Cover Letter

United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service

October 3, 2017

Why am I getting this letter?

What should I do next?

We at the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) are
approaching farmers in your area to fill out the 2017
Agricultural Labor Survey covering the last two reference weeks
of the year, July 9-15 and October 8-14. Please complete your
questionnaire online or by mail at your earliest convenience. If
you do not respond by October 16, a representative from our
office may contact you to arrange a telephone interview or a
personal interview.

Complete your survey in one of the
following ways:

What are Farm Labor Data used for?
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Online at www.agcounts.usda.gov
beginning on October 10. Online
reporting is fast, cost-effective, and
secure. All you need is the 17-digit
survey code on the enclosed form to
begin.
By mail or fax. Complete the survey
questionnaire and mail it back in the
return envelope provided or fax it to
(855) 415-3687.

Farm labor data are used in the formulation of farm productivity
indexes. The inclusion of wage rate data in the Parity Index
(Index of Prices Paid by Farmers) is required by law.
Farm worker data provides data for the agricultural sector of component the Gross Domestic Product.
Agencies responsible for administering farm labor recruitment and placement programs use the statistics in their
planning and evaluations.
Individual farm producers may use wage rate data as a guide when hiring workers and when estimating expenses for
their operation.

The results of this survey will be available in aggregate form only, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be
identified, as required by federal law. We will publish the survey findings in the biannual Farm Labor report, to be released
November 16, 2017. The report will be available at www.nass.usda.gov/Publications.
Thank you for participating and for your support of our programs and U.S. agriculture. If you have any questions, please feel
free to contact us at (888) 424-7828.

Sincerely,

Joseph L. Parsons
Chairman, Agricultural Statistics Board

Enclosure

1400 Independence Avenue, SW · Washington, D.C. 20250
www.nass.usda.gov
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.