Sequestration Forces NASS to Suspend Certain Reports
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is suspending a number of statistical surveys and reports for the remainder of the fiscal year due to reduced funding caused by sequestration.
Before deciding upon the program suspensions, NASS reviewed its survey programs against mission- and user-based criteria as well as the amount of time remaining in the fiscal year to conduct the surveys with the goal of finding available cost savings and maintaining the strongest data in service to agriculture.
- All Catfish and Trout Reports including Catfish Feed Deliveries and Catfish Processing
- July Cattle Report
- Potato Stocks Reports
- All Non-Citrus Fruit, Nut and Vegetable Forecasts and Estimates
- June Rice Stocks Report
- All Hops and Hops Stocks Estimates
- Mink Report
- Milk Production Reports including Production, Disposition and Income
- June on- and off-farm stocks for Austrian Winter Peas, Chickpeas, Dry Peas and Lentils
- July acreage forecasts for Austrian Winter Peas, Dry Edible Peas and Lentils
"I'm very disappointed we won't get this snapshot of the beef industry during this critical time," says Pro Farmer's Julianne Johnston. "Without this report, we won't have confirmation of whether or not producers have begun to hold back heifers and expand their herds."
The LIvestock Marketing Information Center has confirmed with USDA-NASS that the monthly milk production will not be released after the March Milk Production Report and will be suspended until further notice. This means there will not be any data, monthly, quarterly, or annual until funding returns. Similarly, the July Cattle Inventory is eliminated for this fiscal year and will not return unless funding becomes available.