USDA-NASS - About NASS - Agricultural Statistics: A Historical Timeline - Era of Turbulent Growth 1901−1940

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United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service

About NASS

Agricultural Statistics: A Historical Timeline

The trials and errors of the early 1900s lay a strong foundation for successfully expanding agricultural data collection as necessitated by World War I. Statisticians begin to explore using various statistical tools and objective yield methods to improve the accuracy of data collection.

Division of Statistics 1863–1903

John Hyde
Chief of the Bureau of Statistics
1897–1905

1900 - USDA appoints full-time regional field agents responsible for gathering additional information on crops and livestock to check the returns received by the county and township correspondents; Electric tabulating machines are used in preparing and aggregating data for the 1900 Census of Agriculture.

U.S. Population 1900 - 76,212,168 | Number of Farms 1900 - 5,739,657

Bureau of Statistics 1903–1914

John Hyde
Chief of the Bureau of Statistics
1897–1905

1903 - Agricultural statistics report procedures consist of three individuals, led by the Chief Statistician, reviewing survey indications shortly before a report is scheduled to be released. Once the report’s contents are set, the three individuals are free to go about their business and even to leave the building.

U.S. Population 1900 - 76,212,168 | Number of Farms 1900 - 5,739,657

Bureau of Statistics 1903–1914

John Hyde
Chief of the Bureau of Statistics
1897–1905

1903 - On December 11, President Theodore Roosevelt sends a letter to the Secretary of Agriculture stating, "The enclosed two papers are among a number of complaints that I have had in this matter of the leak in the cotton reports. For over a year I have heard grumbling about these leakings and complaints that the Government reports were used to help the stock gamblers. Will you let me know about this matter."

U.S. Population 1900 - 76,212,168 | Number of Farms 1900 - 5,739,657

Bureau of Statistics 1903–1914

John Hyde
Chief of the Bureau of Statistics
1897–1905

1903 - The Secretary of Agriculture initiates an investigation and discovers that E.S. Holmes, Jr., one of the three men responsible for reviewing cotton estimates, has been providing Louis Van Riper, a New York City cotton trader, with advance information. To dispel rumors and prevent future security breaches, Bureau Chief John Hyde no longer permits the three reviewers to leave the work area until the report has been released.

U.S. Population 1900 - 76,212,168 | Number of Farms 1900 - 5,739,657

Bureau of Statistics 1903–1914

Willet M. Hays
CRB Chairperson
1905–1906

1905 - The new procedures do not deter Holmes and Van Riper, who develop a signaling system using window blinds to indicate the figure to be published. The scheme finally comes to light following the Cotton Acreage report issued June 2. After the three reviewers meet and adopt the state and national figures to be published, Holmes sends his signal to Van Riper, who proceeds to place trades. However, before the figures are actually published, one of the individuals working on the report asks for reconsideration and the figures are revised.

U.S. Population 1900 - 76,212,168 | Number of Farms 1900 - 5,739,657

Bureau of Statistics 1903–1914

Willet M. Hays
CRB Chairperson
1905–1906

1905 - Unhappy with the outcome of his trades, Van Riper charges in a telegram that a “fraudulent” report was released. In explaining why he believes the report to be false, he unwittingly reveals that he had advance information. On further questioning, Holmes and Van Riper turn on one another and reveal the full extent of the data leak. Holmes is removed from office and receives a fine of $5,000. Bureau Chief Hyde resigns.

U.S. Population 1900 - 76,212,168 | Number of Farms 1900 - 5,739,657

Bureau of Statistics 1903–1914

Willet M. Hays
CRB Chairperson
1905–1906

Victor H. Olmsted
CRB Chairperson
1906–1907

1905 - The Crop Reporting Board is created. Willet M. Hays, an Assistant Secretary of Agriculture charged with temporarily heading the Bureau of Statistics, develops an approach for identifying eight qualified individuals to bring statistical knowledge to crop estimating work. The Crop Reporting Board begins to issue reports in November.

U.S. Population 1900 - 76,212,168 | Number of Farms 1900 - 5,739,657

Bureau of Statistics 1903–1914

Charles C. Clark
CRB Chairperson
1907–1908

Victor H. Olmsted
CRB Chairperson
1908–1913

1908 - The Bureau of Statistics begins monthly collection of prices farmers receive for various agricultural commodities.

