mi-press-releases

News Release
NR-12-06
January 25, 2012

U.S. Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Michigan Field Office
Michigan Department of Agriculture
Post Office Box 30239
Lansing, MI  48909-6248

Phone:      (517) 324-5300
Facsimile:  (517) 324-5299
E-mail:     nass-mi@nass.usda.gov
Web site:   www.nass.usda.gov

Jay V. Johnson, Director

USDA to Measure the Financial Health of Ag Industry

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service 
(NASS) will spend the next several months contacting farmers and ranchers 
across the State of Michigan to conduct the Agricultural Resource Management 
Survey (ARMS). The results of this survey will serve as a baseline for 
numerous federal policies and programs that affect U.S. farms and farm 
families. 

"ARMS is the USDA's primary tool for gauging the financial condition and 
production practices on American farms and ranches," said Jay Johnson, 
director of the NASS Michigan Field Office. "By participating in this survey, 
Michigan farmers directly impact the decisions that affect them, their 
families and their operations."

NASS conducts ARMS jointly with USDA's Economic Research Service. In an 
effort to obtain the most accurate data, the federal agencies will reach out 
to nearly 35,000 producers nationwide, including nearly 450 in Michigan, 
during the months of February and March. The survey asks the producers to 
provide data on their operating expenditures, production costs and household 
characteristics. 

"Decision makers from all facets of U.S. agriculture will use the collective 
information from ARMS to answer questions and make important decisions 
concerning the economic viability of American agriculture, the rural economy 
and other emerging issues," explained Johnson, "That's why it is imperative 
for all farmers contacted by NASS to provide responses and help shape the 
future of U.S. agriculture."

ARMS survey responses will be compiled, and NASS will publish the annual Farm 
Production Expenditures report, to be released on August 2, 2012. Farm 
Economic Data will be published by the Economic Research Service (ERS-USDA) 
in several separate reports later in 2012.

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 Johnson.

All NASS reports are available online at: www.nass.usda.gov. For more 
information on NASS surveys and reports, please call the Michigan Field 
Office at (800) 453-7501.

NASS provides accurate, timely, useful and objective statistics in service to 
U.S. agriculture. The agency invites you to express your thoughts and provide 
occasional feedback on our products and services by joining a data user 
community.  To join, sign in at http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/subscriptions 
and look for "NASS Data User Community."