USDA-NASS - About NASS - Agricultural Statistics: A Historical Timeline - Era of Expanding Horizons 1981-2020

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United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service

About NASS

Agricultural Statistics: A Historical Timeline

Continuing advances in research and technology lead to new ways of collecting data and providing customer service. Responsibility for the Census of Agriculture shifts from the Census Bureau to the renamed National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The agency also broadens its scope to include the collection of environmental and demographic data.

Economics & Statistics Service 1980–1981

William E. Kibler
Administrator
1975–1987

1981 - The Statistical Reporting Service signs a cooperative agreement with the University of California at Berkeley to develop and test software for conducting computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). The goal of CATI is to increase data quality, reduce non-sampling errors and decrease the resources necessary to conduct surveys. Computer-assisted telephone interviews begin in California in 1982.

U.S. Population 1980 - 226,542,199 | Number of Farms 1978 - 2,257,775

Statistical Reporting Service 1981–1986

William E. Kibler
Administrator
1975–1987

1983 - The comedy “Trading Places” is released, which loosely portrays the Crop Reporting Board Lockup procedures and a manipulated citrus forecast. This film stars Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy. While the movie is very popular, many questions surface about the security of the Crop Reporting Board procedures. The agency responds with a video emphasizing security procedures.

U.S. Population 1980 - 226,542,199 | Number of Farms 1982 - 2,240,976

Statistical Reporting Service 1981–1986

William E. Kibler
Administrator
1975–1987

1984 - Landsat 5 is launched into orbit, becoming the workhorse for satellite imagery for the next 25 years.

U.S. Population 1980 - 226,542,199 | Number of Farms 1982 - 2,240,976

Statistical Reporting Service 1981–1986

William E. Kibler
Administrator
1975–1987

1985 - The Confidentiality of Information statute (USC Sec. 2276) is enacted. This statute specifies that only summary-level data, which will not allow identification of any individual or organization, may be released; Weekly Crop Progress and Condition Survey procedures and estimates are standardized. Weekly reports, published since 1914, are comparable across states for the first time.

U.S. Population 1980 - 226,542,199 | Number of Farms 1982 - 2,240,976

Statistical Reporting Service 1981–1986

William E. Kibler
Administrator
1975–1987

1986 - The Statistical Reporting Service is renamed the National Agricultural Statistics Service and the name of the Crop Reporting Board is formally changed to the Agricultural Statistics Board (ASB).

U.S. Population 1980 - 226,542,199 | Number of Farms 1982 - 2,240,976

Statistical Reporting Service 1981–1986

William E. Kibler
Administrator
1975–1987

1986 - NASS implements the Real-Time Mail Maintenance System (RTMMS), through which it can update and make available list frame names and addresses immediately. Previously, microfiche created once a month was the only way to review list frame updates.

U.S. Population 1980 - 226,542,199 | Number of Farms 1982 - 2,240,976

National Agricultural Statistics Service 1986 – present

Charles E. Caudill
Administrator
1987–1993

1988 - NASS begins a small demonstration project with computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI). Enumerators use laptops to collect data during face-to-face interviews.

U.S. Population 1980 - 226,542,199 | Number of Farms 1987 - 2,087,759

National Agricultural Statistics Service 1986 – present

Charles E. Caudill
Administrator
1987–1993

1988 - Severe drought in the midwest and south result in poor crop yields, highlighting the need for reliable crop yield and production forecasts early in the growing season. NASS uses both objective measurements and interviews with farmers to forecast crop yields on a monthly basis.

U.S. Population 1980 - 226,542,199 | Number of Farms 1987 - 2,087,759

National Agricultural Statistics Service 1986 – present

Charles E. Caudill
Administrator
1987–1993

1991 - NASS responds to the growing interest in environmental statistics related to agriculture by conducting the Chemical Usage on Farms Survey. This is the first stand-alone survey devoted to environmental issues.

U.S. Population 1990 - 248,709,873 | Number of Farms 1987 - 2,087,759

Donald M. Bay
Administrator
1993–1999

1994 - The release time for major crop-related reports changes from 3:00 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. The first morning release is on May 10.

U.S. Population 1990 - 248,709,873 | Number of Farms 1992 - 1,925,300

National Agricultural Statistics Service 1986 – present

Donald M. Bay
Administrator
1993–1999

1995 - NASS implements the Interactive Data Analysis System (IDAS). This is the first LAN (local-area-network)-based, interactive analysis tool developed by the agency; it becomes the workhorse for reviewing all survey data.

