Source: FARM DOC DAILY, UNIV. OF ILLINOIS, 11/23/16


The NASS mission is to provide timely, accurate, and useful statistics in service to U. S. Agriculture. Crop yield forecasts tend to be our most well-known publications, but NASS measures agriculture in many different ways, ensuring that the full scope of agriculture is accounted for. NASS surveys the hog and pig industry, the total cattle herd and cattle on feed, fruit and vegetable production, and the vast overall economic impact of agriculture across Illinois and the rest of the United States. We even measure maple syrup!

As harvests reach their end, NASS uses two major surveys to measure crop production around the country. In Illinois, the County Agricultural Production Survey - 2016 Row Crops was mailed to more than 8,000 producers in October. Results from this project will be used to make county level estimates of acreage, yield, and production for corn, soybeans, sorghum, alfalfa hay, and other hay. Those estimates will be published in 2017.

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