mi-press-releases

News Release
NR-12-82
December 14, 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

January Livestock Surveys

	During the first two weeks of January, the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field 
Office will be conducting three surveys: the Cattle Report, the Sheep and 
Goats Report, and the Milk Production Report. Over 1,600 Michigan operators 
will be asked to provide information about their livestock operations. These 
data will be used to estimate Michigan's milk production, cattle inventory, 
and sheep and goats inventory by class.

	Most selected farmers will receive a questionnaire in the mail. Producers 
not responding by mail or the internet will be contacted by telephone or 
interviewed in person. Reporting by mail or on the internet will eliminate 
the need for telephone or personal follow-up, thus keeping survey costs to a 
minimum. Individual reports from farmers are kept confidential and only 
summarized to set county, state, and national estimates of livestock 
inventories and production.

	Published estimates from these surveys will help keep all market 
participants equally informed. All reports are available on the internet at 
www.nass.usda.gov. The Milk Production report will be available after 3:00 
p.m. on January 23, 2013. The Cattle report and the Sheep and Goats report 
will be available after 3:00 p.m. on February 1, 2013. Operations 
participating in these surveys will receive a free copy of the results as 
published in Agriculture Across Michigan. Estimates by county will be 
available for cattle in mid-May.