United States Department of Agriculture

Hello! I am Dale Hawks the NASS State Statistician for Delaware and Maryland. I was raised on a small farm in the southwest corner of Michigan. Our 120-acre farm had chickens, cattle, and one milk cow, and grew corn, soybeans, wheat, oats, and hay. I think we were the only farm family in the county that didn't raise hogs and pigs because the county consistently ranked number one or two in the state.

I graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in food systems economics and management, similar to an agricultural economics degree. Before graduation, I took statistics courses and found a student internship with the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Upon graduation, I was offered a job in the NASS California office, and now, more than 33 years later, I have held several different positions with NASS, including Statistician, Group Leader, Assistant to the Associate Administrator, Deputy Director, Section Head, and currently Maryland/Delaware State Statistician.

I have worked in California, Michigan, Washington D.C., twice in Maryland, and recently added Delaware to my title. I am committed to the U.S. farming community and NASS, and dedicated to serving the public with vital agricultural statistics. An avid golfer and sports enthusiast, I have been happily married for more than 28 years with two adult sons.