Fruit Chemical Use Backgrounder

NASS Programs

2021 Fruit Chemical Use Survey

About the Survey

Who Uses the Information?

The Fruit Chemical Use Survey
provides detailed data about
farm operators’ use of chemicals
on fruit crops.

All sectors of the agriculture
industry – producers, buyers,
suppliers, policymakers and
others – rely on fruit chemical
use data to make sound business
decisions. For example:

All data are collected by personal
interviews. NASS contacts
growers during the survey
period when the 2021 harvest
is complete, or after the last
chemical application has been
made. Because of variation in
geographic and crop harvesting
periods, the survey will run from
October 2021 through February
2022.
NASS will release the results of
the survey on July 29, 2022. All
data will be available via NASS’
Quick Stats database:
quickstats.nass.usda.gov

• Accurate pesticide use data
are the only way to ensure
that producers continue to
have access to the chemicals
they need. If growers do
not accurately document
their use of these products,
regulators might not reregister a widely relied on
product.

Response Confidentiality

• Industry associations such as
the Northwest Horticultural
Council and United Fresh
Produce Association use the
data to advocate for domestic
and international policy such
as export policy and pesticide
registration, as well as to
track trends of fruit growing
practices.

All information NASS collects in
this survey will be kept strictly
confidential, as required by
federal law. The results of the
survey will be available in
aggregate form only, ensuring
that no individual operation or
producer can be identified.

• Agencies such as the
U.S. Food and Drug
Administration use the data
to document the quality and
safety of U.S. food products,
providing assurances to both
domestic and international
customers.

United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service

What Topics Does this
Survey Address?
NASS interviewers will ask about
production practices related
to the target fruit crops in the
included states. Questions
include:
• Fruit acres operated
• Pesticides used (including
name of the chemical product
and method, amount, rate,
and frequency of application)
• Fertilizers used (including
type of fertilizers, application
rate, and frequency of
application)
• Pest management practices

March 2021

www.nass.usda.gov