2019 Cognitive Testing of 

the Agricultural Labor

Survey

Heather Ridolfo and Kathy Ott

United States

Department of

Agricultural

National

Agricultural

Statistics

Service

Research and

Development Division

Washington, DC 20250

RDD Research Report

Number RDD-21-04

April 2021

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the author and should not be construed to represent any

official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.
ii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Cognitive testing was conducted in June-July 2019 to evaluate proposed changes to the 

Agricultural Labor Survey. In 2018, new wage questions were added to the questionnaire to 

provide a more reflective gross and base wage rate (Ridolfo and Ott 2020; Ridolfo and Ott 

2021). In 2019, new questions asking about base and overtime hours were added to the 

questionnaire to help determine a wage rate when bonus and overtime wages were reported. In 

addition, a number of changes were made to bring the Agricultural Labor Survey in line with the 

Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Occupational Employment Statistics program and the Current 

Employment Statistics Program. Changes included the addition of an instruction sheet, with both 

new instructions and changes to existing instructions, as well as a change to the reference period. 

Instead of asking respondents to report workers for a specific week, the reference date was 

changed to the pay period that include the 12th of the month (e.g., the pay period that included 

July 12, 2019). Finally, the survey questionnaire was reformatted to accommodate these changes. 

These changes were evaluated in three rounds of cognitive testing using iterative versions of the 

questionnaire. In total, 22 interviews were conducted in three states. All respondents represented 

various sectors of agricultural and pay structures (e.g., hourly, piece rate, and overtime). 

The instructions were not always read by respondents before beginning the questionnaire. 

However, some respondents referenced the instructions when questions arose while completing 

the questionnaire. In general, when the instructions were read, they addressed respondents’ 

comprehension issues; however, some respondents did not understand or agree with the 

instructions. For example, respondents who pay piece rate did not agree with separating wages 

between base and bonus wages. 

The change in reference period had mostly positive results. Two respondents, who were familiar 

with the Agricultural Labor Survey, welcomed this change. They indicated that reporting for a 

specific week, which did not necessarily reflect their pay period, was difficult to do. The 

majority of respondents were able to follow the instructions to report for their pay period;

however, respondents in the last round had difficulty doing so. This may be due to the reordering

of some questions on the questionnaire in this round of testing. 

Separating total hours worked into base and overtime hours was not a difficult task for 

respondents. Those who do not pay overtime indicated that their base hours would always equal 

their total hours, and overtime hours would be zero. Respondents who did pay overtime indicated 

that it was easy to report base hours from overtime hours because they either know it off the top 

of their head or it is tracked in their payroll systems. 

Finally, as found in previous cognitive testing for this survey, these interviews revealed the 

complexity of agricultural labor and the challenges with measuring it. Despite changes to the 

instructions, respondents continued to have difficulty assigning worker codes to their workers 

because workers often perform more than one job. A greater challenge that is harder to address is 

the complexity of pay structures across agriculture. It may not be possible to create a single 

questionnaire that will accommodate all pay structures found in agriculture. 
iii

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. A mockup of the recommended questionnaire can be found in Appendix H. The 

recommendation is to use the same wording and formatting to the extent possible.

Resolution: See resolutions below. 

2. Include instructions at the front of the questionnaire using the wording and formatting in 

the recommended questionnaire (Appendix H). 

Resolution: Denied. The Labor Team decided to place the instructions in an insert 

instead of placing the instructions at the front of the questionnaire. Additionally, the 

instructions in Sections 1, 2, and 3 may be modified to reflect the instructions in the 

insert. 

3. Change the reference period to the pay period that included the 12th of the month.

Resolution: Denied. The Labor Team decided to not change the reference period.

4. Change the section headers for Sections 1 and 2 to: Pay Period that Included [insert 

month] 12, [insert year]

Resolution: Denied. The Labor Team did not accept this change because the 

reference period is not changing. 

5. Change the section header for Section 3 to: Agricultural Workers on the Payroll in [insert 

year]

Resolution: Accepted

6. In Sections 1 and 2, change wording of the first question to: Did this operation have 

agricultural workers on the payroll during the pay period that included [Insert month] 12, 

[Insert year]?

Resolution: The Labor Team decided to make no changes to the reference period. 

The team decided to accepted recommendation to the change in question wording,

with the exception of the reference period. Question will change to: Did this 

operation have agricultural workers on the payroll during the week of [insert 

reference week]? The team also decided not to have any include or exclude 

statements with this question.

7. In Sections 1 and 2, change wording of the second question to: How many agricultural 

workers did you have on the payroll during your pay period that included [insert month] 

12, [insert year]?

Resolution: The Labor team decided to accept the recommendation to the change in 

question wording, with the exception of the reference period. Change question to: 
iv

How many agricultural workers did you have on the payroll during the week of 

[insert reference period]?

8. In Sections 1 and 2, change the wording of the third question to: “In the table below, 

report agricultural workers on the payroll during your pay period that included [insert 

month] 12, [insert year].” Do not let text wrap. Add space between this instruction and 

the first bullet. 

Resolution: The Labor Team decided to make no changes to the reference period. 

The team agreed to change the wording of the question, with the exception of the 

change in reference period. Change wording to: In the table below, report 

agricultural workers on the payroll during the week of [Insert reference period].

The team also accepted the change in spacing. 

9. In Sections 1 and 2, in the third question, use the following text for the bulleted 

instructions. Add a space between the bullets and the worker table. 

• Report workers who fall under the same worker code on a single line

• Report the total hours and wages paid to the group of workers during your 

pay period 

• Record each worker only once

Resolution: Accepted. Also, add “see instruction sheet for more information.”

10. Add columns for total base hours and total overtime hours to the worker table. 

Resolution: Accepted

11. If a question regarding the length of the pay period is necessary for publication, add it to 

Sections 1 and 2 as worded: What was the length of your pay period that included [insert 

month] 12, [insert year]?

Resolution: Denied. This is not necessary since the reference period is not changing. 

12. If a question regarding the length of the pay period is added and the no other questions 

are removed from these sections of the form, this question should follow the worker table 

to ensure maximum usability. 

Resolution: Denied. This is not necessary since the reference period is not changing. 

13. Place the 150-day question after the pay period question and word as follows: In 2019, 

how many of the agricultural workers reported above will be paid by this operation for 

150 days or more of work.

Resolution: Wording accepted, placement denied. This question will remain where it 

was in 2019 and the wording will change to “In 2019, how many of the agricultural 

workers on the payroll that week will be paid by this operation for 150 days or more 
v

of work?”

14. In the worker codes, change the heading “Field Workers” to Crop, Nursery, and 

Greenhouse Workers. Change the category name for worker code 15 to “All Other Crop, 

Nursery, and Greenhouse Workers”.

Resolution: Accepted

15. Edit the Farmworkers - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse Workers description to reduce the 

amount of text. Change to: Use hand tools to manually plant, cultivate, and harvest 

vegetables, fruits, nuts, horticultural specialties, field crops, Christmas trees and short 

rotation woody crops. Duties may include tilling soil and applying fertilizers; 

transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides; or cleaning, 

grading, sorting, packing, and loading harvested products. May construct trellises, repair 

fences and farm buildings, or participate in irrigation activities.

Resolution: Accepted

16. Add “specify type of other <type> workers” to codes 15, 24, and 44 in the worker code 

table.

Resolution: Accepted for paper questionnaire only. This will not be keyed or 

captured, but only available in the questionnaire FEITH images. 

17. In the worker code table, code 44, add a hard return after the first sentence to make the

excludes more obvious. 

Resolution: Accepted

18. Consider adding grading and sorting to Livestock Farmworker category description.

Resolution: Accepted. This will be added to the end of the second sentence to read 

“Duties may include feeding, watering, herding, milking, grazing, castrating, 

branding, debeaking, weighing, catching, and loading animals, and grading and 

sorting animal products.”

19. In Section 3, change the wording to Question 1 (peak number) to: During 2019, what was 

or will be the largest number of agricultural workers on the payroll on any one day?

Resolution: Accepted

20. In Section 3, Question 1 (peak number), remove include and exclude statements. 

Resolution: Accepted

21. Make page numbers large and centered at the top of the page to increase visibility.
vi

Resolution: Will do, if possible, in Questionnaire Designer. 

22. Office use boxes should be removed, combined, and font size reduced as much as 

possible. 

Resolution: Denied. This recommendation will be put through the spec process 

because it affects more than just the labor survey.

23. Item codes should be made small and removed from the response boxes to the extent 

possible. 

Resolution: Denied. This recommendation will be put through the spec process 

because it affects more than just the labor survey.
vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................1

2. METHODOLOGY.............................................................................................................3

2.1 Round 1 Data Collection..................................................................................................3

2.2 Round 2 Data Collection..................................................................................................4

2.3 Round 3 Data Collection..................................................................................................4

2.4 Data Analysis..................................................................................................................5

3. RESULTS...........................................................................................................................5

3.1 Round 1 - Florida ............................................................................................................5

3.1.1 Instructions and Examples.........................................................................................5

3.1.2 Change in Reference Period ......................................................................................7

3.1.3 Section 1, Question 2 – Number of Workers..............................................................8

3.1.4 Section 1, Question 3 – Worker Table .......................................................................8

3.1.5 Section 1, Question 4 – Pay Period.......................................................................... 18

3.1.6 Section 1, Question 5 – 150 Days............................................................................ 18

3.1.7 Section 3, Question 1 – Peak Number...................................................................... 19

3.1.8 Section 3, Question 2 – H-2A Workers.................................................................... 20

3.1.9 Other Comments..................................................................................................... 20

3.1.10 Round 1 Recommendations................................................................................... 21

3.2 Round 2 - Oregon.......................................................................................................... 22

3.2.1 Instructions and Examples....................................................................................... 22

3.2.2 Change in Reference Period .................................................................................... 23

3.2.3 Section 1, Question 2 – Number of Workers............................................................ 23

3.2.4 Section 1, Question 3 – Worker Table ..................................................................... 24

3.2.5 Section 1, Question 4 – Pay Period.......................................................................... 28

3.2.6 Section 1, Question 5 – 150 Days............................................................................ 29

3.2.7 Section 3, Question 1 – Peak Number...................................................................... 30

3.2.8 Section 3, Question 2 – H-2A Workers.................................................................... 30

3.2.9 Other Comments..................................................................................................... 30

3.2.10 Round 2 Recommendations................................................................................... 31

3.3 Round 3 - Virginia......................................................................................................... 31

3.3.1 Instructions and Examples....................................................................................... 31

3.3.2 Change in Reference Period .................................................................................... 35
viii

3.3.3 Section 2, Question 1 - Screener.............................................................................. 36

3.3.4 Section 2, Question 2 – Number of Workers............................................................ 37

3.3.5 Section 2, Question 3 – 150 Days............................................................................ 37

3.3.6 Section 2, Question 4 – 149 Days............................................................................ 37

3.3.7 Section 2, Question 5 – Pay Period.......................................................................... 38

3.3.8 Section 2, Question 6 – Worker Table ..................................................................... 39

3.3.9 Section 3, Question 1 – Peak Number...................................................................... 46

3.3.10 Section 3, Question 2 – H-2A Workers.................................................................. 46

3.3.11 Other Comments................................................................................................... 47

4. FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................................... 48

5. REFERENCES................................................................................................................. 51

APPENDIX A Round 1 Questionnaire .................................................................................... 52

APPENDIX B Round 1 Cognitive Interview Guide ................................................................. 65

APPENDIX C Round 2 Questionnaire .................................................................................... 70

APPENDIX D Round 2 Cognitive Interview Guide................................................................. 83

APPENDIX E Round 3 Questionnaire Version 1..................................................................... 90

APPENDIX F Round 3 Questionnaire Version 2................................................................... 103

APPENDIX G Round 3 Interview Guide .............................................................................. 110

APPENDIX H Recommended Questionnaire ........................................................................ 115
1

2019 Cognitive Testing of the Agricultural Labor Survey

Heather Ridolfo and Kathy Ott1

Abstract

Cognitive testing was conducted on the 2019 Agricultural Labor Survey to test 

proposed changes for April 2020. Among these changes were 1. The addition of an

instructions page at the beginning of the questionnaire; 2. Changes to the definitions 

for reporting agricultural worker codes and wages; 3. Changing the reference period 

to the pay period that included the 12th of the month; and 4. The addition of base 

and overtime hours. Three iterative rounds of testing were conducted. The 

following report provides a summary of the findings and recommendations for the 

April 2020 Agricultural Labor Survey. 

Key Words: Labor, hours worked, wages, cognitive testing

1. INTRODUCTION

In continuing efforts to improve the Agricultural Labor Survey and incorporate base, bonus, and 

overtime wages, additional changes were made to the paper questionnaire and cognitive testing 

was conducted (see Ridolfo and Ott, 2019a and Ridolfo and Ott, 2019b for additional 

information). A number of changes were made to bring the Agricultural Labor Survey in line 

with the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s Occupational Employment Statistics program (OES) and the 

Current Employment Statistics Program (CES). The first major change that was made to the 

questionnaire was the inclusion of an instruction page at the start of the questionnaire. Many of 

the instructions that appeared elsewhere on the questionnaire were moved to this page and 

additional instructions were added. This instruction page defined agricultural labor; provided 

instructions for how to assign worker codes and record hours and wages; and provided examples 

of how overtime wages and piece rate pay are to be reported. 

Changes were also made to the instructions themselves. In the past, no instructions were 

provided on the paper questionnaire regarding the assignment of worker codes. However, in 

Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI), respondents are asked to list their workers 

under the code that represents the work they were hired to do. In previous cognitive interview 

studies, respondents often had difficulty selecting the appropriate worker codes because their 

workers may have been hired to perform multiple jobs and could fit under multiple worker 

1 Heather Ridolfo is an Agricultural Statistician with the National Agricultural Statistics Service, 

Research and Development Division, 1400 Independence Ave SW, Room 3031, Washington, DC 20250.

Kathy Ott is a Mathematical Statistician with the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Methodology 

Division, 1400 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20250. The authors would like to thank NASDA 

enumerators Gedone Arant, Bunny Cramer, and Kenny Rodgers for their assistance recruiting 

respondents for this project. Without their efforts, this work could not have been completed in the 

timeframe needed. The authors also thank NASS employees Dave Losh, Erika White, and Nathan Zobell 

for the assistance coordinating with the NASDA enumerators. 
2

codes. Also, their workers may no longer be performing the job they were originally hired to do. 

In response to this, and to align the Agricultural Labor Survey with the OES and the CES, 

respondents on the tested questionnaire are instructed to “Report each worker only once under 

the worker code that requires the highest level of skill if the worker performs work in two or 

more codes. If there is no measurable difference in skill requirements, report workers under the 

worker code in which they spend the most time.” 

In the past, no definition of hours was provided. The instruction page now includes definitions 

for total hours, base hours, and overtime hours. Total hours were defined as the sum of base and 

overtime hours. Base hours were defined as hours worked at the employee’s regular rate of pay. 

Overtime hours were defined as hours worked that are paid at an amount above the employee’s 

regular rate of pay. 

A definition of gross wages and the types of pay to include in gross wages was added: “Gross 

wages are the total amount paid to workers before taxes and other deductions. Include the

worker’s share of socialsecurity and unemployment insurance but exclude the employers’ share. 

Include in-kind payments (e.g., agricultural product like a side of beef, bushels of grain, etc.) 

provided in lieu of wages for work done. In-kind payments do not include benefits such as 

housing, meals, or insurance.”

The definition of base wages was also expanded to inform respondents of the types of pay that 

should not be included in base wages and how respondents who have incentive systems should 

report base wages: “Base wages are the minimum amount paid and do not include bonuses, 

overtime pay, commissions. For employees on an incentive system, base wages are the minimum 

amount guaranteed. Include in-kind payments.”

