The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service is collecting data for its annual 2023 Agricultural Resource Management Integrated Screening Survey.

The survey, sent to approximately 1,500 Mississippi farmers and ranchers, looks at all aspects of U.S. agricultural production, the well-being of farm households, farm finances, chemical usage, and various farm production characteristics. Data collected includes detailed information on production practices, costs and returns for different commodities on a rotating basis. In 2023, the survey will take a closer look at barley, oat, peanut and soybean production.

“The annual data from ARMS are used to gauge the financial health and resource use of today’s producers,” said Mississippi State Statistician Esmerelda Dickson. “The information gives us an annual snapshot of the role of farming industry in the U.S. economy.”

The information producers provide will information national and state policy decisions. In addition, the data are used to calculate the farm sector portion of the Gross Domestic Product — an important measure of the U.S. economy.

Conducted in three phases from May 2023 through April 2024, the first phase screens participants to ensure they have the commodities of interest that are needed to accurately represent the entire national farm sector. During the second phase, NASS will collect information on production practices and chemical use for specific commodities. In the final phase, NASS will survey producers on farm income and production expenditures.

“We strongly encourage every producer contacted for ARMS to participate, as their response represents not just their own farm but many other similar operations across the country,” Dickson said. “For maximum convenience, producers should complete the survey online at agcounts.usda.gov with the survey code mailed to them. Online reporting is fast and secure. Producers may also mail or fax their completed questionnaire to us.”

All information provided is confidential, as required by federal law, and reported so that no individual operation or producer can be identified.

For more information on the survey, visit nass.usda.gov/go/ARMS. For more information on how data will be used or for other questions on the survey, call the Mississippi Field Office at 800-535-9609.