The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently announced that during the first two weeks of September, small grain producers will receive survey forms by mail that will help determine the 2015 production of grains including oats, rye and barley.
While survey participants will be able to submit their information via postal mail, they will also have the option to do so online. Farmers who do not respond by Aug. 31 may be contacted by an NASS representative.
“The small grains industry is a big player in Northeastern agriculture and it is crucial for us to have accurate data about this key sector of the economy,” said NASS Northeastern Regional Director, King Whetstone. “We will contact nearly 4,000 producers in the 11 Northeastern states to accurately measure 2015 acreage, yield, and production for small grains.”
Whetstone went on to say that one of the goals of the survey is to determine small grain acreage and production in specific counties as well.
The responses from survey takers will be kept confidential, and only aggregate data will be published by the NASS. The Small Grains Summary, along with the Grain Stocks report, will be published by the USDA on Sept. 30. Individuals can find the reports and more information on the survey on the NASS website at www.nass.usda.gov.