U.S. Population 1900 - 76,212,168 | Number of Farms 1900 - 5,739,657

Bureau of Statistics 1903–1914

Victor H. Olmsted
CRB Chairperson
1908–1913

1909 - Congress enacts a law making it a crime for federal employees to disclose crop estimates prematurely, issue false reports, and speculate in products of the soil. The law also requires the Secretary of Agriculture to formally approve crop estimates before they can be issued.

U.S. Population 1900 - 76,212,168 | Number of Farms 1900 - 5,739,657

Bureau of Statistics 1903–1914

Victor H. Olmsted
CRB Chairperson
1908–1913

1909 - By the end of 1909, the Bureau of Statistics has 19 regional field agents, 44 state agents, 135,000 voluntary county reporters, 33,000 voluntary township reporters and 25,000 farmers serving as correspondents.

U.S. Population 1900 - 76,212,168 | Number of Farms 1900 - 5,739,657

Bureau of Statistics 1903–1914

Victor H. Olmsted
CRB Chairperson
1908–1913

Nat C. Murray
CRB Chairperson
1913

Leon Estabrook
CRB Chairperson
1913–1922

1910 - The Bureau of Statistics begins annual collection of data on prices farmers pay for 74 commodities.

U.S. Population 1910 - 92,228,496 | Number of Farms 1910 - 6,366,044

Bureau of Crop Estimates 1914–1921

Leon Estabrook
CRB Chairperson
1913–1922

1914 - The positions of part-time state statistical agents and full-time regional field agents are abolished. They are replaced by full-time state statistical agents under the Federal Civil Service. There is no budget for office staff, so state statistical agents rely on family members for assistance addressing and mailing inquiries. The statistical agents’ reports supplement the returns from county and township correspondents for calculating the final estimates.

U.S. Population 1910 - 92,228,496 | Number of Farms 1910 - 6,366,044

Bureau of Crop Estimates 1914–1921

Leon Estabrook
CRB Chairperson
1913–1922

1915 - The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) is established to represent state departments of agriculture.

U.S. Population 1910 - 92,228,496 | Number of Farms 1910 - 6,366,044

Bureau of Crop Estimates 1914–1921

Leon Estabrook
CRB Chairperson
1913–1922

1916 - The first objective determination of crop acreages begins. A statistician in South Carolina counts the number of fields devoted to each crop from a train window during his travels. “Route samples” of fields lead other state statisticians to experiment with counts of fields by crops.

U.S. Population 1910 - 92,228,496 | Number of Farms 1910 - 6,366,044

Bureau of Crop Estimates 1914–1921

Leon Estabrook
CRB Chairperson
1913–1922

1916 - To calculate averages and ratios, William F. Callander, a Wisconsin statistical agent, begins using a small, circular slide rule called an omnimetre. The instrument is used to calculate crop production based on survey data. The omnimetre quickly gains popularity among statistical agents throughout the Bureau of Crop Estimates.

U.S. Population 1910 - 92,228,496 | Number of Farms 1910 - 6,366,044

Bureau of Crop Estimates 1914–1921

Leon Estabrook
CRB Chairperson
1913–1922

1917 - The Conference of Agricultural Statisticians is held in Washington, D.C. Leon Estabrook, Crop Reporting Board Chairman, opens the conference with a speech titled, “The Continuing Virtue,” which focuses on the pattern of growth, performance and conduct for agency staff.

U.S. Population 1910 - 92,228,496 | Number of Farms 1910 - 6,366,044

Bureau of Crop Estimates 1914–1921

Leon Estabrook
CRB Chairperson
1913–1922

1917 - The first cooperative agreement is developed between the local agricultural statistics office and the Wisconsin State Department of Agriculture. This arrangement pools staff, space and financial resources, while avoiding two sets of statistics for the same state.

U.S. Population 1910 - 92,228,496 | Number of Farms 1910 - 6,366,044

Division of Crop Estimates, Bureau of Markets and Crop Estimates 1921–1922

Leon Estabrook
CRB Chairperson
1913–1922

1921 - Peg strips are introduced to assist statisticians in quickly reviewing data. Once the questionnaires are returned, they are sorted by county or other category onto peg strips. This simple technique ensures quick, repeatable totals and averages for large sample surveys.