Clarification was also provided for bonuses. In the past, respondents who pay end of the season 

bonuses were sometimes unsure if they should report this pay under bonus wages. However, 

often it did not fall under the pay period being reported. In addition, one respondent who paid 

commissions in a previous round of testing, was unsure where to list this pay. To help clarify the 

type of pay that should be listed under bonus wages, the following instruction was added to the 

instruction sheet: “Bonus wages are wages paid in addition to the base wages. These include 

performance pay (piece rate pay beyond base wage), hazard pay, and bonuses that are paid each 

pay period. Commissions should also be reported under bonus wages. Do not include end of the 

season bonuses.”

An overtime wages definition was also added to the instructions: “Overtime wages are the wages 

paid for the overtime hours.”

In addition to the instructions, changes were also made to the survey questions. One major 

change was changing the reference period on the survey to the pay periods that include the 12th

of the month. This change affected four questions that appear in Sections 1 and 3 of the survey. 

In addition, a new question was added to the questionnaire that asked respondents to report the 

length of their pay period (e.g., what is the length of the pay period that included April 12th?). 

Instructions were included on the instruction sheet to assist respondents with the pay period 

questions.
3

In changing the reference period, the Labor team requested that a new question be added to the 

questionnaire to measure the length of the pay period that included the 12th of the month for 

publication purposes. A second change requested by the Labor team was the addition of an 

“other specify” box to the “other” worker codes (code 15, 24 and 44). 

Finally, the questionnaire was reformatted slightly due to the inclusion of the instruction pages. 

The removal of the instructions from the question text allowed all questions within the quarterly 

sections to appear on a single page rather than spanning two pages (e.g., all questions in Section 

1 appear on one page). 

In addition to these changes, at the request of Statistics Division, base hours and overtime hours 

were added to the questionnaire to help determine a wage rate when bonus and overtime hours 

were removed from total hours worked. The cognitive testing evaluated all these changes. 

2. METHODOLOGY

Three rounds of cognitive testing were conducted. 

2.1 Round 1 Data Collection

The first round of cognitive testing took place in Florida. Potential respondents were identified 

using list frame data from NASS’s Enhanced List Maintenance Operations (ELMO) database. 

All respondents were required to have some agricultural labor. Seventy-three respondents in 

Florida were contacted from HQ. Twelve refused to participate and 54 respondents could not be 

reached. The southern RFO also contacted 28 respondents. After making all these contacts, nine 

respondents agreed to participate. However, one cancelled, so in total, 8 interviews were 

conducted. One respondent screened out of the survey during the interview because he only had 

custom workers. However, he was probed on his understanding of the questions. Respondent 

characteristics can be found in Table 1. 

Table 1. Round 1 Respondent Characteristics

Farm Type Pay Type Largest Number of 

Farmworkers

Fruits, Nuts, and Berries Hourly 20

Fruits, Nuts, and Berries Hourly, Piece Rate 60

Vegetables, Melons, and Potatoes Hourly, Overtime, Piece Rate 1,068

Greenhouse, Nursery, Floriculture, 

Sod

Hourly 5

Greenhouse, Nursery, Floriculture, 

Sod

Hourly, Overtime 50

Aquaculture Hourly 35

Aquaculture Hourly 9

Cattle and calves Custom workers (out of scope) 10

A copy of the questionnaire used during the Round 1 testing can be found in Appendix A. At the 

start of the interview, respondents were instructed to complete the questionnaire on their own. 
4

Respondents were only required to complete Sections 1 and 3. Respondents were then probed on 

their comprehension of the survey questions. A copy of the interview guide used during testing 

can be found in Appendix B. 

2.2 Round 2 Data Collection

The second round of testing took place in Oregon. Thirty-four respondents were contacted by 

field staff. Seven interviews were scheduled and all seven were completed. Minor wording 

changes were made to the questionnaire used in this round based on the recommendations from 

Round 1. In addition, a specify box was added for the other type of workers (codes 15, 24, and 

44) at the request of the Labor Team. A copy of the questionnaire used during Round 2 testing 

can be found in Appendix C. Respondent characteristics can be found in Table 2. A copy of the 

interview guide used on Round 2 can be found in Appendix D. 

Table 2. Round 2 Respondent Characteristics

Farm Type Pay Type

Largest Number of 

Farmworkers

Christmas Trees Hourly, Salary 23

Vegetables, Melons, and Potatoes Hourly 85

Fruits, Nuts, and Berries Hourly 17

Greenhouse, Nursery, Floriculture, 

Sod

Hourly 2

Dairy Hourly, Salary, Bonus 7

Greenhouse, Nursery, Floriculture, 

Sod

Hourly, Salary, Overtime 460

Christmas Tree Hourly 3

2.3 Round 3 Data Collection

The third round of data collection took place in Virginia. Fifty-five respondents were contacted 

by a field enumerator. Nine interviews were scheduled, and seven were completed. Based on the 

results of Round 2, the questions in Sections 1 and 2 were reordered. In the first interview of this 

round, the pay period question was placed between the screener question and the number of 

workers question. A copy of the questionnaire (version 1) used during the first interview of 

Round 3 can be found in Appendix E. However, the first respondent did not see Question 5 (150-

day question) below the worker table. Single questions that are displayed after a table at the 

bottom of a page are often not seen by respondents on self-administered forms. Therefore, the 

questions were reordered again to improve the usability of the form. In interviews 2-7, the 150-

day question was placed after the screener question and the 149-day or less question was added 

to the questionnaire. This was due to concern that if respondents were only asked about workers 

who worked 150 days or more before the worker table, they would assume they only needed to 

report full-time employees in subsequent questions. The pay period question was placed after the 

149-day or less question. In addition to the changes specified above, the instruction “Report each 

worker only once” was moved to the last bullet in the instructions for reporting agricultural 

workers. A copy of the questionnaire used for interviews 2-7 of Round 3 testing (version 2) can 
5

be found in Appendix F. Note that changes to the front page of the survey and the value of sales 

section were also tested during this round for the purposes of another study. Results from these 

sections will be presented elsewhere. Respondent characteristics can be found in Table 3. A copy

of the interview guide used in Round 3 can be found in Appendix G. 

Table 3. Round 3 Respondent Characteristics

Farm Type Pay Type

Largest Number of 

Farmworkers

Vineyard Hourly, Bonus, Overtime 6

Greenhouse, Nursery, Floriculture, 

Sod

Hourly, Salary, Overtime 4

Equine Hourly 6

Cattle, Field Crops Hourly 18

Cattle, sheep, hay Hourly 1

Cattle, pigs, hay Hourly, Overtime 8

Vineyard Hourly 8

2.4 Data Analysis

Data from the cognitive interviews were analyzed using the constant comparative method of 

analysis, which is a multi-step analysis for deducing findings (Strauss and Corbin, 1990). Using 

this methodology, analysts first reviewed the data with three research questions in mind: 1) how 

do respondents interpret the survey questions, 2) how do respondents formulate their responses

and 3) can respondents provide an answer to the survey questions. During the initial pass through 

the data, codes were assigned to each respondent as patterns in the data emerged. These codes 

were reviewed and compared against the raw data to verify and refine the coding and identify 

emerging themes. In the final analysis step, a working theory was developed regarding 

respondents’ comprehension of and ability to answer the survey questions and potential response 

error that may occur using the tested survey questions. 

3. RESULTS

3.1 Round 1 – Florida 

3.1.1 Instructions and Examples

The majority of respondents read through some of the instructions and examples before 

completing Section 1. One respondent did not read the instructions or examples before 

beginning. One respondent only read the instructions, and another respondent only read the 

examples before beginning Section 1. No respondents referred back to the instructions when 

filling out Section 1 despite being confused about how to answer questions in Section 1. One 

respondent, who only read the examples before beginning, referred back to the examples several 

times while trying to answer Question 3 in Section 1. However, she never read the instructions. 

Initial Reactions to Instructions and Examples
6

When reading the instructions, some respondents commented on the type of pay they do or do

not use in their operation. For example, one respondent indicated that she does not pay overtime 

and another respondent indicated that she does not pay piece rate or in-kind, but she does pay 

overtime. Another respondent indicated that most of the information presented in the instructions 

no longer applies to him because he only has custom labor and no one on payroll. 

While reading the instructions on agricultural workers, one respondent asked, “Do you want 

outside employees or inside?” She said in the past, she was not sure if she should just report her 

greenhouse workers or if she should also report her office worker. Once she saw the table of 

worker codes and the code for office workers, she knew to include her office worker. 

Two respondents indicated that they were confused by the instruction on how to select a worker 

code (“Report workers under the worker code in which they are working, not under the worker 

code for which they have been trained”). One respondent said, “Report workers under the worker 

code in which they are working, not the worker code for which they were trained. I don’t 

understand that. I don’t think that pertains to our particular operation.” This respondent operated 

an aquaculture farm and he trained his staff to perform multiple jobs on the operation. Another 

respondent asked, “As far as worker codes, what do you mean? The codes we use for 

insurance?” This respondent thought we were referring to codes used for workmen’s comp. This

has come up in previous cognitive testing projects. She suggested adding “refer to page 5” in the 

instructions. 

Total hours are the sum of base and overtime hours worked. When reading the instruction for 

total hours, one respondent asked, “Total hours for a certain week or the whole year?” 

One respondent commented that she liked that respondents were instructed to report overtime 

wages. She indicated that when she completed the Agricultural Labor Survey in April, she 

interpreted the overtime wage question as having to report the overtime differential and this was 

difficult for her to do. She preferred to report the total wages paid for overtime hours worked 

(time and a half multiplied by overtime hours). 

After reading through the instructions, two respondents indicated that the instructions were easy 

to follow. One said they were “pretty self-explanatory.”

Respondents had issues with the examples provided. Three respondents indicated that the 

examples were complicated. One respondent read through the examples, laughed and said, “This 

is like school. I’m going to have to read it over and over.” Another respondent also compared the 

example to school. A third respondent said, “I’m going to have to do math. I never did well with 

text questions.” He then commented that oranges would be a better example for the state of 

Florida. 

After reading the piece rate example, one respondent indicated he did not agree with how we 

were asking them to report piece rate hours and wages. After reading the example, he said, “The 

problem with piece rate and trying to give hours is you don’t keep hours... Rate of pay is rate per 

piece. How many hours they worked is hard to figure out.” He said they do not track the hours 

the piece rate workers work. He said the only time they do is the first week they are picking 
7

when the crop has not fully come in. He said during that week they may not pick enough to make 

minimum wage, and they will have to adjust their pay. However, once the crop comes in, they 

will always be picking above the minimum wage and they stop tracking hours. He said there is 

no way he would be able to provide hours worked for that group of workers because it is not 

tracked. The workers’ hours vary quite a bit day-to-day depending on the weather and their

schedule that day (e.g., some need to leave earlier than others due to other commitments). 

Later Reactions

During probing on Sections 1 and 3, respondents were often asked to read through the 

instructions to see if reading them again would change how they would answer the survey 

questions. In terms of overtime wages, respondents said they would be willing to follow the 

instructions provided. However, in terms of piece rate, respondents said they would not be 

willing to follow the instructions. More detailed information on this can be found below. 

3.1.2 Change in Reference Period

Most respondents understood to report workers on the payroll during the pay period that included 

April 12th. One respondent noticed this change immediately: “Oh! Okay. Did they change this? It 

used to be a specific date range. The problem is my pay period doesn’t match your pay period.” 

She said this was always problematic for her in the past since her pay period runs Monday 

through Sunday. She was very happy to see this change. Respondents generally indicated that it 

was easy to identify the pay period that included the 12th in their payroll records. One respondent 

who understood this change asked what to do if they were not working on the 12th. He said, 

“Some people might say April 12

th. We were off that day.” He then questioned what they should 

do in that situation. When asked how he would respond if this was the case for him, he said he 

would call the 800 number for assistance: “It’s easier to call and have them walk me through it.”

His son, who was sitting in on the interview, then said the question was asking about the pay 

period that included the 12th. So if they were off on the 12th, they still would have worked other 

days that week and they would report the hours and wages for the other days worked during that 

pay period. 

Two respondents were very confused by this change in reference period. One respondent

interpreted these questions as asking about workers on the payroll during the quarter that 

contained April 12. When she was answering Question 3, she stopped and asked, “per week or 

are we doing per month?” The interviewer instructed her to complete the survey however she 

would if she received it in the mail. She looked back at the examples and then proceeded to 

answer Question 3, reporting the total hours and wages for the entire quarter that contained April 

12th for the first group of workers. However, when she reported for the next group of workers,

she reported the total hours and wages for the pay period that included April 12th. Her pay period 

is one month. Although she was reporting for the monthly hours and wages for the second group, 

she still had in her head that she should be reporting for the quarter. She became very confused 

when the wages were equivalent to what she normally pays those workers for one month of 

work. She indicated that she looked at the examples provided and inferred that we wanted her to 

report the hours and wages for the quarter. However, then she looked at the examples again and 
8

said, “This one looks like it’s annual.” She then saw Question 4 and said this question should 

come before Question 3 to prime people to think about their pay periods. She subsequently wrote 

in “quarterly” next to the response options and circled it. When probed on how she would 

respond had this survey come in the middle of her pay period (since she pays monthly), she 

indicated that if it came in April, she would just wait until she did her taxes since she would 

already be completing other government paperwork. If it came at another point in the year, she 

would just estimate their hours and wages if the pay period was not complete. 

The other respondent, who was confused by the reference date, understood the first two 

questions as asking about employees on payroll on a specific day (April 12). When she got to 

Question 3, she said, “I’d probably just do the whole month because you’re asking for a specific 

day” despite having weekly pay periods. She suggested revising the question to ask about “your” 

pay period as opposed to “the” pay period to prime people to report for their specific pay period. 

3.1.3 Section 1, Question 2 – Number of Workers

Question 2 was not consistently probed on. Some respondents indicated that they did not report 

themselves in Section 1 because they do not consider themselves to be on the payroll. If they are

on the payroll, they do not pay themselves consistently or pay themselves very little. One 

respondent, who did not report herself in Section 1, did later report herself in Section 3. This 

respondent did not read the instructions before beginning Section 1. However, she did read the 

“includes” for Question 1 in Section 3 and reported herself because it said to include paid family 

members. 

3.1.4 Section 1, Question 3 – Worker Table

Worker Codes

When answering Question 3, most respondents understood they needed to locate the worker 

codes and assign a code to their workers. However, one respondent misinterpreted the term 

‘worker code’ and thought the survey was asking him to report codes assigned to workers for 

tracking the number of pieces picked. When he read the first column header he said, “I don’t 

have codes. Other farms do. My son’s farm they have badge numbers to determine who picked 

what.” He said other farms provide their workers badges with numbers on them that are scanned 

and used to track the number of pieces picked each day. He said he would leave this question 

blank since his farm did not use this type of tracking system. The interviewer explained to him 

that he needed to use the codes provided on page 5 of the survey to group his workers. Once this 

was pointed out, he indicated that he didn’t read the full text of that column header but once he 

did, he understood what he needed to do. 

Some other respondents understood they needed to locate the worker codes but had difficulty 

doing so. Two respondents stated that there were no page numbers on the survey. The page 

numbers were centered on the top of the page. However, the top half of the numbers were cut off 

during printing. Another respondent asked, “So where are you deriving worker codes from? It 

keeps referring to worker codes, but I see no chart of worker codes.” His son, who was sitting 

next to him and reviewing a copy of the form, showed him where they were. He said he had not 
9

read that far yet. However, it did not appear that he read the instruction in the worker code 

column to refer to codes on page 5. 

Once respondents located the list of worker codes, they often had difficulty finding an 

appropriate code. Sometimes this was because these respondents did not read the list of worker 

codes and all the examples in their entirety. As a result, they misinterpreted the meaning of 

particular worker codes. For example, one respondent debated listing workers who tend to live 

fish in ponds, set up pumps, and catch fish and bring them to the packing house under codes 11 

(Field workers – Agricultural Equipment Operators Crop Nursery or Greenhouse) and 12 (Field 

workers – Farmworkers Crop Nursery or Greenhouse). When asked why she wanted to list them 

under Field Workers she said, “Because they’re staying outside – out of the buildings – and 

because the girls never go in the fields. They’re always in the buildings.” She interpreted the 

term “field work” as referring to working outside in fields. 

