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Maryland Farmers Urged to Participate in USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Survey

 ANNAPOLIS, MD – Maryland Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder is urging farmers across the state to participate in the March Agricultural Survey currently conducted by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. The focus of this survey is to determine farmers’ plans for the upcoming growing season.

“NASS surveys produce the most credible agricultural data available,” said Secretary Bartenfelder. “The information obtained by this current survey help to inform everyone from farmers to lawmakers and will surely have an impact on the agriculture industry. I urge all Maryland farmers to participate in the survey so we can make sure that everyone is working with the most accurate data possible.”

NASS mailed the survey questionnaire in February, asking producers to provide information about the types of crops they intend to plant in 2017, how many acres they intend to plant, and the amounts of grain and oilseed they store on their farms.

“Each year, the agriculture industry eagerly awaits USDA’s Prospective Plantings report, which provides the first survey-based estimates of U.S. farmers’ planting intentions for the year,” said NASS’ Maryland State Statistician Dale P. Hawks. “The March Agricultural Survey provides the factual data that underpins these projections, making it one of the most important surveys we conduct each year.”

Producers can respond to the survey online or by mail. Those producers who do not respond by the deadline may be contacted for a telephone or personal interview.

NASS will publish the survey results in the annual Prospective Plantings report and quarterly Grain Stocks report, both to be released on March 31, 2017. These and all NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov/Publications.

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Contact Information

If you have any questions, need additional information or would like to arrange an interview, please contact:
Jessica Hackett
Director of Communications
Telephone: 410-841-5888

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