USDA to examine farmers’ production practices and costs

NASHVILLE ‘ How are local farmers being affected by changing agricultural trends and increased input costs? What new production practices are they using to assure a healthy environment and an abundant crop? These and other important questions will be answered when the U.S. Department of Agriculture conducts the 2007 Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS).

‘ARMS is USDA’s primary source of information on the production practices, resource use and economic well-being of America’s farm households,’ said Debra Kenerson, Director of the Tennessee Field Office of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

From October to December, NASS will interview nearly 4,500 farm operators nationwide, including approximately 150 in Tennessee. They will be asked to provide information on their fertilizer, nutrient and pesticide applications, as well as their pest management and irrigation practices.

‘During this phase of ARMS, we focus on production practices and costs. This year, we are looking at cotton,’ said Kenerson. ‘In early 2008, we will follow up with some producers to obtain additional economic data.’

The importance of this survey cannot be underestimated, according to Kenerson. ‘Virtually every federal farm program and policy is based on ARMS data,’ she said. ‘Conservation programs, price support programs, risk management programs, and research programs all rely on information generated through this survey. That’s why it’s so important that farmers take the time to participate and ensure that we have the most accurate and up-to-date information, straight from the source.’

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 operation or producer can be identified,’ stated Kenerson. All reports are available on the NASS web site: www.nass.usda.gov. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, contact the NASS Tennessee Field Office at 800-626-0897.