Another respondent listed her greenhouse workers under code 11 (Field workers – Agricultural 

Equipment Operators Crop Nursery or Greenhouse). Her workers transplant, cultivate, put 

orders together, pack and ship. Then she said, “You don’t have what I do.” When asked what she 

meant by this, she said her workers multitask but “for greenhouses, you’ve got them operating... 

Farmworkers are only manual labor. I could do hand packing and packaging except it’s not all 

they do.” She then looked at the list more closely and realized she reported wrong. She said, “I 

looked at field workers first and then greenhouse was in the first category and I jumped into it.” 

She said when she saw the term “greenhouse” she assumed that was where she should list her 

workers, even though they do not operate equipment. She added, “I just saw farmworkers and I 

don’t really have a farm.” After reading the description for farmworkers, she realized this is 

where she should have listed her workers. She said, “That would cover pretty much everything. I 

should have looked harder at it.”

Similarly, two other respondents were unsure where to list their workers, as they did not read 

through the examples provided. One respondent asked, “Is there going to be a designation for 

aquaculture?” He then said he would have to list his workers under other. His son then pointed 

out that aquaculture was listed in the categories under livestock. To which he replied, “No, that’s 

livestock.” His son then pointed directly to where it said aquaculture. He said he just missed it 

when he read the descriptions. Another respondent initially thought her workers should go under 

farmworkers, but asked if the crop, nursery and greenhouse workers included sod. She then read 

through the examples and said that she had workers that would fall under both 11 and 12.

Finally, two respondents indicated that there was no worker code on the list that described some 

of their workers. One respondent indicated that they have three levels of management –

“managers,” “supervisors,” and “leads.” The leads supervise everyone in attendance, moving 

products, picking, and if a worker needs a break, they ask the leads. But if a worker needs to 

leave the property, they ask the supervisor. She said she does not know where leads should go on 

our questionnaire. She said they are managing but if someone needs to take a break, they will 

cover for them: “They do multitask.” Another respondent indicated that there was not a code to 

describe her role on the farm. She said, “To some degree, I’m a supervisor but I’m really the 

marketing person. I mean I supervise but I spend more time marketing. Making sure websites 
10

work and stuff like that.” Ultimately, she did not list herself on the questionnaire because 

although she is on payroll, she does not pay herself consistently. 

Some respondents indicated that their workers could fall under multiple codes. Despite the 

addition of new language in the instructions indicating how to select an appropriate code, and 

despite appearing to read these instructions before beginning the questionnaire, these respondents 

were unsure how to handle this situation. When answering this question, one respondent said, 

“My people are very multitask, and they would fall under more than one category... we have to 

have people who can do more than one job in case someone calls out.” His son then reiterated 

that point, stressing that everyone does multiple jobs so they can cover for each other. He looked 

at the codes and said he would probably list everybody under code 21 (Livestock Workers 

Farmworker – Farm, Ranch and Aquacultural Animals). He said that code “covers the bulk of 

it.” He said there were several other codes people could fall under and then his son said, 

“Everyone does grading, sorting, and packing.” He said he would also list his son and wife under 

this same code, despite the fact that they also supervise the workers. When asked about this he 

said, “I suppose I could pull out two that could fall under first line supervisor.” He said they 

manage but they are also doing farm work. He said he would list them under 21 “for simplicity 

sake.” 

Another respondent struggled quite a bit with the worker codes and recalled struggling with them 

when filling out the Agricultural Labor Survey in the past. One of the first things she said when 

she looked at the questionnaire was “My issue is with the codes.” She then said, “Most every one 

of my workers are first line supervisors.” She said, they have the ability to supervise, they stack 

on trucks; they are not harvesters. She thinks in the past she listed them as “Other workers not 

listed.” She added that she has truck drivers who drive but they also stack and pull weeds in 

blueberry fields. She then said, “It’s very difficult and I only have like 20 workers... I’m sure I 

put more under one section (worker code) because it’s easier than to separate everybody... So,

what I normally do is pull out the three supervisors and myself and everyone else I put into 12.” 

Later during probing, she was asked to read the instruction on agricultural workers again and she

said that helped clarify where to put them. The interviewer asked her what the people she listed 

under farmworkers did and she said they drive trucks, stack, grade, at the end of the season they 

pull blueberry weeds, clean the office if they need something to do, and drive port-a-johns. She 

then said, “Maybe I should have put them under 15.”

Similar to the respondent above, another respondent struggled with where to list her workers. 

When answering this question, she asked, “What if you have a worker that does 2 or 3 of these 

things?” She indicated that if she was filling this survey out on her own, she would throw it in 

the trash at this point. She then decided she would select the worker code for the task the workers 

spend the most time doing. She said a lot of her workers spend time grading and sorting. 

However, they also have to pack. “So, it’s like a 50/50 thing. If it was 75 percent of the time, I’d 

pick that one over the one that they only do 25 percent of the time. But some of them are 50/50.” 

She then said, “I also have my husband. I guess you would consider him – do you consider an 

owner a supervisor? My son also works in here as a supervisor, but he also goes and works with 

the livestock.” Although she read the instructions before answering this question, she did not
11

appear to read/attend to the instruction on how to handle these situations. After spending some 

time debating where to list her workers, this respondent was asked to read the instructions again. 

She read through the instructions for agricultural workers again and said, “One they spend the 

most time” overlooking the part of the instruction that said to report the worker under the code 

that required the highest level of skill. She debated where to list the workers some more and only 

after she read the instruction a third time did she attend to the part of the instruction about skill 

level. This helped clarify where she should list her workers. She said the text regarding how to 

select a worker code “all runs together.” She suggested reformatting these instructions so that the 

two criteria were bulleted, listing the text about the highest skill level first and where they spend 

the most time second. 

Number of Workers

Once respondents had identified the worker codes, they felt were most appropriate, they 

generally did not have any difficulty providing the number of workers who fell under these 

codes. However, one respondent said she would have to call one of the farm managers to get the 

names of the laborers who operate equipment. She said she has all the workers listed as “farm 

laborers” in her payroll software and she knows some of them operate equipment, but she does

not know which ones. Otherwise, she said it is easy to pull this information out of her payroll 

records. She said she has an organizational chart in her payroll system that has the manager at the 

top and the four supervisors under him and then she can drop down from there and see how 

many employees are under each supervisor. She said it is “really easy” to get a total number of

workers for each worker code. 

Total Hours

Most respondents had no difficulty providing total hours worked for their employees. These 

respondents indicated they could generate a report from their payroll for the total hours worked 

by group of workers. They could sum the total hours each employee worked. And, they could

multiply the number of employees by 40 hours. One respondent indicated that she could generate 

a report for total hours worked and then subtract out the hours she, her sprayer, and supervisors 

worked from that total to get the total hours for the farmworkers. Although most respondents had 

no difficulty providing an answer to this question, three respondents had difficulty.

One respondent was unsure of the period of time she needed to report. She stopped and asked, 

“Total hours for all of them?” The interviewer instructed her to answer however she would if she 

were filling the survey out on her own. She went back and looked at the examples and said, 

“Total hours for all of them.” She then asked, “per week or are we doing per month?” She 

ultimately decided to report total hours for the quarter for the first group of workers. To get this 

number, she estimated that they worked 20 hours a week and then multiplied that by 4 workers 

and multiplied that by 16 week. Note: she was thinking there were 16 weeks in a quarter. But for 

the second group of workers, she reported total hours for the month, which is the length of her 

pay periods. 

Another respondent indicated that it would be a very tedious task to determine the total hours 

worked for the pay period. To report this number he said, “I assume I’d have to have my wife go 
12

through time cards and come up with the hours.” He said they would have to go through each 

worker’s timecard for that pay period and sum up their hours. Although they use QuickBooks for 

their payroll, he had no idea how to generate a report for total hours worked during the pay 

period. He and his son both thought the software could probably produce a report for total hours. 

However, they never bothered to figure out how to do it. They keep hardcopies of everyone’s 

timecards. He said going through the timecards for total hours would be “very aggravating for 

my wife. Everything is filed and she’d have to go back and look it up. It’s not something we 

have to keep up with.” 

Finally, one respondent, who pays his workers piece rate, indicated that he would not report 

hours worked for his piece rate workers. While reading the instructions he said, “The problem 

with piece rate and trying to give hours is you don’t keep hours... Rate of pay is rate per piece. 

How many hours they worked is hard to figure out.” When answering Question 3, he said he 

would scratch out total hours since he does not track it for his workers. Instead he would write in

the rate (75 cents per pound) in the total hours column and total pounds picked in the base hours 

column. He said there was no way he could even estimate the hours worked since some days 

they may work 3 hours, other days they may work 10. He said it also varied by employee. This 

respondent was then asked to read the instructions for reporting piece rate workers again. He 

said, “If they’re working 50 hours why are you paying them piece rate? Either pay hourly or 

piece rate.” Then he said, “That is what H-2A is. The problem is the farmer doesn’t pay them 

$11 an hour. The farmer knows if they’re working like they’re supposed to, they can make more 

than $11.” He could not understand why we were asking them to report hours for piece rate 

workers. He said even after having read through the instructions again, he would still report his 

piece rate workers the same way. He would scratch off hours and write in piece. He then said, 

“They want statistics on things we don’t care about. I understand why they want it. But for us, I 

don’t care. I’m trying to pick that stuff as fast as I can to make as much as I can before the price 

falls tomorrow... from the time we start picking it’s a race... I’m not worried about how many 

hours people are working. I’m worried about getting the fruit off.” This respondent did have 

hourly workers and said he could easily report total hours worked for them.

Base Hours

Several respondents, who did not pay overtime, indicated that the base hours would be the same 

number as total hours. However, a respondent who pays piece rate said he could not report hours 

for his piece rate workers because he does not track them. He said he would scratch off base 

hours and write in the number of pounds picked. 

One of the respondents, who paid overtime wages, said she could separate base hours from 

overtime hours using her payroll records. The other respondent, who paid overtime wages, said 

her base wages would equal her total wages. This respondent said, “We do overtime a little 

different.” She said her hourly employees are paid a “coefficient overtime,” which she referred to 

as “COT.” She said a standard week is 40 hours. If someone worked 45 hours, it would show up 

on their paystub as 45 hours paid at their base rate and then the coefficient overtime would be 5 

hours multiplied by half their base rate (e.g., 45 hours x $10 + 5 hours x $5). She then said that 

they have one salaried employee who is “salaried but is non-exempt.” She said the way this 
13

works is if the salaried employee worked over 40 hours, she would get paid for the overtime 

hours at half of her adjusted rate based on her salary. For example, if her standard workweek is 

40 hours and she is normally paid $400 a week, then her wage rate would equate to $10 an hour. 

If she worked 45 hours, she would still be paid her salary of $400. However, that would lower 

her hourly rate to $8.89 an hour. So, she would get her regular $400 plus half of the adjusted rate 

($8.89) for each overtime hour worked. Her gross wages for that week would be $422.22 ($400 

+ (($8.89 x .5) x 5)). She is the only employee who is paid this way. The Department of Labor 

directed them to pay this employee this way since she is considered non-exempt based on her job 

duties. Despite reading the instructions before filling out the questionnaire, this respondent said 

she would report base hours as equaling total hours, because this is how it shows up on their 

paystubs. Later during probing she read the instructions a second time and she said she could just 

as easily report the hours how we were asking them to report base hours on the questionnaire.

Overtime Hours

Overtime hours were generally interpreted as hours for which workers were paid time and a half. 

Respondents who do not pay overtime said they would leave overtime hours blank, draw a line

through it, or enter zero. Respondents who did not pay overtime did not find it burdensome to 

leave this question blank or enter zero: “That’s not a problem. We don’t pay overtime... We pay 

for every hour worked but we don’t pay time and a half.” One respondent who pays overtime 

said she could generate a report in her payroll for total overtime hours worked. The other 

respondent who indicated that she pays coefficient overtime and has a salaried non-exempt 

worker, indicated that she would only report the hours for which her workers were paid the 

overtime coefficient (.5) or half the adjusted rate. However, later during probing she reviewed 

the instructions a second time and said she could report how we are asking them to report 

overtime hours on the questionnaire. 

Gross Wages

Gross wages were generally easy for respondents to produce regardless of how they paid their 

employees. Some respondents indicated that they could pull this number directly out of their 

payroll records for groups of workers. Other said they could pull out each employee’s gross 

wages for the pay period and would then have to sum them to get total gross wages paid. These 

respondents said they would identify the worker codes that only had one or a few employees in 

them and subtract their gross wages from the total gross wages paid to get the total gross wages 

for the worker codes that contained many workers. 

One respondent calculated the gross wages by hand. She estimated the number of hours her 

worker worked a week and multiplied that number by their hourly rate and then by number of 

workers. She interpreted this question as asking her to report the wages paid to those workers for 

the quarter that contained April 12th. So, she then multiplied that number by “16,” thinking a 

quarter would contain 16 weeks. However, for the second worker code, she reported wages for a 

month, which was the length of her pay period. 

One respondent said he would refuse to report gross wages. When scheduling the interview and 

at the start of the interview, this respondent stated that he was not comfortable providing 
14

information on wages paid. When he got to this question he said, “I still have reservations about 

total gross wages – my payroll is my payroll – especially when it comes over here and breaks it 

down by how much I’m paying for overtime and how much I’m not.” When asked what he 

would do if he received this questionnaire in the mail he said, “I would not report it if I didn’t 

have to. It’s a little invasive for me.” The interviewer then asked him to explain how he would go 

about reporting wage information if he was comfortable reporting it. He said, “We get ghost 

stubs when we print checks. She (his wife) would have to go through all those and add them up.” 

As with the hours question, he indicated, “it’s not something we regularly run in QuickBooks.” 

He thought it was possible to generate this type of report in QuickBooks, but it is not something 

that they regularly do or would know how to do.

Base wages

Respondents, who did not pay overtime wages, said their base wages would always equal total 

gross wages. One respondent said, “Because we don’t pay overtime, I’m going to put the same 

thing there. To me, it’s the same.”

One respondent, who paid overtime wages, said she could not get base wages directly from her 

payroll records, but she could get gross wages and overtime wages. She said she would subtract 

overtime wages from the gross wages paid to get the base wages paid for that pay period. 

Another respondent who paid overtime also said it was easy to get this number; however, the 

number would be slightly different from what we are asking for. This respondent paid 

“coefficient overtime” and had one salaried worker that received an adjusted wage rate for 

overtime hours worked. She said the base wages for the workers who received the coefficient 

overtime would be the total number of hours worked, including overtime hours, multiplied by 

their normal hourly rate. For the salaried worker, who received an adjusted wage rate for 

overtime hours worked, the base wages would be her regular wages earned based on her salary. 

Respondents, who paid piece rate, read the instructions before filling out the questionnaire but

indicated they would not follow these instructions when reporting base wages. Both of these 

respondents said the piece rate workers base wages would equal their gross wages. One of these 

respondents said base wages only comes into effect when paying workers overtime wages. He 

said for piece rate workers, base wages are always going to equal gross wages. During probing,

the interviewer asked him to read the instructions for reporting piece rate workers again. He said 

he had an issue with the first sentence in the piece rate example, which said “Sixty apple pickers 

worked 50 hours each during the pay period on piece rate pay, and they were guaranteed $12 per 

hour plus additional wages based on piece.” He said, “You’re either going to pay them by hour 

or by piece. Yes, you have to guarantee them minimum wage. But you can’t do both.” He said 

they do not typically keep track of hours. He said he knows when there is fruit in the field to pick 

and that his workers are going to pick enough to make over $12 an hour. So, he does not have to 

worry about tracking hours and making sure they pick enough to make minimum wage. The 

interviewer then explained that for piece rate workers the minimum amount guaranteed should

go in base wages and everything over that should go in bonus wages and he said, “Well then 

you’re paying them by hour plus piece. That’s not how it’s done. You’re either going to pay 

them by piece or pay them by the hour. I don’t know anyone that does it that way.” He then said 
15

if he received this survey in the mail he would “get frustrated because you’re asking the same 

question twice – base wages and gross wages. You’re figuring overtime. Well, there’s no 

overtime.” He then added, “Well, there’s the minimum – $8.50 – but we don’t pay by the hour.” 

