12/04/08 Annual agricultural survey

The end of the year and farmers and ranchers are being asked to respond to surveys from National Ag Statistics Service. The December ag survey forms are in the mail and a final report is due by the end of the month. In January it's the annual cattle survey. NASS deputy administrator Carol House says there's a new survey on cash rental rates at the county level that's been making the rounds since October. HOUSE "We've been collecting cash rental rates at the state level for some time but really in order for USDA to effectively administer a number of programs and specifically the Conservation Reserve Program they really need to know what's going on locally on the land rental market." Questions about cash rents will be found on all year end producer surveys which can be filled out and mailed back to USDA or on line by going to the National Ag Statistics website. HOUSE "The instructions for filing in out on line are included in the survey because if a producer will get on line and fill out that survey, get it down, transmit it, its cheaper, easier, faster for everyone." House says the collection of the information and the reports that come out of them are important because they show production levels, market conditions, stocks on hand, along with exports and imports. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott