USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will gather data on chemical use from soybean and wheat growers in 26 states as part of the Agricultural Resource Management Survey. NASS Program Administration Branch Chief Chris Messer says the use of fertilizers and pesticides for U.S. crop production is among the most studied topics in agriculture today. He says the survey is conducted to ensure any and all decisions about agricultural chemical use are based on current, unbiased data from the growers themselves. Messer says responding to this survey gives growers a chance to impact product availability for the entire industry. Messer says many industry stakeholders anticipate the results and will use the data as soon as it becomes available on May 15th, 2013.
This part of the Agricultural Resource Management Survey is handled through face-to-face interviews only. Hundreds of NASS interviewers will visit selected growers over the next three months to gather information about chemical use on their crops. The producers are asked to report the nutrient or fertilizer use, biocontrol or pesticide applications and pest management and irrigation practices on one randomly selected field to represent data from their farm. NASS notes growers can safely respond to the survey with certainty their responses will remain fully confidential. The data will only be used for statistical purposes – and NASS publishes only aggregate information on state and national levels.
The Agricultural Resource Management Survey is conducted jointly with USDA’s Economic Research Service.
Source: NAFB News Service