The other respondent, who pays her workers piece rate, said initially, their base wages would be 

the same as their gross wages. During probing, she was asked to review the instructions again on 

how to report piece rate workers. She looked the instruction page and said, “They don’t have 

piece.” She then read through the wages instructions and said, “I don’t see anywhere where it 

says piece.” She then read through the examples again and said, “Oh, this is the piece rate. This 

is going to be harder. We pay them hourly and they get a piece rate.” She said this group of 

workers might weed for two hours at an hourly rate and then spend another four hours picking 

where they are paid by the bucket. She then added, “And then in Florida, minimum wage kicks 

in per week.” 

She gave the following example: If a worker worked 2 hours at $8.46 (minimum wage) and 4 

hours picking 20 buckets at $3.68 a bucket, he or she would make $16.92 on hourly and $73.60 

on piece rate, which would total to $90.52 for the day. If you divide that number by 6 hours, you 

would get an hourly rate of $15.08 for that day. But if the next day, he or she worked 2 hours 

weeding at the minimum wage and then only picked 3 buckets, he or she would earn $16.92 plus 

$11.04 and that would equal $27.96 for the day. If you divide that number by 6 hours, he or she

would earn $4.61 an hour for that day. She takes each worker’s total earnings for the week and 

makes sure that on average they were paid at least $8.46 an hour and if not, she has to pay the 

difference. 

To report base wages as the minimum amount guaranteed when they are working on piece rate 

would be difficult for her to do because there is no easy way to separate it out in her payroll 

system. She said all of her farm laborers are listed in her payroll system as “piece rate workers” 

even when they are being paid hourly. She inputs the hours worked as “pieces” and then puts in 

the hourly rate for what they were paid per piece. For example, if they worked 2 hours weeding 

and were paid $8.46 an hour, she would put in 2 pieces at $8.46 per piece. Under that same

worker code, workers could be listed as picking 20 pieces at $3.68 per piece. She said,

“Technically, it’s piece rate even though there’s hourly in there.” To follow our instructions on 

how to report base wages for piece rate workers, she would have to multiply the hours worked by 

the state minimum wage and subtract that out from the total gross wages. She said she did not 

initially understand to do this after reading the instructions. She only figured it out during 

probing. She said when she reported her piece rate workers in April, she reported the same wages 

in gross wages and base wages and did not report any in bonus wages.

Similarly, another respondent, who has piece rate workers, hired through a contractor, said the 

way we are asking them to report base wages is counterintuitive to how they pay them. She said, 

“If I were doing piece rate, this example doesn’t make sense. It’s not really a bonus wage.” She 

interpreted these instructions as saying to report the minimum, they have to pay the piece rate 

workers in base wages and everything else they earn in bonus wages. She then read through the

piece rate example again and said, “This is like school man!” She then said, “This is not how we 

report. If I were doing piece, this would be an absolute nightmare. We pay straight piece and do 
16

a minimum wage adjustment. It would be a nightmare. I don’t even know how I would do that.” 

She then added that the minimum wage was based on the week’s work. “You would have to do 

how many hours times minimum wage and whatever is over that is bonus. Okay.... This would 

take some time to figure it out.” In her records, there are multiple lines per worker indicating

how much they picked. The amount they picked is listed separately for commodity (strawberries 

vs. blueberries), “block” picked, shift worked, and by method of pay (hourly, piece, and adjusted 

minimum wage based on piece). She produced a 130-page report for 152 workers for one pay 

period (one week). Although she was not required to report these workers since they are hired 

through a contractor, had she been required to report them, she would not have been able to 

follow these instructions. “I would probably have to throw it away based on this week here. 

That’s very difficult.” 

Bonus Wages

All the respondents interviewed said bonus wages would be zero. Some said they would leave 

this question blank, others would draw a line through it, and others would write zero. Many 

respondents indicated that they paid bonuses but only at Christmastime. 

The two respondents, who pay piece rate, said they would not report wages under bonus wages, 

despite reading the instructions. These respondents disagreed with the instructions. One 

respondent said, “That’s not how it’s done.” The other respondent, who paid piece rate, also 

disagreed with the instruction, and in particular with labeling any of the piece rate worker’s pay 

as “bonus.” She said, “We don’t consider that to be a bonus. It’s not a bonus. It’s their pay rate 

for the activity that they’re doing.” 

The interviewer asked this respondent if she would be more apt to report some of the piece rate 

wages in that column if the word “bonus” was replaced with “incentive.” She said an incentive is 

“based on a flat rate. Anything above the hourly rate.” She then gave the following example: If 

you pay packers $8.46 an hour but tell them if they pack a certain amount of boxes that day, you 

will give a predetermined amount extra per box. She said they do this in their New Jersey 

operation. When asked why she considered that to be an incentive and not piece rate work, she 

said it was because “you’re asking them to work harder. If they don’t, they get the state 

minimum wage and if they do, they get a little more.” She then added that incentives are pay 

given for that day’s work. She said packers are always going to work a set amount of hours at a 

set wage rate. But you might give them an incentive to pack faster on some days. Piece rate 

workers’ wages vary daily. One day they could make the state minimum wage or less and then 

next day they could make double or more depending on how much they pick. She said again that 

piece rate pay is not a bonus or an incentive. When asked if it would make more sense to change 

the column label to “bonus, incentive and piece rate pay,” she said that would cover multiple pay 

structures. She then asked why we needed to separate “base” and “bonus” out for piece rate 

workers and commented again that they have to pay workers the full amount they earn on piece 

rate to get the crop harvested and workers expect it. She said it may seem like those workers are 

making a higher hourly rate. However, they are only working a couple months of the year and in 

the end, only end up making about $25,000 a year. She said it is very difficult work, and they 

deserve to be paid what they are making. 
17

Similarly, another respondent who has piece rate workers that are paid through a contractor did 

not agree with reporting piece rate wages in the bonus column. “If I were doing piece rate, this 

example doesn’t make sense. It’s not really a bonus wage.”

One respondent, who used to pay bonuses but no longer does, described an end-of-season 

incentive that others have described in previous cognitive testing studies. He said toward the end 

of the season, they have trouble keeping their workers. They often leave to go pick cucumbers or 

tomatoes or go to Georgia to start picking blueberries. Because of this, he gets short staffed at the 

end of the season. He will have another week to go and he will have only half the amount of 

workers that he needs. In the past, he made a deal with the workers at the beginning of the 

season. If they worked at least half of the picking period (April 10 through the end), he would 

give them an extra 5 cents per pound picked. He would consider this as bonus pay and it will 

show up in the last paycheck. 

Overtime Wages

Respondents understood overtime wages to be time and half paid for overtime hours worked. 

The majority of respondents did not pay overtime. They said they would leave this column 

blank, draw a line through the response space, or enter zero. Some respondents mentioned that 

agriculture is exempt from overtime. For example, one respondent said, “We do not pay any 

overtime. We fall under the ag law that you don’t need to pay overtime.” She said once in a 

while, they do have to call workers in to work overtime, but they are not paid any extra for that. 

She said, “It’s straight time.” Another respondent stated, “So far in our commodity, we don’t 

have to pay overtime. I think if you’re incorporating that it just makes it that much harder 

because it adds another line.” 

One respondent, who pays overtime, indicated that she was happy that we were asking for the 

total amount paid for overtime hours worked and not just the differential. She said it is easier for 

her to report total overtime wages paid because that is what is in her accounting software. To get 

just the differential (.5), she would need to put the numbers in excel and calculate it. This same 

respondent later asked “Why are you asking it? Agriculture does not pay overtime.” When asked 

which of her workers earn overtime she said, “The cleaning crew. Anyone who doesn’t work 

directly with product we harvest or pick.” She then said if they pack tomatoes that her operation 

did not grow and worked overtime hours, they would have to pay them overtime. She said they 

probably do that about 10 percent of the time during the year. She said the majority of what they 

pack is their own product, and in that case, they are exempt from paying overtime. She said truck 

drivers and mechanics, anyone listed under code 44, would also be eligible for overtime since 

they do not work with product. She then added that the graders in code 13 would also be eligible 

for overtime, because they clean and sanitize machines, and during that time they are not 

working with product and would qualify for overtime. She understood to report the total wages 

earned (time and a half) for overtime hours worked in this column. 

As described above, the other respondent who pays overtime stated that she would not report 

overtime wages as instructed. This respondent pays her hourly workers “coefficient overtime” 

and has a salaried non-exempt worker. She indicated that on their pays stubs, they will be paid 
18

their normal rate for total hours worked and then an additional amount for overtime hours based 

on the overtime coefficient (.5) or half the adjusted rate. For example, if an employee who earns

“coefficient overtime” and normally works 40 hours a week at $10 an hour, but during the pay 

period that included the 12th worked 45 hours, he would see on his pay stub 45 hours paid at $10 

an hour ($450) and 5 hours paid at $5 an hour ($25). The salaried worker normally works 40 

hours a week and earns $400 a week, which equates to $10 an hour. But if she worked 45 hours 

that week, she would still be paid $400 and that would lower her wage rate to $8.89 an hour. 

Because of this, she will be paid her normal wages ($400) plus .5 times the adjusted wage rate 

($8.89) for each overtime hour worked. On her pay stub she will see $400 for the 45 hours 

worked and an adjusted wage rate for the 5 overtime hours ($22.23). However, later during 

probing she reviewed the instructions a second time and said she could report how we are asking 

respondents to report overtime wages on the questionnaire. 

3.1.5 Section 1, Question 4 – Pay Period

Respondents all understood this question to be asking how long the pay period for which they 

were reporting was. Six respondents indicated that they paid their workers weekly and one 

respondent indicated she pays her workers monthly (one respondent indicated he had no one on 

payroll). The response options covered all the respondents’ pay period lengths, with the 

exception of the one respondent who misinterpreted Question 3 as asking her to report 

information for workers during the quarter that included April 12

th. This respondent wrote 

“quarter” in next to the response options and circled it. This same respondent suggested moving 

this question to before Question 3 to prime respondents to think about their pay period. 

3.1.6 Section 1, Question 5 – 150 Days

Only half of the respondents were probed on this question due to time constraints. One 

respondent indicated that he had no issues answering this question because his staff is there all 

year round. 

One respondent understood what this question was asking but was unsure how she would 

formulate her response. She said, “And then the 150 days or more. That’s what? Four months? 

So, I have to go back and remember how many have worked since the beginning. We have a 

week’s worked report, which I guess I could pull up that report and see how many weeks they 

worked but that doesn’t say how many days.” She then said it actually might not be accurate 

because if she goes on vacation, she might issue two checks for one week worked. She will pay 

them for time worked before she left for vacation and pay them the remainder once she returns. 

Those two checks will show up as two weeks worked in her records. 

Two respondents were confused by this question. When answering this question, one respondent 

asked, “What does it mean when you ask this question? When I do it in April, it’s definitely less 

than 150 days but June, July, it’s past 150 days.” She was interpreting this question as asking 

how many of the workers she reported have already worked 150 days or more. She did not see 

“will” in the question. She left this question blank. Later in the interview, the interviewer 

explained to her that we wanted to know how many of the workers reported for April will be 
19

working 150 days or more. She indicated that she would have to provide a guess, but she would 

assume that all who were working during that pay period would work 150 days or more. 

Similarly, another respondent was initially unsure whether this question was asking if they had 

worked 150 days by April 12th or if they would have worked 150 days or more during the entire 

year. When she first read this question she asked, “Do I have to go back before April or is that 

after April? Will be paid – so, I would think it’s in the future. That would just be a guess. All of 

them I’d hope.”

3.1.7 Section 3, Question 1 – Peak Number

All respondents who had agricultural labor on payroll had an issue with this question. When 

answering this question initially one respondent asked, “Today as it stands.... During 2019.” 

After reading the question a second time, he realized it was asking for the largest number on 

payroll during the year. Similarly, another respondent was confused about the reference period. 

When answering this question, she said, “I don’t think I’ve ever answered that one. I don’t track 

how many I pay per day. It’s per week.” She interpreted this question as literally asking, what 

was the largest number of people she had on payroll for a single day, and since she had no way 

to track daily counts, she could not answer the question. She suggested changing the wording of 

the question to any given pay period rather than day. 

Others were confused about whom to include in their count. These respondents did not appear to 

read the questions fully before answering. One respondent asked, “Is this strictly for farm 

employees? Or if I bring in a person to work on the roof, do I have to include them?” Another 

respondent asked if she should include non-agricultural workers. “They’re still pertaining to just 

the ag part? They’re not asking about company-wide, correct?” When asked how she would 

respond if she were filling this out on her own, she said, “I think because this is an ag survey, I 

would take it as particularly asking about ag.” She said they have 350 employees and only 50 or 

fewer are agricultural workers. Later in the interview, she noticed that the first include statement 

had the term “farm operation.” She said had she read that initially, she would have known to 

report agricultural workers only. 

When answering this question, another respondent said, “During the season, it’s going to be 

contract workers. Oh! I’m sorry. You only want me to talk about what I’m including, and I 

exclude... I don’t know what you’re asking me. Any paycheck in 2019 what’s the largest 

number on one payroll? That’s a weird way to word it.” She said she would have to talk to her 

payroll company and get them to give her a list of workers to determine this number. She then 

read it again and said, “Was or will be... Okay, so it makes perfect sense to me. I wasn’t reading 

right.” She understood that she was not supposed to report contract labor anywhere on this 

survey since they are not on her payroll. She then said she did not know what report she would 

need to run to get this number. She said she would need to go through each week to figure it out. 

She then said she could think about when their peak is and pull out those weeks and come up 

with a number. 

One respondent asked if she, her husband, and son should be included in this number. “Now 

does that include us? I don’t consider myself a hired worker. Oh! Include – I should go down... 
20

so that is us.” She said she just “didn’t read far enough down.” This respondent did include 

herself and her husband and son in Section 1. 

Another respondent did not read the instructions before beginning Section 1 and did not report 

herself. However, when she read this question, she interpreted it as asking her to include herself 

because the second include statement says to include paid family members. “That includes me. 

Paid family members and part-time workers.” She then asked, “What about me? Where do I 

come into this?” The interviewer then instructed her to answer the question how she would if she 

were filling the survey out on her own. She said, “I’d probably have 10. Exclude contract 

workers. What does that mean?” She thought contract workers were hired through a contractor. 

She referred to “migrant workers.” She then mentioned that they hire extra workers when they 

are transplanting, but she hires these workers directly and did not think this is what “contract 

workers” mean. She then asked what she should put for the largest number. Like other 

respondents, she was confused about the reference period. She said, “So far in 2019, if I include 

me it’s 6 but if you asked me this in August, I’d tell you 10.” The interviewer then instructed her 

to answer however she thinks she should, and she said, “It’s not saying first quarter or second 

quarter, so I’d say 10. This isn’t asking me for April the 12th.” During probing, she noted that it

says here to exclude “value added” and commented that she interpreted value added to mean if 

she paid her webmaster to do something she could not do on her own and then said, “someone 

doing something I couldn’t do, so I hire them for a certain amount of time or a certain project.”

3.1.8 Section 3, Question 2 – H-2A Workers

Respondents were familiar with the H-2A program. Two respondents had workers in the H-2A 

program. Before she read this question, one respondent asked at what point will the survey ask

about H-2A workers. One respondent, who had H-2A workers that were hired through a 

contractor, was unsure how to answer this question. She said, “That would be yes because we do 

have H-2A. Well but they’re not on our payroll. I pay a contractor, and he pays the workers. 