U.S. Population 1990 - 248,709,873 | Number of Farms 1992 - 1,925,300

National Agricultural Statistics Service 1986 – present

Donald M. Bay
Administrator
1993–1999

1995 - The agency creates a Web Site, and all reports are available within five minutes of the release time.

U.S. Population 1990 - 248,709,873 | Number of Farms 1992 - 1,925,300

National Agricultural Statistics Service 1986 – present

Donald M. Bay
Administrator
1993–1999

1997 - NASS staff assist China with its 1997 agriculture census by conducting data collection seminars, helping with the questionnaire design, and monitoring data collection. China’s first agriculture census contacts more than 200 million households and requires 6 million enumerators.

U.S. Population 1990 - 248,709,873 | Number of Farms 1997 - 2,215,876

National Agricultural Statistics Service 1986 – present

Donald M. Bay
Administrator
1993–1999

1997 - Responsibility for the U.S. Census of Agriculture is transferred from the Census Bureau to NASS.

U.S. Population 1990 - 248,709,873 | Number of Farms 1997 - 2,215,876

National Agricultural Statistics Service 1986 – present

Donald M. Bay
Administrator
1993–1999

1997 - The Enhanced List Maintenance Operations (ELMO) system is created, making it the first large-scale centralized database software system built by the agency. ELMO is the primary tool used to maintain the list of farm operators to whom NASS sends surveys.

U.S. Population 1990 - 248,709,873 | Number of Farms 1997 - 2,215,876

National Agricultural Statistics Service 1986 – present

Donald M. Bay
Administrator
1993–1999

R. Ronald Bosecker
Administrator
1999–2008

1999 - NASS collects weekly crop progress and condition responses over the Internet, using a secure survey instrument. More than 58,000 responses are processed between April and November.

U.S. Population 1990 - 248,709,873 | Number of Farms 1997 - 2,215,876

National Agricultural Statistics Service 1986 – present

R. Ronald Bosecker
Administrator
1999–2008

2000 - NASS publishes biotechnology variety statistics for corn, soybeans and cotton for the first time in the June Acreage report.

U.S. Population 2000 - 281,422,426 | Number of Farms 1997 - 2,215,876

National Agricultural Statistics Service 1986 – present

R. Ronald Bosecker
Administrator
1999–2008

2001 - The first test of electronic data reporting (EDR) begins with the Cotton Ginnings report. By 2004, the agency develops a high-functioning EDR software system for all surveys. NASS uses EDR in Census of Agriculture data collection for the first time in 2007.

U.S. Population 2000 - 281,422,426 | Number of Farms 1997 - 2,215,876

National Agricultural Statistics Service 1986 – present

R. Ronald Bosecker
Administrator
1999–2008

2005 - The Agricultural Statistics Board celebrates a century of successful service and secure agricultural statistics. A commemorative ceremony is held at USDA in Washington, D.C., on July 12.

U.S. Population 2000 - 281,422,426 | Number of Farms 2002 - 2,128,982

National Agricultural Statistics Service 1986 – present

R. Ronald Bosecker
Administrator
1999–2008

Cynthia Z. F. Clark
Administrator
2008–

2008 - NASS publishes statistics on organic agriculture for the first time.

U.S. Population 2000 - 281,422,426 | Number of Farms 2007 - 2,204,792

National Agricultural Statistics Service 1986 – present

Cynthia Z. F. Clark
Administrator
2008–

2009 - NASS researches computer-assisted personal interviewing for the third time. This time the research uses the Apple iPad, which proves to be lighter and more cost-effective in field interviews.

U.S. Population 2000 - 281,422,426 | Number of Farms 2007 - 2,204,792

National Agricultural Statistics Service 1986 – present

Cynthia Z. F. Clark
Administrator
2008–

2010 - CropScape, a geospatial Web portal is released, allowing interactive browsing and querying of the national Cropland Data Layer.

U.S. Population 2010 - 308,745,538 | Number of Farms 2007 - 2,204,792

National Agricultural Statistics Service 1986 – present

Cynthia Z. F. Clark
Administrator
2008–

2011 - Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack participates in the ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 28 to inaugurate the NASS National Operations Center (NOC). Housed in St. Louis, NOC serves as the agency’s primary data collection center.

U.S. Population 2010 - 308,745,538 | Number of Farms 2007 - 2,204,792

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United States Department of Agriculture • National Agricultural Statistics Service • 1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20250 • Voice: (800) 727-9540 • Email: nass@nass.usda.gov • Web: http://www.nass.usda.gov

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