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Growers Encouraged to Respond to NASS Yield Survey

Nov 17, 2016

survey-2Now is the time to fill out your National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) yield surveys!

In accordance with American Soybean Association (ASA) policy, we asked Farm Service Agency (FSA) to use Risk Management Agency (RMA) rather than NASS yields in determining payments under the county Agricultural Risk Coverage county option (ARC-CO). They decided not to change their decision to use NASS yields when available, and to default to RMA yields only in cases when a county doesn’t have a published NASS yield. This resulted in discrepancies in payments between neighboring counties when different data sets are used.

ASA is asking our farmer members to complete their NASS surveys for 2016 soybeans and other crops, so the number of discrepancies and criticism of the ARC-CO program is reduced prior to Congressional debate on the next farm bill. More information can be found online here and here.

There are two ways to respond:

  1. Visit agcounts.usda.gov and enter in the 17 digit survey code found on the questionnaire you received by mail.
  2. Complete the physical questionnaire and return by mail.

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