Template Fruit Chemical Use Press Release

NEWS RELEASE
United States Department of Agriculture
NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE

[FIELD OFFICE NAME] FIELD OFFICE
[ADDRESS]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: [Firstname] [Lastname]
(XXX) XXX-XXXX

USDA measures [STATE] fruit chemical usage
[CITY, State] – [Month ##], [Year] – Interviewers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will interview [more than/nearly] [sample size
rounded up/down] of [STATE] fruit growers in order to gather information for the Fruit Chemical
Use Survey this fall.
This survey will collect information on bearing acreage, pest management practices,
fertilizer types, acres treated, and application rates, and pesticide application, acres treated and
rates applied to more than [X] fruit crops. In addition to [STATE], fruit growers in 12 other states
will also hear from NASS, as the agency collects comprehensive U.S. fruit production practices
information.
“Growers benefit from providing this information because it is used to re-register
products that growers use, illustrates the industry’s environmental practices, and assures the
quality of U.S. food to consumers here and around the world,” said [FIRSTNAME LASTNAME],
[director of the NASS [REGION] Field Office]/[[STATE] state statistician]. “I encourage every
grower to take the time to respond if they receive this survey.”
The Fruit Chemical Use Survey will provide much needed information about the current
crop production practices used in the United States. The results of this survey will paint a
detailed picture of pesticide use and other pest management practices used by the fruit growers
across the nation. To conduct the survey, NASS representatives will contact growers to arrange
phone interviews.
NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents. The information you provide will be
used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with federal law, your responses will be kept
confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form.
Survey results will be published online in NASS’s Quick Stats database next year. This
database and all NASS reports are available on the agency’s website: nass.usda.gov. For more
information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS [Region/State] Field Office at [Toll-free
Number].

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NASS is the federal statistical agency responsible for producing official data about U.S. agriculture and is
committed to providing timely, accurate and useful statistics in service to U.S. agriculture.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.