How would you answer that?” When asked how she would answer this question she said, 

“They’re not on my payroll. They are not our direct employees. We lease our labor camp to 

them, but they’re under the control of the contractor not us.” She said she would answer no to 

this question, because they are not on her payroll. Another respondent hires “migrant workers” 

once a year to pull up plastic. She said her farm does not bring them to United States; someone 

else does. But she does pay them directly and she checks their social security cards. They are 

only on her operation for a short period of time, usually at the end of winter. She does not think 

they are H-2A but was not sure. She ultimately decided to not report them since they have not 

worked on her farm in 2019 yet. 

3.1.9 Other Comments

Some respondents discussed the burden associated with this survey. One respondent indicated 

that she never completed this survey until she learned that the data from this survey are used to 

determine the adverse effect wage rate. She said she was so annoyed with how often she was 

contacted to complete this survey that she blocked the local enumerator’s telephone number. 

Another respondent complained about the timing of NASS surveys. He said, “The timing of 
21

these things! The department of Ag sends me this big booklet every year and they always send it 

the second week of March. I’m working my ass off and they want that thing.” He said it’s the 

same with worker’s comp. He said, “If you want the surveys back, you’ve got to find out when 

they’re working.” He said he has no problem filling out surveys, but if they come during harvest,

he is just going to set them aside. “Don’t send it to me in the middle of April if you want it filled 

out. Send it to me in December when we’re not doing anything... small guys like me don’t have 

time.” He then added that it is not just NASS that is asking for stuff from him. It is food safety 

inspections and labor inspections. He said he had four inspections in a 10-day span. “Every time 

I turn around somebody is wanting something.” Finally, one respondent was reluctant to provide 

any information regarding the wages he pays to his employees. He felt the questions were very 

intrusive. 

3.1.10 Round 1 Recommendations:

1. Adjust formatting so that page numbers are more visible. 

2. Add “Provided on page 5” to instructions regarding worker codes on the instructions.

3. Add instructions for reporting pay period to the instructions.

4. Reformat instructions for selecting a worker code when more than one code could be 

applicable to increase the chances that it is read. 

5. In Sections 1 and 2, change question 3 to read “during your pay period” instead of “during the 

pay period.” 

6. Test the wording of “bonus wages” further to determine if this label needs to be changed. 

7. Relabel “field workers” to “Crop Nursery and Greenhouse Workers” in the worker code table. 

8. Edit the Farmworkers – Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse Workers description to reduce the 

amount of text. 

9. In Section 3, change wording of Question 1 to “agricultural workers” instead of “hired 

workers.”

10. Delete includes and excludes from Question 1.

11. Revisit adding grading and sorting to Livestock Farmworker category description.

12. The Labor Team also requested that a “specify type of other workers” be added to the list of 

worker codes for codes 15, 24, and 44. This was added directly into the worker code table.
22

3.2 Round 2 – Oregon

3.2.1 Instructions and Examples

Three respondents skimmed the instructions and examples before beginning the questionnaire,

and one respondent appeared to read the instructions and examples more thoroughly. One 

respondent only read the instructions and did not read the examples. The other two respondents 

skipped the instructions and examples entirely. One respondent, who read the instructions, asked 

if this survey was asking about labor in 2018. She was not able to determine this from the 

instructions and looked back to the front page of the survey and inferred from the screener 

questions that it was asking about 2018. However, when she later began answering the questions 

in Section 1, she realized the survey was asking about labor in 2019. As in the previous round of 

testing, one respondent commented on the complexity of the examples. After reading through 

them she stated, “I'm moving on, I feel like this will make more sense once I start.” One 

respondent commented that the examples did not apply to him since he does not pay overtime or 

piece rate. 

Despite not reading the instructions and examples in their entirety, the majority of respondents in 

this round of testing referred back to the instructions or examples when completing the 

questionnaire. Respondents referred back to the instructions to confirm that they should only 

report agricultural workers and not report contract labor. One respondent also read through the 

instructions again to determine how to assign worker codes. He said he could recall reading 

somewhere “that I take the highest paid or hours worked, I think.” He re-read page 2 until he 

found the worker code instructions. He then flipped back and forth between the instructions and 

the list of worker codes several times until he identified the appropriate codes. Some respondents 

referred back to the examples to determine how to report wages. When completing Question 3, 

one respondent, who only glanced at the instructions but did not read them, stopped and said, 

"Wait, what is gross, base, bonus wages? This seems new... you are really getting complex 

here.” This respondent could recall completing this survey in the past and was confused by this 

change. He then went back to the examples, and said, "Oh more breakdowns, this makes it 

harder, but <payroll person> can probably do it." One respondent indicated that he reviewed the 

examples to confirm that he should be reporting total wages for his workers. Another respondent 

also indicated that he reviewed the examples to verify how to report wages, but he did not 

specify what information he was looking for. 

Later Reactions

Respondents were asked to refer back to the instructions after they had been probed on their 

responses to questions in Sections 1 and 2 to see if they would change any of their answers after 

reading the instructions again (or for the first time). For the most part, respondents indicated that 

they would not change how they answered the questions, even if they had answered incorrectly. 

For example, respondents excluded workers they should have included even after re-reading the 

instructions. The one exception is re-reading the instructions (or reading them for the first time) 

helped respondents understand to not report end-of-season bonuses. However, no respondent 

reported end-of-season bonuses since the reference period was the pay period included April 

12th. More detailed information on this can be found below.
23

3.2.2 Change in Reference Period

Four of the seven respondents understood to report workers on the payroll during the pay period 

that included April 12th. As in the previous round, three respondents welcomed this change to the 

questionnaire. Two respondents indicated that it was difficult in the past to report for a reference 

week as it did not align with their pay period. The other respondent indicated that he was happy 

to see that NASS realized that everyone does not have the same pay period. 

Three respondents were confused by this change. One respondent did not express confusion until 

she got to Question 2. When reading Question 2 she asked, “You are talking about my pay 

period? I use one month, so I can give you my month numbers for April?” The interviewer 

instructed her to complete the questionnaire as if she had received it in the mail. She then said 

that she assumed she could report her monthly pay period since the question says, “your pay 

period.” As she continued to fill out the questionnaire, she saw Question 4 and that helped clarify 

that the questions were asking about her pay period. She said, “Oh, here it is. You should ask this 

question before you ask me for the number of workers so I know I can answer for my month.” 

Similarly, when completing this section another respondent asked, “You mean my pay period, 

right?” The respondent then looked down the page and saw Question 4 and said, “Oh, you have 

that question here (pointed at Question 4). That question should be earlier.” Despite realizing

that he could report for his pay period, which was two weeks long, he ultimately reported for one 

week only. It was not determined why he did this. A third respondent was confused by the 

reference period in Question 1. Similar to a respondent in Round 1, he thought the question was 

asking if his employee worked on April 12th. He said the word “included” in the question led him 

to interpret the question in this way. This respondent indicated that his employee did work on 

April 12th but had he not, he would not have reported him on the survey. The interviewer 

instructed him to refer back to the instruction page. Once he read through the instructions, he 

understood that the questions were asking him to report the pay period that included April 12th. 

Two respondents indicated that they would not complete this survey until their payroll period 

had ended. One of these respondents pays his employees biweekly. The other respondent had 

two different pay periods – her hourly workers are paid weekly and salaried workers are paid 

monthly. This respondent indicated that she has never completed the Agricultural Labor survey 

on time because it was too difficult to report hours worked and wages earned before her payroll 

has ended (This operation is classified on our database as an opdom = 99 record because the 

respondent reports their workers for several operations all together).

3.2.3 Section 1, Question 2 – Number of Workers

The majority of respondents answered this question easily, reporting agricultural workers on 

their payroll for the pay period that included April 12th. Respondents excluded themselves and 

family members when they were not on payroll. For example, one respondent indicated that she 

and her husband are not on the payroll and said, “It’s clear you want hired workers.” However, 

this same respondent also excluded her administrative staff and truck drivers as she assumed the 

questionnaire was only asking about farm laborers. She continued to exclude them even after 

reading the instructions. Similarly, another respondent excluded his managers and his 
24

bookkeeper in this section. When asked why, he said he did not know. Later when the 

interviewer asked him to review the instructions for agricultural workers he said, “Now, I 

wouldn't have read those, so does it really matter?" As mentioned above, one respondent referred 

back to the instructions when answering this question to verify that he should not include his 

contract labor. Similarly, another respondent, who used to hire contract labor, indicated that he 

was unsure if he would need to report them, had he employed them this year. He then looked in 

the instructions and was able to locate the instruction to exclude contract labor. All other 

respondents, who hire contract labor, understood to exclude them. As mentioned above, one 

respondent was confused about the reference period. When answering this question, she asked, 

“You are talking about my pay period? I use one month, so I can give you my month numbers 

for April?” She assumed she could report all workers on her monthly payroll since the question 

said, “your pay period.” 

3.2.4 Section 1, Question 3 – Worker Table

Worker Codes

Respondents in this round all understood they needed to locate the worker codes and assign them 

to their workers. Improving the visibility of the page numbers may have eliminated the issue of 

respondents not being able to locate the worker codes. 

Respondents continued to have issues selecting the appropriate worker codes. In all cases, this 

was due to the fact that their workers perform more than one job and could be listed under more 

than one category. Reviewing the instructions for assigning worker codes again did not always 

help alleviate this issue. For example, one respondent indicated that his worker could fall under 

codes 11 and 12. He did recall reading an instruction on assigning worker codes. He went back 

to the instruction page and re-read it. He said that his worker drives heavy equipment and that 

code 11 (equipment operator) seems to require a higher skill level overall and can be dangerous. 

However, the worker also prunes trees, which is also a high-skill job, but is not dangerous. He 

ultimately selected code 11 because of the increased danger. However, he added, “I would let 

some people drive that tractor that I would never let touch my trees!” 

Others who had difficulty selecting an appropriate worker code did not review the instructions 

until they were told to do so. In one case, the instructions were helpful and in another case they 

were not. In one of these interviews, the respondent indicated that his worker could fall under 

codes 11 and 12. He said his worker drives equipment occasionally, but does mostly tilling, 

cultivating, using hand tools, as it says in worker code 12. The interviewer instructed him to

review the instructions on assigning worker codes. Then the respondent decided to list his 

worker under code 12 because, although driving equipment and properly caring for trees are very 

different skills, they both require a high level of skill, and the worker spends a lot more time with 

the trees than on the equipment. Another respondent, who felt she could list her workers under 

multiple categories asked, “What if they do many things? My workers fall into both of these 

(pointing at 21 and 12. And here (pointing at 11). All of my workers work with the cows, but 

two of them work with crops, cows, irrigation, so they fit in both of these (21 and 12) and maybe 

11... Well, 12 says 'hand tools’ but you can't cultivate with hand tools. So, I am not sure 
25

anymore where to put them.” She decided to list all her workers under code 21 (Livestock 

Farmworkers) since her farm is a dairy. The interviewer then instructed her to read the 

instructions on assigning worker codes. After reading the instructions she said, “You have here 

that I should pick the highest level of skill, but I think they are all still livestock farmworkers. 

The heavy equipment, a few of them may use, is for hay and corn production, but their main job 

is the cows, so I want to put a livestock code.” She said she would not list them under livestock 

equipment operators because the equipment is used to harvest corn and hay. 

Another respondent indicated that on any given day his workers could fall under codes 12, 13, 

14, and/or 15. He said his workers may be out in the field in the morning when the weather is 

nice, but then in the packing house in the afternoon. Without reviewing the instructions, he said 

he would probably put them all as code 12 because it seems to capture the most jobs they do. He 

also noted a couple times that they do not assign codes like this to their workers in their records. 

In one interview the farm operator and the payroll person disagreed on how to code the workers. 

The operator indicated that he would list the laborers all under code 12, and then list about 35 

employees under code 31. He also said he would not report the salaried employees since they 

would not be paid during the payroll week that contained April 12th (salaried employees are paid 

monthly). The payroll person, who normally completes this survey, indicated that she would 

divide the laborers between codes 11, 12, and 15. She would not report all 35 employees under 

code 31 since she views some of those individuals as “higher paid farmworkers.” She also 

indicated that she would not report the salaried employees because she interpreted these 

questions as asking about persons on the payroll during that time period, not who was paid 

during that time period. She indicated that these individuals include sales people, office staff, 

payroll, reception, advertising, IT, HR, customer service, etc. She said they would go into other 

workers, code 44. As others have indicated in previous rounds of testing, the payroll person

indicated that she spends a lot of time assigning worker codes to their workers when she 

completes this survey. 

Some respondents focused on the worker code headings when selecting the appropriate worker 

codes and did not read the descriptions. Changing the main worker type “field workers” to “crop, 

nursery, greenhouse” did appear to help respondents see the distinction between workers who 

work with crops versus those working with livestock. Not reading the descriptions led to 

misreporting in one interview. This respondent only read the worker code labels and placed her 

workers under code 15. When asked why she listed them here, she said because she has a 

Christmas tree farm and she thought the other codes were for crop, nursery and greenhouses. 

One respondent did not report his mechanics because he did not consider them to be agricultural 

workers. 

Three respondents selected the other categories (15, 24, 44) but did not write anything in the 

specified space. Two respondents indicated that they did not see this instruction. One respondent 

indicated that she would need to list too many types of workers and would not take the time to do 

so. She said these individuals were sales people, office staff, payroll, reception, advertising, IT, 

HR, customer service, etc.
26

Number of Workers

Respondents did not have any problems reporting the number of workers that fell under each 

worker code. Some respondents did report that they would have to spend time coding their 

workers in order to determine which code to place them under and how many fell under each 

code. 

Total Hours

This question was generally easy for respondents to answer. Some respondents indicated that 

their employees all work the same hours every week. Some respondents indicated that their 

employees all work different hours, but they work the same number of hours every week. Others 

indicated that the number of hours their workers work vary every week. To report total hours,

some respondents indicated that they would pull this number out of their records. Others hand 

calculated total hours based on recall or estimates of individual worker’s hours, or by looking in 

records and hand calculating the numbers. As in the previous round, one respondent summed up 

the hours worked for all employees and then subtracted out the supervisors’ total hours. One 

respondent indicated that he would need to get this information from his payroll person. The 

payroll person said she has total hours worked for each employee in her records and she would 

sum them up to get a total. 

When answering this question, one respondent verified that she could report total hours for her 

pay period, which was one month long. She asked, "You want me to report for the month, right? 

That's what we use, a month." She then skimmed the rest of the page and saw "one month" in 

Question 4. She said, "Oh, here it is” and checked the box for 'one month’ in Question 4 and 

then went back up to Question 3. 

Another respondent only reported hours and wages for one week even though his pay period is 

two weeks long. It is not clear why he reported this way. 

Base Hours

The majority of respondents indicated that their base hours equaled their total hours since they 

did not pay overtime. Consequently, these respondents entered the same number in total hours 

and base hours. One respondent drew an arrow from total hours to base hours and said these two 

numbers would be the same since they do not pay overtime wages. A respondent, who does pay 

overtime when there is a labor shortage, indicated that hours are broken out in her payroll system 

and she could report base hours separate from overtime hours. Only one respondent indicated 

that she did not know what base hours were. She said, "I don't know what 'base' is, but I know it's 

not overtime, so I am going to put all hours there." She confirmed that her operation does not pay 

overtime wages. 

Overtime Hours

Respondents all understood overtime hours to mean hours for which employees were paid a 

premium (e.g., time and a half) for extra hours worked. A few respondents indicated that 

agriculture is exempt from overtime in Oregon. Others simply indicated that they did not pay 
27

overtime. One respondent said, “They sometimes work overtime hours, but they don’t get 

overtime pay.” He said he would not report this time under overtime hours since they were not 

paid a premium for it. Respondents who did not pay overtime either left this question blank or 

entered a zero. 

