02/27/07 Farm Survey

In the military ARM usually means some kind of weapon. In agriculture ARM means something different. HOUSE "The Agricultural Resource Management Survey." That's Carol House of the Ag Statistic Service. She says survey forms have been sent out to 36 thousand farmers across the nation. They are being surveyed on many economic and operational issues and their answers give us a picture of agriculture and its two million producers. HOUSE "Really the types of information that paint the picture of how farmers produce the commodities that they provide to the American public. That's why an individual response is so important. It's not just for that farm but a lot of farms like it." House says she knows that it takes time to fill out the survey whose results should be announced this summer just in time for the final debate on the 2007 farm bill. Some farmers will be contacted in person, others by mail. HOUSE "It is so important in terms of the critical decisions that government is going to be making over the next year to have this data available. Fill out the ARM survey when either you receive it in the mail or when a NASS enumerator comes to your door." Fewer than 200 Idaho farmers will be contacted this year to take part in the ARM survey which must be completed and returned in March. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott