Regional Approach to National Ag Statistic Service

There is a change in the way that USDA’s National Ag Statistic Service or NASS is reporting its information. To become more efficient NASS has moved to providing its services on a regional basis -- there are 12 regions across the country. The Northwest Region includes Alaska, Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

The past Oregon NASS director Chris Mertz is now the Northwest Regional Director. He says that our region works well together already.

Mertz: “It fit well with how the region operates. Our state departments of agriculture communicate very well together. Our commodity groups work well across state lines. We have similar agriculture and I think by having a Northwest Region for USDA NASS when we collect and disseminate information all data users will be able to look at the information and compare with our neighbors and it ties in very well together.”

Although some NASS employees have moved to the regional office in Olympia, there are some things Mertz says will not change.

Mertz: “The first thing that they will not see change is that we will still have all of our state level estimates but we will be publishing information in some regional publications. So we are transitioning publishing information and all four states will have their information published at the same time. So you will see information coming out of the regional office.”

He adds that NASS continues to have employees located in each state.