One operation did pay overtime occasionally as an incentive when there was a critical labor 

shortage. This respondent indicated that in these situations they would pay overtime wages for 

hours worked beyond 48 hours. Base hours are separated from overtime hours in her payroll 

system and she could easily report this if it occurred during the reference period. 

Gross Wages

Some respondents indicated they would access records when reporting gross wages. Others 

calculated gross wages by hand (e.g., multiplying wage rate by total hours worked). As in the 

previous round of testing, one respondent summed all her supervisors’ gross wages and then 

subtracted that number from the total gross wages paid to all employees. One respondent 

indicated that he would need to contact his payroll person to get this information. Respondents

correctly excluded benefits such as housing and insurance from gross wages paid. No 

respondents paid workers in-kind. 

Base Wages

Most respondents indicated that their base wages would always equal their gross wages since 

they do not pay overtime. These respondents entered the same number in base wages as gross 

wages. One respondent said he assumed that base wages were gross wages minus bonus and 

overtime wages. This respondent drew an arrow from gross wages to base wages. Another 

respondent, who does pay overtime, indicated that the base wages are recorded separate from 

overtime wages in her payroll records. Thus, she could easily report base wages. A respondent, 

who pays piece rate (but not during the reference period), indicated that they pay the workers an 

hourly rate and then a piece rate on top of that. She would report only the wages paid at the 

hourly rate in the base wage column. 

Bonus Wages

No respondents reported bonus wages during the cognitive interviews. Respondents either 

entered zero or left the response space blank. When asked how they interpreted bonus wages, 

many respondents indicated an end-of-season bonus. These respondents indicated they would not 

report these bonuses since they were not given in April. Several of these respondents were asked 

to read the instructions regarding bonuses again during probing. After reading the instructions,

they understood to exclude end-of-season bonuses. One respondent said he would report end-ofseason bonuses depending on how hard it was to report. When asked to elaborate he said, 

workers are paid performance bonuses one to two times a year. However, the person getting a 

bonus during our reference week may not be on the payroll during that week. The interviewer 

then prompted him to read the instructions on bonuses to which the respondent replied, “I 

thought you said to do what I would do if you weren't here” and did not re-read the instructions.
28

Others interpreted bonuses differently. One respondent, who had a dairy, indicated that she 

provides two kinds of bonuses – one that is paid monthly and an end-of-season bonus. She said, 

“My one milker gets a bonus each month based on the quality of milk produced. That would go 

in the bonus column.” She said she would only report the end-of-season bonus if it occurred 

during the reference week; however, after reading the instruction again during probing, she 

understood to exclude end-of-season bonuses. She would still report the milk bonus in the bonus 

column since it is paid regularly. 

Two other respondents interpreted bonus wages to be piece rate pay. One respondent said bonus 

wages would be “per diem pay, if we paid an hourly rate and then more. But we don’t do that.” 

Another respondent, who does pay piece rate (but not during the reference period), said she 

would report what was paid per piece above the hourly wage in the bonus column. 

Overtime Wages

No respondents reported overtime wages, which they understood as referring to wages paid at a 

premium (e.g., time and a half) for additional hours worked. Respondents either entered zero or 

left the response space blank. One respondent indicated that they occasionally pay overtime 

when there is a labor shortage. She said base and overtime wages are broken out in her payroll 

system, and it would be easy to report separately. Another respondent indicated that she does pay 

overtime to truck drivers, but she did not report them on the survey since she thought it was only 

asking about workers who work directly with the trees. She also said base and overtime wages 

are recorded separately in her payroll. At the end of the interview, one respondent indicated that 

she was surprised to see a question on overtime wages on this survey. She said, "Overtime gave 

me pause. I have three workers who will go over 40 hours in some weeks, during busy time. But 

I don't pay them overtime, so I didn't include any overtime hours or wages. The functionality of a 

farm is different than other industries, so no overtime." She added, “If my husband was on the 

payroll, I may have put some overtime hours for him, but he is not on the payroll.” 

3.2.5 Section 1, Question 4 – Pay Period

One respondent indicated their pay period was one week, four reported it was two weeks, one 

reported it was one month, and one respondent reported some of his employees were paid once a 

week and others were paid once a month. In general, this question was easy for respondents to 

answer. 

This question was initially added to the questionnaire to determine the length of the pay period 

that respondents were reporting in the worker table. However, respondents who were unsure of 

the reference period in the worker table, used this question to help clarify that they could report 

for their pay period. Subsequently, these respondents thought this question should precede the 

worker table. 

One respondent was confused about the reference period when answering Question 2. She asked, 

“You are talking about my pay period? I use one month. So, I can give you my month numbers 

for April?” When she later read Question 4, she said, “Oh! Here it is. You should ask this 

question before you ask me for the number of workers so I know I can answer for my month.” 
29

Similarly, another respondent was unsure if he should be reporting for his pay period when 

answering Question 3. When answering this question, he asked, “You mean my pay period, 

right?” Like the previous respondent, he then looked down the page and saw Question 4 and said 

“Oh, you have that question here (pointed at Question 4). That question should be earlier.” 

When answering Question 3, another respondent asked, “Don’t you need to know my pay period 

length for this? ...what if I have a different period than someone else? How will you know 

that?” He then glanced at the columns of the table and then down the page, and saw Question 4 

and said, “Well why you put this way down here? If you put that up on top, I don’t think I would 

have been confused on the exact day the 12th.” Note that this respondent initially reported zero 

workers in Question 2 because he thought the question was asking how many workers he had on 

payroll on April 12th.

Finally, as mentioned above, one respondent indicated that he has two different pay periods. 

Salaried workers are paid once a month and all other workers are paid weekly. He checked both 

“one month” and “one week” when answering this question. 

3.2.6 Section 1, Question 5 – 150 Days

One respondent interpreted this question as asking how many of the employees reported in this 

section will work 150 days or more. Another respondent indicated that he did not know what this 

question was asking. His payroll person interpreted the question as asking how many of the 

employees were full-time. She said she has a code for full-time and part-time employees in her 

payroll system. She would use this code instead of trying to figure out how many days they 

worked. A couple of respondents interpreted this question as asking how many employees work 

year-round. One of these respondents only reported one employee for April, and he answered 

one to this question. The other respondent initially answered four and said she had three to five 

employees who worked year-round. When asked what she thought this question is asking, she 

said, “Year-round, but now that I re-read it, it says a specific number of days.” She said she has 

three to five workers that are there all year-round. She then said, “Well, there are 25 workdays 

per month, so that is six months they have to work. They all do that.” She then changed her 

answer to five. 

Two other respondents interpreted this question as asking how many employees work at least 

half the year. Similar to the previous respondent, one of these respondents tried to determine how 

many working days there were in a month. He said, “Okay, so there are 20 workdays in a month, 

so I guess you are asking if he worked more than one-half the year. He does take off for some 

long periods, but not that much.” He said when he has high schoolers working on his farm, they 

are only typically there about 90 days, so they would not be included in this question had they 

worked in April. The other respondent said that probably everyone who worked in April would 

be with him more than half the year, except the high school kids. He could not remember how 

many high school kids he had in April, so he put in a question mark. He said that in other 

quarters, this would be a difficult question to answer. This is because many of his workers also 

work on other farms. He sometimes hires 80 people to make sure 50 show up. However, he does 

not necessarily have the same 50 people working on his farm week to week. He said his core 

group of workers is pretty small, maybe 10-20 in any given year. 
30

Finally, one respondent reported seasonal workers when answering this question. These workers

were not included in her responses to the other questions in Section 1. She indicated that she did

not report these workers in the previous questions, because they had not begun working in 2019 

yet but will begin soon. 

3.2.7 Section 3, Question 1 – Peak Number

Respondents appeared to consider the same types of workers when answering this question as 

they did when responding to other questions in Section 1. Note that respondents, who excluded 

workers in Section 1 that should have been included (e.g., managers), continued to exclude them 

when answering this question. 

Respondents interpreted this question as asking for the maximum number of employees on the 

payroll in 2019. This was an easy question for some respondents to answer since their payroll did

not change much or because they could recall how many workers they needed at busy times such 

as harvest. Other respondents had difficulty interpreting and answering this question. 

One respondent asked for clarification regarding the reference date: “Okay, so during THIS 

year? We are still in 2019, right?” Similar to the previous round, a respondent in this round 

indicated that they do not track their workers by day but rather by pay period. However, he knew 

that during his peak season, they typically have about 450 people on the payroll. Another 

respondent was unsure how to answer this question. He said that he often calls workers in at the 

last minute and to determine this, they would need to go back through their payroll system. He 

thought that would be too burdensome to do. Instead, he would guess the number they have 

when they are at full capacity in August, which is typically 85. He said some of the 85 would be 

part-time, some full-time in any given week. However, he said on rare occasions he may have up 

to 200 people working during a single day. 

3.2.8 Section 3, Question 2 – H-2A Workers

Most respondents indicated that they were familiar with the H-2A program, but they do not hire 

any H-2A workers. Two respondents indicated that they were not familiar with this program. 

One of these respondents said that he assumed he does not have any. The other respondent said,

"I don't know what this is, so I will say no.” 

3.2.9 Other Comments

The majority of respondents in this round of testing indicated that they would access payroll 

records to complete this survey. Some respondents indicated that they would need to either 

contact their payroll person or have that person complete the survey. A couple of respondents 

indicated that they would not be willing to provide estimates but would have to wait until their 

pay period ended and their payroll was complete. 

Some respondents discussed the burden this survey placed on their operations. A couple of 

respondents questioned the benefit of this survey. One respondent said NASS surveys have "no 

value" and asked, “What is the benefit to me?” Another respondent indicated that he would not 

fill out NASS surveys if his wife did not make him. However, his wife also indicated that she 
31

questions the accuracy of the data produced from the surveys. She said the surveys are so hard to 

complete that it makes it hard to provide accurate data. This respondent also indicated that she 

prefers to have an enumerator collect the data rather than self-reporting. In particular, she liked 

having someone available who could answer questions regarding the survey. She recommended 

putting the name and phone number of a local NASS staff member on all questionnaires. Two 

respondents indicated that it takes too much time and effort to respond to this survey. One of 

these respondents described responding to NASS surveys as "one more thing to do." When 

completing Section 1, this same respondent asked, “Why do you need this? This is a lot of work 

for me and the bookkeeper.” The other respondent indicated that it takes two and a half to three

hours to respond to this survey because they operate five farms and the workers move back and 

forth between the farms. This respondent, who had a monthly payroll, indicated that she would 

not respond to this survey until her payroll was complete because it is too difficult to do so. She 

said they never make the deadline that NASS sets for this survey: “In the past, they start calling 

us and we don't have payroll done yet.”

As in the previous round, a few respondents complained about the timing of the Agricultural 

Labor Survey. One respondent indicated that he receives this survey during his harvest season 

(August-October) and he is too busy to respond. He would prefer to receive the survey between 

December and February when he is not busy. In contrast, another respondent indicated that this 

survey would never capture his busy season. He said he is most busy in August and September. 

However, the survey would never capture that time period. He questioned whether he should 

inflate his numbers in order to account for this. 

3.2.10 Round 2 Recommendations:

1. In Sections 1 and 2, move Question 4 (What is the length of your pay period that included 

April 12th?) to before Question 2 to prime respondents to think about their pay period. 

2. Keep the changes that were recommended in Round 1 and implemented in Round 2. 

3.3 Round 3 – Virginia

3.3.1 Instructions and Examples

Two respondents read the instructions thoroughly before beginning the survey. Two respondents 

read the second page of the instructions only. One respondent skimmed the instructions, and one 

did not read them at all. One respondent, who was confused throughout the survey, thought the 

instructions were the survey questions and attempted to answer them. 

Three respondents (one who read thoroughly, one who skimmed, and one who did not read 

them) indicated that they never read instructions before beginning surveys. One respondent said, 

“I hate instructions. Nobody reads instructions.” Another respondent indicated that she only 

reads instructions when she does not know how to answer something: “I start the survey and 

when I don’t understand something I go back and read them.” Her husband then said that those 

are referred to as the “corrections, not the instructions.” She then added, “I think most people 
32

would do that... I just want to know about the part that applies to me.” Similarly, another 

respondent indicated that she was looking for information in the instructions that pertained to 

her. When she saw the example for reporting overtime wages, she figured she did not need to 

read the instructions since she does not pay overtime. 

Two respondents who read the instructions commented on the length of the instructions. When 

one respondent began reading the second page of the instructions she said, “I’m ready to hand 

this back. I mean it’s not confusing. It’s not confusing.” She then read through the second page 

and said, “If I received this, I wouldn’t fill this out. It’s absurd. I find it complicated. We have a 

fairly simple operation.” Another respondent commented that he liked the examples provided in 

the instructions and that examples are “always helpful.” However, he did not expect the level of 

detail that was shown in the examples. 

A few respondents, who read some of the instructions, had questions about the information 

presented in the instructions. When one respondent was reading the instructions for reporting 

agricultural workers, he asked, “When you say, directly hired vs. contractor, what do you 

mean?” He was unsure if workers, whom he hires and pays directly and provides a 1099, would 

be considered a contractor. But after reading the instructions a second time, he was able to figure 

it out: “I think you mean that you don’t want workers hired through a contractor, not someone 

hired on a contract basis. So, I would include those.” 

Another respondent was confused about how workers were assigned worker codes in the two 

examples. He flipped back and forth between the examples and the worker code table several 

times and then asked, “The one question I have regarding the example, which is helpful, is why 

are they in different categories?” He said it was not clear why workers in the first example are 

listed under code 12 and workers in the second example are listed under code 14. He then 

realized that the first example was referring to apple pickers and the second example was 

referring to apple packers. He said those words – pickers and packers – are so similar that when 

he was reading quickly, he thought they were both apple pickers. He suggested using a different 

job or commodity in the second example. 

Some respondents, who did read the instructions, reported information incorrectly and did not 

indicate they had comprehension issues or refer back to the instructions at any point. For 

example, a couple of respondents, who read the instructions, did not report for their pay period. 

One of these respondents also reported workers under more than one worker code and did not 

include in-kind payments in gross wages. 

Later Reactions

Both respondents who did and did not read the instructions had questions while completing the 

survey. Most did not refer back to the instructions to answer these questions, but a couple did. 

One respondent, who did not read the first page of the instructions, had several questions that 

were addressed on the first page. When these questions arose, he did refer back to the 

instructions and found the answers to his questions. For example, when answering Question 1, 

this respondent was unsure if he should report his H-2A workers. He looked back at the 

instructions and read the first bullet under instructions for reporting agricultural workers and 
33

determined that he should include them because it said, “directly paid by the operation” and he 

pays all of his H-2A workers directly. When completing the worker table, this respondent also 

asked if he should report each of his workers on separate lines, and he initially did so. However, 

when he read the second question (number of workers), he referred back to the examples in the 

instructions and commented, “That is too many hours for one person... I guess I put them all 

together for the same type. That might be harder for me to do the math.” He then erased his 

original entries and reported workers who fell under the same code on the same line. Finally, 

when answering the hours question, this same respondent asked, “for that one pay period?” He 

went back to the instructions again and re-read the instructions about reporting hours. He said he 

would use the estimated number of hours they usually work instead of reporting the exact hours 

for that pay period. 

Although referring back to the instructions helped the previously mentioned respondent, reading 

the instructions again caused another respondent to misreport. This respondent initially skimmed 

the first page of the instructions but spent a significant amount of time looking at the examples 

on the second page before beginning the survey. When attempting to answer the hours question,

he could not figure out the unit of time for reporting hours worked. He looked back at the piece 

rate example in the instructions to try and figure it out. Because in the piece rate example it said 

$36,000 base wages and 3,000 base hours, which seemed like reasonable wages and hours for

one worker per year, he deduced that he was supposed to report annual hours and wages per 

worker. However, this respondent spent a lot of time trying to figure this out. He said,

“I’m trying to figure out by looking at the table and I need to do some math here. It 

appears it’s multiple employees by hours worked. I’ve got to figure out what the number 

represents. It would save me from having to do this with a little more clarification.... 

