California Ag Network

Tag: U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service

  • United States Cattle Inventory Down 3%

    There were 89.3 million head of cattle and calves on U.S. farms as of Jan. 1, 2023, according to the Cattle report published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

    Other key findings in the report were:

    • Of the 89.3 million head inventory, all cows and heifers that have calved totaled 38.3 million.
    • There are 28.9 million beef cows in the United States as of Jan. 1, 2023, down 4% from last year.
    • The number of milk cows in the United States increased to 9.40 million.
    • U.S. calf crop was estimated at 34.5 million head, down 2% from 2021.
    • All cattle on feed were at 14.2 million head, down 4% from 2022.

    To obtain an accurate measurement of the current state of the U.S. cattle industry, NASS surveyed approximately 35,400 operators across the nation during the first half of January. Surveyed producers were asked to report their cattle inventories as of Jan. 1, 2023, and calf crop for the entire year of 2022 by internet, mail, telephone, or in-person interview.

    The Cattle report and all other NASS reports are available online at nass.usda.gov/Publications.

  • USDA Seeks Feedback from Producers on 2022 Crops, Stocks, Inventories, and Values

    During the next several weeks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct two major mid-year surveys, the June Agricultural Survey, and the June Area Survey. The agency will contact nearly 2,100 producers across California to determine crop acreage and stock levels as of June 1, 2022.

    “The June Agricultural Survey and the June Area Survey are two of the most important and well-known surveys NASS conducts,” explained Gary R. Keough, director of the NASS Pacific Regional Office. “When producers respond to these surveys, they provide essential information that helps determine the expected acreage and supply of major commodities in the United States for the 2022 crop year. The results are used by farmers and ranchers, USDA, businesses, exporters, researchers, economists, policymakers, and others to inform a wide range of decisions.”

    Producers can respond to the June Agricultural Survey online at agcounts.usda.gov, by phone, or mail. They will be asked to provide information on planted and harvested acreage, including acreage for biotech crops and grain stocks. For the June Area Survey, agency representatives will interview farm and ranch operators in randomly selected segments over the phone. Producers will be asked to provide information on crop acreage, grain stocks, livestock inventory, land values, and value of sales.

    “NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents, by keeping all individual information confidential and publishing the data in aggregate form only to ensure that no operation or producer can be identified,” said Keough. “We recognize that this is a hectic time for farmers, but the information they provide helps U.S. agriculture remain viable and capable. I urge them to respond to these surveys and thank them for their cooperation.”

    NASS will analyze the survey information and publish the results in a series of USDA reports, including the annual Acreage and quarterly Grain Stocks reports June 30, 2022. Survey data also contribute to NASS’s monthly and annual Crop Production reports, the annual Small Grains Summary, annual Farms and Land in Farms and Land Values reports, various livestock reports, including Cattle, Sheep and Goats, and Hogs and Pigs, and USDA’s monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates.

    These and all NASS reports are available at nass.usda.gov/Publications/. For more information, call the NASS Pacific Regional Field Office at 1-800-851-1127.