Washington, D.C.
Christina Parker of Valencia County will contact some area farmers and ranchers during June and the first half of July to ask them to take part in a nationwide survey on American agriculture.
As a primary source of agricultural information, this survey is one of the largest and most important conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
The resulting information will be used to make reliable state, regional and national estimates of crop acreage, grain stocks and livestock inventories.
The New Mexico Agricultural Statistical Service in Las Cruces is handling the New Mexico portion of the survey.
The survey is particularly vital, a news release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.
“It will provide the first clear indictions of the potential production of major crops for 2002.”
Producers themselves rely on the data to reach valid production, marketing and investment decisions. Congresspersons and regulators use the information to produce better regulations and farm programs. Industry analysts, extension agents, farm organizations and agricultural leaders need the information for a variety of reasons, the news release said.
“It is therefore important for area farmers to participate in the survey, to ensure that local agriculture is accurately portrayed,” the release said. Most producers selected for interviews will soon be notified by mail.
“We safeguard the confidentiality of all survey responses,” Parker said. “Data about individual operations are used only in conjunction with information from other producers.”
All agricultural statistics published by NASS are available at www.usda.gov/nass. For information, call 1-800-530-8810.
The Valencia County News-Bulletin is a locally owned and operated community newspaper, dedicated to serving Valencia County since 1910 through the highest journalistic and professional business standards. The VCNB is published weekly on Thursdays, including holidays both in print and online.
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April 18, 2024
