USDA to survey farmers' planting intentions for 2021

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will contact producers nationwide to gather planting intentions and the amount of grain and oilseeds they store on their farms.

“These surveys are among the largest and most important surveys conducted by NASS,” explained King Whetstone, director of the NASS northeastern regional field office. “They are the basis for the official USDA estimates of prospective plantings of all major agricultural commodities in the United States and grain and oilseed supplies. Data from the survey will benefit farmers and processors by providing timely and accurate information to help them make critical business decisions for the growing and marketing season.”

NASS will analyze the survey information and publish the results in a series of USDA reports, including the prospective plantings and quarterly grain stocks reports, both to be released Wednesday, March 31.

As with all NASS surveys, information provided by respondents is confidential, as required by federal law. NASS said it safeguards the privacy of all responses and publishes only aggregate data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified. All NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/.

For more information, call the NASS northeastern regional field office at 800-498-1518.