The confidential crop survey from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will be arriving in the mailboxes of southern farmers soon, and it is very important that recipients take the time to complete it.

The number of farmers completing the confidential NASS crop survey has been declining in recent years. This is bad news for farmers, as results of the confidential NASS crop survey play a key role in determining the implementation of farm payments and programs, including the Agriculture Risk Coverage Program (county option), Price Loss Coverage Program and even farm appraisals.

If NASS does not receive an adequate number of farmer-completed surveys from a certain county, it must use other less reliable sources of data to calculate actual production in that county.

The downward trend in farmer-completed surveys has led to the inability of NASS to publish reliable data in numerous counties across the country. If this continues, NASS may not be able to publish this data for many counties at all.

For example, county-specific yield data is the basis for the ARC program yield guarantee calculations. If there are not enough completed surveys, farmers in your county may receive payments less than the amount that should be delivered.

Farm programs and payments are too important to rely on third-party sources and best guesses. That’s why it’s so very important that farmers provide their information. This is about farmers’ bottom lines.

By taking the time to complete the confidential NASS crop survey, growers can play an active role in ensuring fair implementation of farm programs in their counties.

Please complete the confidential NASS crop survey. Help make sure that farm programs are fair – because the facts are coming from real farmers, just like you.

National Corn Growers Assoc.

Chesterfield, Mo.