USDA to gather data about farm labor

Submitted by the USDA

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct its biannual agricultural labor survey in April. More than 2,000 Northeastern U.S. farmers and ranchers will be asked to participate in the survey online at agcounts.usda.gov or by mail. The survey is an opportunity for producers to provide accurate information about hired farm labor, including total number of hired farm workers, total hours worked, and total wages paid for the weeks of Jan. 7-13 and April 7-13, 2024.

“We ask about two separate time periods each time we collect these data in order to publish biannual data and capture seasonal variation,” said Charles Butler, acting director of the National Agriculture Statistics Service, northeastern regional field office. “This method reduces the number of times we survey farms, while ensuring useful data are available.”

USDA and the U.S. Department of Labor use the survey data to estimate the demand for and availability of seasonal agricultural workers, establish minimum wage rates for agricultural workers, and administer farm labor recruitment and placement service programs.

Survey recipients who do not respond by April 17 may be contacted by NASS to arrange an interview or sent a reminder email. NASS will publish the data May 22 in the Farm Labor report available at nass.usda.gov/publications.

“When hiring workers and estimating expenses, timely and accurate agricultural labor data are vital,” Butler said. “By participating in NASS’s Agricultural Labor Survey, farmers and ranchers help ensure accurate information for farm programs.”

For more information about the Farm Labor Survey program, visit nass.usda.gov/go/labor, or call the NASS northeastern regional field office at 1-800-498-1518.

NASS is the federal statistical agency responsible for producing official data about U.S. agriculture and is committed to providing timely, accurate and useful statistics in service to U.S. agriculture.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.