U.S. Population 1920 - 106,021,537 | Number of Farms 1920 - 6,453,991

Division of Crop and Livestock Estimates, Bureau of Agricultural Economics 1922–1939

Leon Estabrook
CRB Chairperson
1913–1922

Nat C. Murray
CRB Chairperson
1922–1923

1922 - Through cooperation with the Post Office Department, rural mail carriers deliver the first Pig Crop Survey.

U.S. Population 1920 - 106,021,537 | Number of Farms 1920 - 6,453,991

Division of Crop and Livestock Estimates, Bureau of Agricultural Economics 1922–1939

Nat C. Murray
CRB Chairperson
1922–1923

1923 - The crop meter, invented by Mississippi agricultural statistician D.A. McCandliss, attaches to an automobile’s speedometer to measure the frontage of crops along highways. Each button is labeled for a different crop and one row of buttons is used for each side of the road. When the button is pressed, a dial clicks off the frontage in hundreds of feet. Pressing another button as the car passes the end of the field releases the dial. By running a crop meter over the same route each year, it measures annual acreage figures for the crops it can meter. The crop meter serves as an automatic processing device and provides a new method for sampling and surveying.

U.S. Population 1920 - 106,021,537 | Number of Farms 1920 - 6,453,991

Division of Crop and Livestock Estimates, Bureau of Agricultural Economics 1922–1939

William F. Callander
CRB Chairperson
1924–1935

1925 - The comptometer, a key-driven mechanical calculator, gains popularity throughout the Bureau of Agricultural Economics. Clerks use the machine with the peg strips to add and subtract.

U.S. Population 1920 - 106,021,537 | Number of Farms 1920 - 6,453,991

Division of Crop and Livestock Estimates, Bureau of Agricultural Economics 1922–1939

William F. Callander
CRB Chairperson
1937–1942

1933 - The Agricultural Adjustment Act is enacted on May 12.
• The Division of Crop and Livestock Estimates establishes a system for handling contracts, records, and the statistical basis for allotments for basic crops. Statisticians review acreage figures submitted through the Agricultural Adjustment Act to make adjustments in total acreage and hog numbers, by county.

U.S. Population 1930 - 123,202,624 | Number of Farms 1930 - 6,295,103

Division of Crop and Livestock Estimates, Bureau of Agricultural Economics 1922–1939

William F. Callander
CRB Chairperson
1924–1935

Joseph A. Becker
CRB Chairperson
1935–1937

1935 - Drought in the Corn Belt and Great Plains necessitates many special services, including mid-month crop forecasts, determination of feed needs, allocation of feed, and movement of cattle out of drought areas.

U.S. Population 1930 - 123,202,624 | Number of Farms 1930 - 6,295,103

Division of Crop and Livestock Estimates, Bureau of Agricultural Economics 1922–1939

Joseph A. Becker
CRB Chairperson
1935–1937

William F. Callander
CRB Chairperson
1937–1942

1936 - Agricultural statistics are such a large part of the Yearbook of the Department of Agriculture that USDA creates a separate volume, Agricultural Statistics.

U.S. Population 1930 - 123,202,624 | Number of Farms 1930 - 6,295,103

Division of Crop and Livestock Estimates, Bureau of Agricultural Economics 1922–1939

William F. Callander
CRB Chairperson
1937–1942

1938 - The Conference of Agricultural Statisticians is held in St. Louis, Missouri.

U.S. Population 1930 - 123,202,624 | Number of Farms 1930 - 6,295,103

Division of Crop and Livestock Estimates, Bureau of Agricultural Economics 1922–1939

William F. Callander
CRB Chairperson
1937–1942

1939 - Germany and Slovakia invade Poland, initiating World War II; The Division of Agricultural Statistics conducts special studies of inventory of farm products and processing facilities, and issues involving production, processing and distribution under war defense situations.

U.S. Population 1930 - 123,202,624 | Number of Farms 1930 - 6,295,103

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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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7 Census of Agriculture