Cover Letter for Quarterly Survey - Sample

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service

March 23, 2015

Dear Producer,

Enclosed is your Quarterly Colony Loss survey. This survey asks for information on newly added or replacement colonies, colony losses, and presence of colony stress factors, such as pests or parasites. The information will help the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimate the status and health of the commercial honeybee population in the United States.

USDA plans on conducting this survey every April, July, October and January, and hope you take a few minutes to respond. As a honey producer, your participation is vital, and your responses may impact the entire honeybee sector. You have the following ways to respond:

• Online at www.agcounts.usda.gov beginning DATE. Responding online is the easiest, fastest and safest way to complete your survey and it saves taxpayer dollars too. All you need is the identification number on the enclosed form to begin.

• By mail or fax. Complete the enclosed questionnaire and mail it back in the return envelope provided or fax it to (855) 415-3687.

If you do not respond by March 30, 2015, a representative from our office will contact you to arrange a telephone or personal interview.

As required by Federal law, your responses are completely confidential. We safeguard the privacy of all respondents, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified.

We will publish the survey results in the Colony Loss Report, to be released in April, 2016.

Thank you in advance for your survey response and for supporting U.S. agriculture.

Sincerely,

Joseph T. Reilly

Administrator

U.S. Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service

Enclosures

1400 Independence Avenue, SW · Washington, D.C. 20250

www.nass.usda.gov

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.