Taking gross, I’m trying to figure out what the factor is that gets to 48,000.” 

He began using his calculator to try and determine why those numbers were used in the piece 

rate example. After trying to figure it out on his own, he read the description above the piece rate 

table and said it was not helpful. He read “each were paid” aloud and said “each, who?” He said 

it was not clear if “each” was referring to each individual employee or a group of workers. He 

also said he did not know if “they” was referring to a person whose sex is unknown or multiple 

people. Therefore, he couldn’t determine if he should be reporting for one person or the group of 

workers. He said it would be clearer to say, “the 60 workers were together paid.” He then said 

that the description says, “additional wages based on piece,” but it never says what that amount 

was. He said, “If I take 48,000 and divide that by 12, I end up with 4,000... I guess I have to take 

the 36,000 and divide it by 12. That gets me 3,000. I have to go through all these steps to figure 

it out. I’ve wasted 5 minutes.” He was frustrated at this point. He then said, “$12 an hour. What I 

now know is what you want is per employee.” Note, this was not the intent of the question. 

Later in the interview, the interviewer had him review the instructions for reporting your pay 

period, and he said, “I’m not going to read this. I’m going to read this (and pointed at the piece 

rate example).” He said people would be drawn to “the visual.” He said he was immediately 

drawn to the example when looking at the instructions. He looked at it again and said the 

example was showing to report annual hours and wages. He said unless the questionnaire said to 
34

refer to the “instructions for reporting pay period,” no one is going to go looking for it there. He 

said it would also be good to number the instructions and then refer to those numbers in the 

examples (and even visually, like numbering the questions in the examples with the same 

numbers used in the corresponding instructions). He also suggested lengthening the size of the 

box for pay period instructions and adding “the” before pay period (Instructions for reporting the

pay period).

The interviewer then pointed out that the piece rate example was for people who pay piece rate 

and since he does not, it may seem confusing to him. He said there should be a note with the 

examples that says, “examples may not be a direct example for your operation. Please reference 

instructions.” 

He said again that by looking at the example table alone he could not determine what the 

numbers represented and the description above the table was not helpful. He said again that the 

language was too vague. For example, the description uses the word “they,” and he did not know 

if they referred to a person whose sex is unknown or multiple people. Therefore, he couldn’t 

determine if he should be reporting for one person or the group of workers. He said it would be 

clearer to say, “the 60 workers were together paid.” 

Respondents, who did not go back to the instructions on their own, were asked to refer back to 

the instructions during probing to verify that the instructions matched how they were interpreting 

the survey questions or to see if they helped clarify any comprehension issues found during 

probing. A couple of respondents indicated that reading the instructions during probing helped 

clarify questions they had. For example, one respondent was unsure if he should report retail 

workers, family members who were not paid, and contract labor; but after reading the 

instructions, he understood to not include them. This same respondent indicated that the 

instructions for bonus wages helped him understand the type of bonuses that should be reported. 

A second respondent reported that reading the instructions during probing helped clarify the 

definition of agricultural workers and how to select an appropriate worker code when more than 

one could apply. 

However, some respondents continued to be confused or not see their error after reading the 

instructions during probing. For example, one respondent who did not report for his pay period,

did not see his error after reading the instructions. Another respondent, who operated a vineyard,

was still unsure if he should report his “tasting room” employees. He said the instructions did not 

help him determine if he should report them or not. But because the questionnaire is asking about 

“agricultural workers,” he thought he should not report them because he does not consider them 

to be agricultural workers. He considers them sales staff. 

Two respondents, who had no comprehension issues when answering the survey questions,

found some of the instructions confusing. For example, one respondent who reported for his pay 

period, was confused after reading these instructions during probing. He indicated that the first 

sentence in those instructions was “easy” to understand, but the second sentence was confusing. 

He read the sentence aloud and said, “I have no idea what that means.” He could not comprehend
35

why someone would not report their workers for that pay period if they were not at work on the 

12th but were working during other days in the pay period. 

Another respondent was confused by the instructions that said, “report each worker only once.” 

She asked, “Meaning what? The number of hours or what?” The interviewer later explained that 

each worker should be listed under one worker code, and the instructions provide guidelines for 

what to do if the worker could be listed under more than one code. She recommended changing 

the instruction to: “Report each worker under one code only” and moving that instruction to 

before the one that says “if the worker performs work in two or more...” She said this instruction 

needed to be changed above the worker table as well. 

Finally, one respondent, who did not have any contract or custom workers, had a question about 

the definition provided for custom workers (workers hired to use their machines to perform a 

service on the farm e.g., combining, fertilizing). She indicated that her father cuts other farmers’ 

hay using the other farmers’ equipment. She wondered if this would still count as a custom 

worker. 

3.3.2 Change in Reference Period

Only three respondents in this round of testing reported for their pay period. One of these 

respondents asked for clarification when filling out the worker table. When this respondent was 

answering the total hours question, he asked, “For that one pay period?” He then looked back 

through the instructions and re-read the instructions for reporting hours. He indicated he would 

provide an estimate for the total hours worked that pay period. 

The other four did not report hours and wages for their pay period. One respondent indicated on 

the form that his payroll was twice a month and then reported six workers and the annual hours 

and wages per employee. Another respondent indicated that her payroll was weekly but then said 

she reported total annual hours and wages; however, it appeared that she reported quarterly hours 

and wages for one group of workers and monthly hours and wages for another group of workers. 

Another respondent, who indicated that his pay period is one month, reported daily hours and the 

wage rate in gross wages for his one employee. Finally, a fourth respondent indicated that his 

pay period was two weeks long but reported weekly total hours and wages for his employee. 

This respondent realized his mistake when he had almost completed the worker table and said he 

would not go back and change his answers. 

It was only determined why one of these respondents was misreporting. This respondent 

indicated that the reference period for the worker table was not clear. To try to determine this, he 

looked at the piece rate example in the instructions. However, he had difficulty determining the 

unit of time reported in that example as well. He took out his calculator and tried to determine 

the unit of time reported in the example. He did not read the description above the example or 

any of the other instructions. Looking at the piece rate example he said, “I’m trying to figure out 

by looking at the table and I need to do some math here. It appears it’s multiple employees by 

hours worked. I’ve got to figure out what the number represents. It would save me from having 

to do this with a little more clarification.... Taking gross, I’m trying to figure out what the factor 

is that gets to 48,000.” After trying to figure it out, he read the description above the piece rate 
36

table. He read “each were paid” aloud and asked, “each, who?” He said he did not know if 

“each” meant each worker or the group of workers. He then said that the description says,

“additional wages based on piece” but it does not say what the additional wages were. He said,

“If I take 48,000 and divide that by 12, I end up with 4,000... I guess I have to take the 36,000 

and divide it by 12. That gets me 3,000. I have to go through all these steps to figure it out. I’ve 

wasted 5 minutes.” He was frustrated at this point. He then said, “$12 an hour. What I now know 

is what you want is per employee.” He then went back to the worker table and reported total 

hours worked per employee per year and said that “per person, per year” should be added to the 

table.

3.3.3 Section 2, Question 1 – Screener

When answering this question all respondents adhered to the reference period; however, 

respondents did have questions regarding the type of workers they should be reporting as 

agricultural workers. 

When answering this question, one respondent, who did not initially read the instructions for 

reporting agricultural workers, stopped and looked back at the instructions. He said he was trying 

to determine if he needed to report his H-2A workers. He decided he did since the instructions 

for reporting agricultural workers said, “directly paid by the operation” and he pays his H-2A 

workers directly. 

Another respondent, who had read the instructions thoroughly before beginning the 

questionnaire, stopped before answering this question and said, “Where they are on payroll, all 

the people who work for us are independent contractors. They get a 1099... Is that payroll?” The 

interviewer asked her how she was interpreting the term “payroll” and she said, “I would 

probably figure that the 1099s are payroll.” She then moved onto Question 2 without answering 

Question 1. Later during probing, she said she forgot to check “yes” to this question. The 

interviewer asked her to read the instructions for reporting agricultural workers again and she 

pointed at the instructions and said, “Well that right there – hire directly to perform work on a 

farm and part-time worker.”

Similarly, another respondent asked what constituted “payroll.” He asked, “When you say 

payroll, I’m thinking we paid them for their hours. Not just an electronic payroll system.” He 

then said his full-time workers are on the payroll and their hours and wages are recorded in 

QuickBooks. His part-time workers are typically paid from petty cash and he would need to get 

their wages from their check register. He said they do keep records of everyone who worked and 

what they were paid for tax purposes, but they do not bother putting the part-time workers’ hours 

and wages into QuickBooks. 

A third respondent, whose business includes a nursery and a landscape company, was unsure if 

she should report her landscapers on this questionnaire. When answering this question, she 

stopped and said she had a “multifaceted business.” In the past when completing this survey, she 

has not reported the landscapers; she has only reported the nursery workers. She said her 

reasoning was, “They don’t work here. They operate out of a different shop. I don’t consider 

them to be agricultural workers.” She then asked, “And do I include myself?” The interviewer 
37

asked her what she thought she should do, and she said, “I probably would include myself.” This 

respondent did not read the instructions before beginning the survey. Later, during probing, the 

interviewer had her read the instructions for reporting agricultural workers and she said that 

helped clarify that she should not report her landscapers, but she should report herself. 

3.3.4 Section 2, Question 2 – Number of Workers

The majority of respondents answered this question correctly. That is, they reported full- and 

part-time workers, whom they hired and paid directly to do agricultural work. Respondents also 

only reported themselves and family members if they were paid by the operation to perform 

agricultural work. 

Two respondents included workers in their response that they should not have. One respondent 

mistakenly reported contract labor in his response to this question. No respondent accessed 

records when answering this question. One respondent said, “I would pretty much know who’s in 

the field, but I have rotating staff in the tasting room. I would have to go to payroll records to get 

that and it would take at least 30 minutes.” He ultimately decided not to report his tasting room 

staff because he did not consider them to be agricultural workers. Another respondent reported a 

retail worker. However, later in the interview, he noted that the instructions say to exclude retail 

workers. He was confused by this because he saw “retail workers” in the worker code table but 

had not seen “excluding” in that table. 

One respondent was also confused by the item code in the response box for this question. He 

asked why the number “660” was in the answer space. He said he only had eight workers, 

nowhere near 660 workers. He did write eight in the response space. 

3.3.5 Section 2, Question 3 – 150 Days

In the first interview, the 150-day question appeared below the worker table. The respondent 

skipped over this question and indicated during probing that he never saw it when filling out the 

questionnaire. After the first interview, the 150-day question was placed after the number of 

workers question and the 149-day question was added to the form. 

In the remaining interviews, all respondents answered this question. Some respondents reported 

workers who worked at least 40 hours a week and worked year-round. However, one respondent 

reported workers who worked less than 40 hours a week but worked year-round. One respondent 

whose employees worked 20 hours a week (five hours a day four days a week) but worked yearround, entered zero employees.

One respondent indicated that this question confused him at first because the prior two questions 

had asked about his workers during the pay period that included July 12, 2019, and this question 

was asking about the entire calendar year. He said this question “threw me because you stated 

with the pay period, but then asked about the year, then the pay period again. It was tricky and I 

had to read carefully.”

3.3.6 Section 2, Question 4 – 149 Days
38

Three respondents reported workers who work 149 days or less. One respondent reported 

“seasonal” workers that worked 40 hours a week, six months of the year. Another respondent 

reported workers whom she considered to be part-time. She has one group of workers that works 

20 hours a week (five hours a day four days a week) year-round, and another group that works 

20 hours a week (four hours a day, five days a week) in the summer months. One respondent 

reported workers who work less than 40 hours a week. He said these workers may work more 

than 149 days, but they only work partial days that would not add up to 150 full days. 

Respondents, who did not have workers whom they considered to work 149 days or less, entered 

zero. Finally, one respondent said that this and the 150-day question were “a little redundant, but 

it makes it clear what you’re looking for.” Note this question was eliminated from the 

questionnaire in October 2018 because respondents found the question to be redundant and 

CATI interviewers were often not administering it. It was added back to the questionnaire when 

the 150-day question was moved to before the worker table to encourage respondents to report 

both full- and part-time employees in the worker table. 

3.3.7 Section 2 – Question 5 – Pay Period 

For the first respondent, who received version 1 of the questionnaire, this question appeared after 

the screener question and before the number of worker questions. This respondent reported two 

different pay periods. When answering this question, he said, “The farmworkers are paid once a 

week and the tasting room people are paid every two weeks. So, I’ll put both.” He then checked 

“one week” and “two weeks.” He indicated during probing that he only considered the tasting 

room staff in this question because he was asked about his pay periods – not about his pay period 

for his agricultural workers. 

In the remaining interviews, this question was moved to after the 149-day or less question and 

before the worker table. Two respondents reported that the length of their pay period was one

week, two indicated it was two weeks, one said it was a half month, and one said it was one 

month. 

The respondent who said his pay period was one month long said that he does not have a set pay

period, but he pays his one employee once a month, so he checked “one month.” 

The respondent, who selected “half month,” indicated that he pays his workers two times a 

month – on the 5th and 20th of the month. The interviewer asked him what the difference was 

between two weeks and half month. He said if you pay your workers every two weeks, you have 

26 pay periods. But if you pay them two times a month, you have 24 pay periods. He said he 

prefers to pay them two times a month as opposed to every two weeks. He said that way his 

workers always know exactly when they will be paid, and it reduces his payroll expenses. 

One respondent, who answered “two weeks” said, “This is not how it is usually written. It’s 

usually called weekly, bi-weekly, quarterly, semi-annually. But I guess this means the same 

thing.”

One respondent who answered weekly but then later reported annual hours and wages said this 

question needs to appear earlier in this section: “I don’t know if it would have been clearer if that 
39

(this question) had been first as the first question or maybe question number two.” She noted that 

it does say in all the questions ‘your pay period’ but asking this question first may prime her to 

think about her pay period in all the questions. “If I read this first, I’d say okay for us that’s one 

week... makes it clearer that we’re talking about this pay period.” 

As mentioned earlier, despite reporting the correct length of their pay period, several respondents 

did not report for their pay period when completing the worker table. This may be due to the 

placement of this question and the 150-day and 149-day questions prior to the worker table. The 

pay period question was moved to before the worker table after respondents in Rounds 1 and 2 

indicated it would be helpful to have this question come earlier. However, in moving this 

question, the 150-day question had to be moved as well for usability purposes. In addition, the 

149-day question had to be added back to the questionnaire. As noted above, this could have 

caused confusion for respondents as the reference period then shifted between the pay period that 

included the 12th and the calendar year. 

3.3.8 Section 2, Question 6 – Worker Table

Worker Codes

Because respondents in this round of testing were completing the October version of the survey, 

the October section came first, followed by the worker code table, and then the July section. In 

the majority of the interviews, the respondent was told to skip the October section. These 

respondents then went straight from the instructions to the worker codes. As a result, two 

respondents thought the worker codes were questions they had to answer. This was found in 

previous rounds of testing and addressed by placing the worker code table after Section 1. But 

since respondents in this round were not completing Section 1 (October), this issue arose again. 

As seen in previous rounds, some respondents only read the worker code labels, and others relied 

on the descriptions to select their worker types. For the most part, respondents coded their 

workers correctly even if they did not read the descriptions. That is, the way they described their 

workers’ tasks matched the descriptions provided. For example, one respondent who only looked 

at the labels said he looked at the first supervisor category and thought his worker was “not a 

farmer manager, that’s me.” He said he does not refer to this worker as a first line manager, but it 

seemed like it was where he should put him. He said this individual “manages the crew.”

