
St. Louis, Missouri
(314) 595-9500
[email protected]

State Offices
Alabama (Montgomery)
(800) 832-4181
[email protected]

Indiana (West Lafayette)
(800) 363-0469
[email protected]

Nevada (Sparks)
(775) 813-3960
[email protected]

Alaska (Palmer)
(800) 478-6079
[email protected]

Iowa (Des Moines)
(800) 772-0825
[email protected]

New England (Concord, NH)
(800) 642-9571
[email protected]

Arizona (Phoenix)
(800) 645-7286
[email protected]

Kansas (Topeka)
(800) 258-4564
[email protected]

New Hampshire *

Arkansas (Little Rock)
(800) 327-2970
[email protected]

Kentucky (Louisville)
(800) 928-5277
[email protected]

California (Sacramento)
(800) 851-1127
[email protected]

Louisiana (Baton Rouge)
(800) 256-4485
[email protected]

Colorado (Denver)
(800) 392-3202
[email protected]

Maine *

New York (Albany)
(800) 821-1276
[email protected]

Maryland (Annapolis)
(800) 675-0295
[email protected]

North Carolina (Raleigh)
(800) 437-8451
[email protected]

Massachusetts *

North Dakota (Fargo)
(800) 626-3134
[email protected]

Connecticut *
Delaware (Dover)
(800) 282-8685 †
[email protected]
Florida (Maitland)
(800) 344-6277
[email protected]
Georgia (Athens)
(800) 253-4419
[email protected]
Hawaii (Honolulu)
(800) 804-9514
[email protected]
Idaho (Boise)
(800) 691-9987
[email protected]
Illinois (Springfield)
(800) 622-9865
[email protected]

Michigan (East Lansing)
(800) 453-7501
[email protected]
Minnesota (St. Paul)
(800) 453-7502
[email protected]
Mississippi (Jackson)
(800) 535-9609
[email protected]
Missouri (Columbia)
(800) 551-1014
[email protected]
Montana (Helena)
(800) 835-2612
[email protected]
Nebraska (Lincoln)
(800) 582-6443
[email protected]

New Jersey (Trenton)
(800) 328-0179
[email protected]
New Mexico (Las Cruces)
(800) 530-8810
[email protected]

Ohio (Reynoldsburg)
(800) 858-8144
[email protected]
Oklahoma (Oklahoma City)
(888) 525-9226
[email protected]
Oregon (Portland)
(800) 338-2157
[email protected]
Pennsylvania (Harrisburg)
(800) 498-1518
[email protected]
Puerto Rico (Santurce)
(787) 723-3773
[email protected]
Rhode Island *

South Carolina (Columbia)
(800) 424-9406
[email protected]

Utah (Salt Lake City)
(800) 747-8522
[email protected]

West Virginia (Charleston)
(800) 535-7088
[email protected]

South Dakota (Sioux Falls)
(800) 338-2557
[email protected]

Vermont *

Wisconsin (Madison)
(800) 789-9277
[email protected]

Tennessee (Nashville)
(800) 626-0987
[email protected]
Texas (Austin)
(800) 626-3142
[email protected]

Virginia (Richmond)
(800) 772-0670
[email protected]
Washington (Olympia)
(800) 435-5883
[email protected]

Wyoming (Cheyenne)
(800) 892-1660
[email protected]
* See New England.
† Toll-free only within State

Regional Offices
Northeastern Region
(New England States, Delaware, Maryland,
New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania)
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
(800) 498-1518
[email protected]
Eastern Mountain Region
(Kentucky, North Carolina,
Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia)
Louisville, Kentucky
(800) 928-5277
[email protected]
Southern Region
(Alabama, Florida, Georgia,
Puerto Rico, South Carolina)
Athens, Georgia
(800) 253-4419
[email protected]
Great Lakes Region
(Indiana, Michigan, Ohio)
East Lansing, Michigan
(800) 453-7501
[email protected]
Upper Midwest Region
(Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin)
Des Moines, Iowa
(800) 772-0825
[email protected]
Heartland Region
(Illinois, Missouri)
St. Louis, Missouri
(800) 551-1014
[email protected]

Delta Region
(Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi)
Little Rock, Arkansas
(800) 327-2970
[email protected]
Northern Plains Region
(Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota,
South Dakota)
Lincoln, Nebraska
(800) 582-6443
[email protected]
Southern Plains Region
(Oklahoma, Texas)
Austin, Texas
(800) 626-3142
[email protected]
Mountain Region
(Arizona, Colorado, Montana,
New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming)
Denver, Colorado
(800) 392-3202
[email protected]
Northwest Region
(Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington)
Olympia, Washington
(800) 435-5883
[email protected]
Pacific Region
(California, Hawaii, Nevada)
Sacramento, California
(800) 851-1127
[email protected]

LEARN MORE
• www.nass.usda.gov – Browse the NASS website for information on
surveys, the census, and more.
• Quick Stats – Use this easy online tool to find data by agricultural
product, geography, and date.
• CropScape – Use this Web portal to get crop-specific geospatial land
cover information.
• Sign up for free customized national reports, state reports, or news
releases via email.
• Follow NASS on Twitter – @usda_nass.
• Customer Service – For assistance finding data online or to request
hard copies, including CDs and DVDs, call toll free: (800) 727-9540
(7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET Mon-Fri) or write to [email protected].
• View our pledge to keep data confidential and secure.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all of its
programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability,
and where applicable, sex (including gender identity and expression), marital status,
familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, genetic
information, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from
any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of
program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s
TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).