Source: PRESS RELEASE, 1/18/17

Beginning this week, representatives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will visit 111 corn operations in North Carolina, as the agency begins collecting data for the final phase of the 2016 Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS).   

The ARMS is a joint effort between NASS and USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS). The survey is an annual program that gathers in-depth information on production practices, costs, and financial well-being of American farm families. The ARMS targets select commodities on a rotational basis. This year, the survey places additional focus on corn, along with the conventional and organic dairy sectors.   

“Results of the ARMS project will help evaluate the financial impacts of numerous farmer programs and provide a true picture of North Carolina’s agriculture economic landscape as our state and nation competes in a global market with ever-changing developments and challenges“ said Dee Webb, USDA/NASS North Carolina State Statistician. “Accurate, timely data is always important, but even more crucial when prices are lower and margins are thinner.”  

By surveying corn growers, the 2016 ARMS will provide a comprehensive analysis of the U.S. corn sector. Data from the 2016 ARMS will be used to assess crop insurance choices made by corn growers, which in turn will help policymakers better understand the impact of crop insurance offerings on farm production decisions and financial outcomes.  

Many corn growers selected to participate in the 2016 ARMS will receive a copy of a survey in the mail. In late January, trained enumerators will begin reaching out to growers who have not responded to the questionnaire. NASS enumerators will make appointments and visit participating farms to gather the information through personal interviews. These visits will continue through early April.  

Once all the data are in, NASS and ERS will review and analyze the information. NASS plans on publishing summarized data in the Farm Production Expenditures report on Aug. 3, 2017. ERS plans on putting out a report focusing on the ARMS corn data at a later date.      

For more information about North Carolina surveys and reports, call the NASS North Carolina Field Office at (800) 437-8451, or visit https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/North_Carolina/.