PIERRE, SD – Most ranchers and farmers aren’t inclined to share information about their operations. But in global agricultural environment, data provided by individuals is critical to markets, subsidies, financial planning and state and federal ag policy.
During the next few weeks, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct two major inquiries, contacting nearly 3,800 producers across South Dakota.
“These are two of the most important surveys NASS conducts, due to the widespread and significant impact of their results,” explained Erik Gerlach, South Dakota state statistician. “When producers complete these surveys, they contribute essential information that determines the expected acreage and supply of major commodities for the 2021 crop year. The results are necessary for everyone who relies on agriculture for their livelihoods. This includes those providing farm and ranch supplies, those purchasing commodities directly from the producers, and everyone else involved in ensuring a safe and affordable food supply reaches the consumer in a timely manner.”
Data for the June Agricultural Survey are gathered via the Internet, mail, or by phone interview. For the June Area Survey, trained National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) enumerators representing NASS visit select tracts of land to interview the operators of any farm or ranch within that selected tract. Producers are asked to provide information on planted acres, acres expected to be harvested, and grain stocks. This survey also collects data on livestock inventory, cash rents, land values, and value of sales.
“NASS protects the privacy of all respondents and publishes only state- and national-level data in these reports, ensuring no operation or producer can be identified. I urge all producers to respond to these surveys when contacted, and thank them for their cooperation,” said Gerlach.
NASS will publish the results in a series of USDA reports, including the Acreage and Grain Stocks reports, on June 30, 2021. Survey data also contribute to NASS’s Crop Production reports, Small Grains Summary, Farms and Land in Farms, and Land Values reports, as well as various livestock reports, including Cattle, Sheep and Goats, and Quarterly Hogs and Pigs.
