Pennsylvania Ag Connection - USDA to Measure Fruit and Berry Production

Pennsylvania Ag News Headlines

USDA to Measure Fruit and Berry Production
Pennsylvania Ag Connection - 01/16/2020

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct its end-of-season surveys for the 2019 fruit and berry production beginning in this month. The surveys will collect information about acres, production and prices from more than 2,500 growers in the Northeastern region of the United States.

"The information from these surveys directly impacts our regions' fruit and berry growers in many positive ways," said King Whetstone, director of NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office. "Growers can use the survey results when making business plans and marketing decisions. USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) relies on the average yields and prices to administer farm programs. Cooperative Extension uses the data to provide needed outreach and education, and State Departments and agencies of agriculture use the information to aid growers."

In these surveys, NASS asks participants to answer a variety of questions about apples, blueberries, cherries (tart), cranberries, peaches, and pears; depending on state and version of the questionnaire. For their convenience, survey participants have the option to respond online. 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 producer or operation can be identified.

NASS will compile, analyze, and publish survey results in the May 5 Noncitrus Fruit and Nuts Report.

For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office at 1-800-498-1518.

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