Reply Letter to BEA

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service

April 11, 2017

Dr. Dennis J. Fixler

Chief Statistician

U.S. Department of Commerce

Bureau of Economic Analysis

1441 L Street NW

Washington, DC 20230

Dear Dr. Fixler and Ms. Garrick,

Thank you for the letter of support and sharing the specific uses BEA has for the data. There are only two significant changes being made to this group of surveys under this renewal docket. The July Sheep Inventory survey was suspended in 2013 due to budget cuts, but it was left active in the OMB docket in the event that funding would become available to restore it. The July survey is officially being discontinued in this renewal, but the January survey is unaffected. The other significant change involves the Cattle on Feed survey in Iowa for operations with a capacity of 1,000 head or less. This is a supplemental survey to the National Cattle on Feed Survey and our Iowa Regional Field Office is improving their sampling methodology, resulting in a reduced sample size.

The only other changes that NASS is making are cosmetic and will not affect the overall programs.

We will keep you informed any future modifications.

Again, many thanks!

Joe Parsons

Agricultural Statistics Board, Chairman

U.S. Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service

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