Kentucky Ag News
USDA to measure small grain production
National Agricultural Statistics Service
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - During the first two weeks of September, growers of small grains around the country will receive survey forms from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. The agency is taking a comprehensive look into the 2016 production and supply of small grains, which includes winter wheat for Kentucky.
“We will contact 1,271 producers in Kentucky to accurately measure 2016 acreage, yield and production for wheat,” said David Knopf, director of the NASS Eastern Mountain Regional Office in Kentucky. “The data collected from this survey will also help set acreage and production estimates at the county level.”
County-level estimates are used by other USDA agencies to set standards for insurance and risk protection programs many farmers rely on to protect their operations.
“Farm Service Agency (FSA) relies on the county-level estimates for Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC), Price Loss Coverage (PLC), County Loan Rates, and its disaster program calculations,” Knopf said. “The Risk Management Agency (RMA) uses the data for administering the Area Risk Protection Insurance Plan, establishment of transitional yields, and determining when to make crop loss insurance payments. When drought and flooding impact crop production, or even in a year with good yields, these data are crucial to the agriculture industry.”
NASS will contact Kentucky survey participants to gather information on their 2016 production and the quantities of winter wheat stored on-farm. As an alternative to mailing the survey back and to help save both time and money, growers will have the option to respond to the survey securely online. Farmers who have not responded by Aug. 30, may receive a phone call from a NASS representative who will help them fill out the survey form.
NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents and publishes only aggregate data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified.
Survey results will be published in several reports, including the annual Small Grains Summary and the quarterly Grain Stocks report, both to be released Sept. 30. These and all NASS reports are available online at nass.usda.gov. For more information, call the NASS Kentucky Field Office at 1-800-928-5277.
