Backgrounder

NASS Programs

2023 Agricultural Labor Survey

About the Survey

How NASS Collects Data

Who Uses the Information

USDA’s National Agricultural
Statistics Service (NASS) conducts
the Agricultural Labor Survey
twice a year, in April and October.

NASS will conduct the
Agricultural Labor Survey in
every state except Alaska.

NASS labor estimates
impact the entire agriculture
community. Federal, state, and
local government agencies as
well as educational institutions,
farm organizations, and private
sector employers all use these
data. For example:

The survey asks for:
• Number of hired workers on
the farm;
• Total number of hours
worked;
• Total wages paid each
reference week.
NASS will publish the data from
the October survey in the Farm
Labor report on November 22,
2023.
All previous farm labor
publications are available online
at nass.usda.gov/go/labor.

NASS mails the survey in April
and October to nearly 18,000
agricultural operations, asking
them to provide information for
four one-week periods. In 2023,
the reference weeks are:
• April Survey: January 8-14
and April 9-15.
• October Survey: July 9-15
and October 8-14.
Producers who receive the survey
may respond in either of the
following ways:
•

•

Confidentiality
All information NASS collects
is kept strictly confidential, as
required by federal law. The data
will be available in aggregate
form only, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can
be identified.

Online at
www.agcounts.usda.gov
– A fast and secure way to
complete the survey.
By mail – Fill out the survey
and return it in the prepaid
envelope provided.

A NASS representative will call
producers who do not respond
to the survey to collect this
important information by phone.
Respondents may also receive a
reminder email.

• The Department of Labor
uses the data to establish
minimum wage rates for
agricultural workers and assist
legislators in determining
labor policies.
• USDA and the Department
of Labor use these data to
estimate the demand for
and availability of seasonal
agricultural workers.
• Agencies responsible for
administering farm labor
recruitment and placement
programs use these statistics
in their planning and
evaluation.

October 2023
United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service

www.nass.usda.gov