By Andi Anderson
The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will be gathering information about farm economics and production practices from Michigan farmers in January 2024. This survey, the third and final phase of the 2023 Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS), is crucial for informing local and federal policies and programs that affect Michigan farms and farm families.
Why is this survey important?
- ARMS is the only survey that measures the current financial well-being of Michigan producers and their households.
- The results will help shape decisions on local and federal policies and programs that affect Michigan farms and farm families.
- The data collected will be used to calculate the farm sector portion of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Who will be contacted?
NASS will reach out to over 700 Michigan farmers between January and April 2024. The survey asks producers to provide information about their operating revenues, production costs, household characteristics, and conservation practices.
How to participate:
Farmers can participate in the survey by mail, online, or by phone. Interviewers will begin reaching out to those who haven't responded by mail or online in January 2024.
Confidentiality:
NASS has strong safeguards in place to protect the confidentiality of all farmers who respond to its surveys. The agency will only publish data in an aggregate form, ensuring no individual respondent or operation can be identified.
How to access the results:
The expense data gathered in ARMS will be published in the annual Farm Production Expenditures report on July 26, 2024. This report and others are available at nass.usda.gov/Publications. More reports based on ARMS data and more information about ARMS are available at ers.usda.gov/arms. By participating in this survey, Michigan farmers can play a vital role in shaping the future of agriculture in the state.
Photo Credit: pexels-karolina-grabowska
Categories: Michigan, Business, Government & Policy