USDA News Release – USDA to Measure Fruit Production
HARRISBURG, PA – Over the next several weeks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will survey fruit growers, including more than 1,000 in the Northeast, about their 2018 fruit crops. The survey will collect acreage information on apples, peaches, grapes, and cranberries and provide the first indication of production.
“Different sectors of the agricultural industry rely on NASS to produce timely and accurate fruit estimates,” said King Whetstone, director of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Northeastern Regional Field Office. “Growers can use the survey results when making business plans and marketing decisions. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) relies on the average yields to administer farm programs. Cooperative Extension uses the data to provide needed outreach and education, and State Departments and Agencies of Agriculture use the information to aid growers.”
In these surveys, NASS asks participants to answer a variety of questions about apples, peaches, cranberries, and grapes depending on state and version of the questionnaire. For their convenience, survey participants have the option to respond online. As with all NASS surveys, information provided by respondents is confidential by law. NASS safeguards the confidentiality of all responses and publishes only State and National level data, ensuring that no individual producer or operation can be identified.
NASS will compile, analyze, and publish survey results in the August 10th, 2018 Crop Production report. All previous publications are available online. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office at 1-800-498-1518.
NASS provides accurate, timely, and useful statistics in service to U.S. agriculture. We invite you to provide occasional feedback on our products and services. Sign up here and look for “NASS Data User Community.” USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call 800.795.3272 (voice), or 202.720.6382 (TDD).