One respondent listed her workers under codes 15 and 24. When asked why she selected these 

codes she said the workers she listed under 15 “don’t drive farm equipment, don’t plant or 

cultivate or harvest... they don’t grade, sort or pack. They do maintenance... grounds 

maintenance, fence repair... facility maintenance.” The workers, whom she listed under 24, help 

train their horses and check them for health issues. She then read the description for code 21 and 

said, “They do perform some of all these things, but their main focus is to get on the horse and 

work them.” This respondent did not write anything in the specify type space. When asked about 

this she said, “Did you want that filled in?” She said she did see it when she was looking at the 

worker codes. The interviewer asked her if she thought she should have filled it in and she said, 

“Yes, but what would I put in?” She drew a question mark in the space for 15 and then entered 

“trainers, exercise animals” in the space next to 24. 
40

One respondent, who selected code 15, wrote in the specify box: “part-time high school help.” 

He said these are high school students whom he hires to mow. 

Another respondent selected code 44 and wrote in “retail workers.” During probing, the 

interviewer asked him to go back and re-read the instructions. He said, “Wait, this says to 

exclude retail workers, but they were listed on the other page.” He went back to the description 

for code 44 on the worker code table and was confused. He re-read both several times and finally 

saw the exclude in the worker code table.

When answering this question, another respondent indicated that he was unsure if he should 

report his employees who worked in the tasting room. He described them as “sales force” and 

said, “I don’t think I ever included them in this. I wouldn’t know where to put these people.” 

This respondent, who received version 1 of the questionnaire in this round, did not consider these 

workers when answering Question 1 but then included them when reporting the length of his pay 

periods in Question 2. He did not report them in this question. 

Three respondents indicated that they had workers who could fit in more than one code. One 

respondent, who did not read the instructions before beginning the survey, initially reported 

herself under code 12 because she works in the greenhouse a couple of days a week. However, 

when looking at these codes again during probing she noticed the supervisor codes. She said, “I 

may be more of a supervisor. Are supervisors allowed to do labor?” She then said that 

supervisors “should probably be allowed to get their hands dirty.” She noted that in the 

description it says “coordinate” and said, “Maybe that means participate.” She said for most 

small operations, the supervisor is probably also doing labor. She said if the description of 

supervisor were worded a little differently, she would be more apt to select it. But she then said 

she did not actually see that category when answering. She said she looked at the crops and 

livestock headings and stopped reading down the page. She suggested adding the supervisor 

categories under the crops and the livestock headings as a subcategory. The interviewer then 

asked her to review the instructions for reporting agricultural workers to see if that helped her 

understand whom to report on this form and how to select a worker code for herself. She initially 

said it did not help clarify. But then she read the instructions about the highest level of skill and 

she said that means she should have listed herself as a supervisor. She crossed off 12 and wrote 

in 31 for herself. 

Another respondent, who also did not read the instructions before starting said, “I have one guy 

that could be 20 or 21, what should I do with him?” The interviewer asked him what he thought 

he should do, and he said that this worker worked with heavy equipment more than the rest of 

the workers, so he would put him as 20. 

A third respondent reported the same workers under two different codes. This respondent 

reported his data row by row. He first reported workers under codes 11, 12, 21 and then when he 

began a row for code 31, he said he put two supervisors in code 11. He then went back and 

changed the number of workers from code 11 from “3” to “1” but did not change any of the other 

data in the row. It was not clear why he did not edit the rest of the data. 
41

One respondent did not report his office worker in the worker table or in any of the other 

questions in Sections 1 and 2. 

Three respondents reported workers who fell under the same category on separate lines. When 

answering this question one respondent, who had eight workers, asked, “Do I fill in one line for 

each worker?” He then counted the number of rows in the table and said, “Oh good! There are 

eight.” He then listed all of his workers on separate rows. He later realized his mistake when 

reviewing the instructions for hours and fixed his error. However, when reporting total hours 

worked, he said it would be easier for him to list his workers on separate lines since they worked 

different hours. 

Another respondent listed workers who fell under code 12 twice in the table. During probing he

said he did this because they earn different wages, and one group is year-round and receives 

housing and the other group is seasonal. The interviewer then pointed out the instruction "report 

workers who fall under the same worker code on a single line” and he said he did not agree with 

this instruction. He said his seasonal workers are working less hours and are paid a lower wage 

than his full-time workers. 

Similarly, another respondent, who reported herself and her worker under code 12 and listed 

each on separate lines, said she did so because they work different hours and earn different rates. 

She asked, “So I was supposed to add these two together?” She then saw the instruction above 

the table said, “Yeah, I didn’t read that either and it says record each worker only once.” She 

then asked, “What if they work 20 hours a week doing two different jobs on the farm, should I 

report them twice?” She then looked back at the instructions page and circled “report each 

worker only once” and asked, “meaning what the number of hours or what?” She said this 

instruction should be changed to “report each worker under one code only” and then moved to 

before the other instruction that says “if the worker performs work in two or more...” She said 

this instruction needed to be changed above the worker table as well. 

Two respondents accidentally wrote the number of workers in the worker type column when 

filling out the form. One respondent did this for the second quarter only and did not see his 

mistake. The other respondent caught himself and corrected it right away. 

Number of Workers

This question was easy for most respondents to answer. No one accessed records when reporting 

but a couple of respondents said they normally would when responding. One of these 

respondents indicated that he would need to check two different records. He said for his full-time 

workers, this information would be in QuickBooks. For his part-time workers, he would need to 

look at his check register. He said he typically pays his part-time workers from petty cash. But 

they do keep records of everyone whom they paid for tax purposes.

Total Hours Worked

As mentioned earlier, only three respondents reported total hours for their pay period. Two 

respondents understood the intent of this question; however, both had some difficulty providing 

this number. One indicated that he would need to access records to answer this. He said his full-
42

time staff may have worked overtime hours during that pay period. However, his part-time staff, 

which included some contract labor that should have been excluded, never worked more than 40 

hours a week. For the full-time staff, he would report base plus the overtime hours in the total 

hours column. The other respondent, who understood the intent of this question, said she did not 

track hours that she worked. Because she is the owner and has a multifaceted business, she is not 

on the farm every day. She estimated that she works on average 16 hours a week on the farm. 

When answering this question, a third respondent asked, “For that one pay period?” He went 

back to the instructions again and re-read the instructions about reporting hours and determined 

he needed to report for his pay period. However, he said he would provide an estimate of the 

total hours worked. 

Other respondents did not understand that they needed to report for their pay period. Two 

respondents indicated that they reported annual hours worked. As mentioned above, one 

respondent was unsure of the unit of time he needed to report for when answering this question. 

He deduced from the piece rate example that he should report the number of hours worked a year 

per employee. Looking at the piece rate example, he said he was not going to pay a field hand 

$36,000 a week. Also, 2,080 would be total hours if someone worked 40 hours a week for 52 

weeks and 3,000, which appears in the base hours column in the example is close to that number. 

He said in agriculture, most employees work over 40 hours a week, so 3,000 hours per year 

seemed like a reasonable annual number. He then said, “If you’re asking annual, it’s going to be 

the same both quarters.” He then reported total annual hours worked per person. After filling out

the hours questions, he asked again, “This is for July. Why ask for October? Because it will be 

the same?” After much discussion during the probing, the respondent said he understood that he 

needed to report total hours worked for his agricultural workers during the pay period that 

included July 12, 2019. He indicated that his workers work 70 hours a week. He then tried to 

figure out what the total hours would be for those workers since he pays them twice a month. 

This took a lot of effort. After a number of unsuccessful attempts to come up with a number, he 

pulled out his calendar and counted the number of days in that pay period. He then reported that 

the one group of workers worked 152 hours, his manager worked 140 total hours and his 

seasonal workers worked 148 total hours. It appears he was reporting total hours per person. 

After discussing the intent of the question again, he said “during your pay period” needed to be 

added to the table. 

Another respondent indicated that she also reported annual hours worked. However, after 

reviewing her answers it appears that she reported total quarterly hours for one group of workers 

and total monthly hours for another group of workers. When she was answering this question,

she said, “These are definitely estimates.” She said if she was answering the actual survey, she 

would use her books. She realized her error right away during probing. She said, “I completely 

overshot that.” When asked why she reported the way she did, she said, “Because I was rushing.” 

She then corrected her answers. 

A third respondent reported total hours worked for one week; however, his pay period is two 

weeks long. When answering this question, he used his calculator and said he was reporting “ball 
43

park” numbers. He did not realize his error until he got to his last group of workers and said he 

would not go back and correct his answers. 

A fourth respondent whose pay period is one month long, reported hours worked per day for his 

one employee in October and then hours worked per month in the July quarter. It is not clear 

why he reported incorrectly for the October reference period. 

Total Base Hours

Respondents who did not pay their workers overtime indicated that their base hours would equal 

their total hours worked. Respondents who did pay overtime indicated that their base hours 

would be the hours worked at their normal hourly rate. 

One respondent, who did not pay overtime, initially reported that his base hours would equal his 

total hours worked. However, his workers work 70 hours a week and while filling this form out,

he became concerned that he would get in trouble if he reported that his workers were not 

receiving overtime pay. He then went back and changed his base hours to the equivalent of 40 

hours a week for each employee. More information can be found in the gross wages results. 

Total Overtime Hours

Respondents interpreted overtime hours to be hours worked for which workers were paid time 

and half. Three respondents indicated that they paid their workers overtime. These respondents 

indicated they would separate these hours from the base hours and report them in this column. 

One respondent indicated that he paid overtime to his crops farmworkers for hours worked 

beyond 40 hours. He said he is required to pay them overtime under the “Service Contract Act,” 

which he said was a federal law. He said it would be easy to report base and overtime hours since 

they are separated in QuickBooks. Although note that he said elsewhere that it takes anywhere 

from 45 minutes to an hour to pull hours and wages paid out of QuickBooks. Another respondent 

said he estimated that his workers work 10 overtime hours each pay period. One respondent said 

she does pay overtime, but her employee only worked 32 hours during the pay period, so that 

employee did not earn any overtime. She said it was easy to pull these numbers out of her 

records. 

Respondents, who did not pay overtime, said they would either leave this column blank or enter 

zero. 

Total Gross Wages

Respondents in this round of testing had a lot of difficulty providing this number. Some 

respondents did not report total gross wages during the interview because it would take too much 

time to do so. But respondents were able to describe how they would come up with an answer to 

this question. For example, one respondent said he could locate this number in QuickBooks for 

his full-time employees. However, for his part-time employees, he would need to go through his 

check registers for that pay period. He said, “It’s more work to get that data.” Another 

respondent said it was too difficult to determine this number by hand. He said it would help to 

have space on the questionnaire where he could do some calculations to determine this number. 
44

A different respondent said it would be difficult for him to come up with this number on the spot 

and would be easier to write in the wage rate. 

Others were able to provide a response. One respondent provided total gross wages for her 

workers; however, instead of providing the wages for her pay period, she reported total quarterly 

wages for one group of her workers and total monthly wages for another group of workers. She 

realized her mistake during probing and was able to correct her answers. 

Another respondent multiplied hours worked during the pay period by the wage rate to determine 

the gross wages paid to her employee. However, it was difficult for her to determine gross wages 

for herself. When answering this question, she said most farmers “wear many hats.” And then 

asked, “How do I figure out me, as the owner, what my labor rates are?” She said she works “lots 

of hours,” but she receives a salary and is paid to do more than agricultural worker. She said she 

was “just going to throw in a number.” She multiplied $20 by 16 hours. When asked how she 

determined $20 an hour, she said she calculated a wage rate based on her annual salary, which 

came out to $40.86/hour. She then divided that number in half and then added that she just did it 

“off the top of my head.” She said, “There’s no manual for that.” She said in reality, she doesn’t 

work 40 hours a week. She works more like 60 or 70 hours a week and jokingly said, “Really 

I’m making $5 an hour.”

A different respondent simply wrote in a wage rate for his employee ($12/hour). He said that he 

pays his worker $1,000 a month (the length of his pay period). However, he also provides

housing, gas, vehicles, meals, hay for his cattle, and allows the worker to keep his calves on his 

property. If he includes these benefits, he estimates that his worker earns about $12 an hour. 

Two other respondents also provided similar benefits to their employees. One allows employees 

to take any food they need from the farm stand each day, but he said he would not know how to 

include this in wages. Another respondent also provided food and gas to his employees, but it 

was not in lieu of wages, so he did not think he needed to report it. He said that he could estimate 

it at about $100 per worker per week, but he does not think he would make the effort to include 

this, even if he should. 

Finally, one respondent does not pay overtime wages, but his employees work 70 hours a week. 

As he was filling out the form, he became concerned that he would get in trouble if he did not 

make it seem like he paid them overtime wages. When answering this question, he said, “To get 

a more honest response, you need something that talks about how this information will be used. 

So, you get an accurate answer.” He then said that he does not pay his workers overtime, but he 

pays them well. He said his workers want to work as many hours as they can. He then said, “I 

don’t know where this data will show up... given the culture and the environment we’re working 

in now, you’re going to get skewed numbers.” He then said he knew we had the confidentiality 

statement on the front of the form, but it still might be a good idea to remind respondents who 

has access to this information. He said this survey “might be dated because of everything going 

on, people are going to be hesitant to report their labor.” He then went back and separated his 

total hours up into base hours and overtime hours. “I’m going to tell you I pay overtime because 

I don’t want to get caught in a situation that shows I don’t.” He said if someone looked at his 
45

data there would “clearly be a problem with what I’m reporting and what I should be paying 

them. If you want accurate data, I’m telling you where it’s going to be skewed.” He then said,

“Now what I’m going to do is some math based on these numbers that mean nothing.” He then 

calculated out what the base and overtime wages would be based on the hourly rates and 

overtime rates. When he was done, he said, “To follow your rules and not get myself in obvious 

trouble, I just reported what I should be paying them. So, there are the numbers I’m going to give 

to you.” He never entered anything in the gross wages column but did enter base and overtime 

wages. 

The interviewer then explained how a lot of agriculture is exempt having to provide overtime 

pay. He said he did not know this and added, “Some farmers might know but others won’t, and 

your data is going to be skewed.” He said it might help to say in the instructions that agriculture 

is not required to pay overtime. This way people know that by not reporting it, they are not doing 

anything illegal.

Total Base Wages

Respondents who did not pay bonus or overtime wages indicated that their base wages would 

equal their gross wages. As mentioned above, one respondent misreported his base wages to 

make it appear as though he was paying overtime wages. 

Total Bonus Wages

Three respondents indicated that they do not provide bonuses. They entered zero or left this 

column blank. One respondent was not probed on bonuses. Two respondents indicated that they 

have holiday bonuses. Both said they would not report those in this question. One of these 

respondents said, “That’s an annual thing.” She said she did not see how that would apply to 

weekly wages. Neither of these respondents read the instructions for reporting bonus wages. 

However, one of them did read the instruction during probing and noted that it said to exclude 

end-of-season bonuses. These same two respondents also mentioned that bonuses could include 

extra pay given as an incentive to complete a task. Neither provided this to their employees. 

Similarly, when probed on bonus wages, another respondent, who did not report any, said bonus 

wages were incentives. “Total bonus wages we normally wouldn’t have unless we wanted to 

incentivize.” He said for example if a hurricane was coming and they needed to get the grapes 

off, they would want to work their employees faster and so they would tell them that they will 

pay them an extra 20 percent if they get the grapes off the vines before the hurricane hits. He said 

they would still pay them the normal hourly rate and then take 20 percent of the total paid to 

them for that pay period and add it on as a bonus. This would be paid to both the full- and parttime farmworkers. He said he would report this if that occurred during that pay period. 

He then described another type of bonus that he would also report if it was paid out during the 

reference period. He said once he knew he was going to sell his vineyard, he promised his two 

full-time employees that if they stayed on with him until it was sold, he would pay them a bonus 

in their last pay check. He described this as an “incentive” to get them to stay on. He said it took 

him two to three years to sell his vineyard. He ended up paying these employees around $10,000 
46

a piece for staying on. He said he would report it because it went through his payroll and he paid 

taxes on it. This respondent skimmed the instructions before beginning the questionnaire. During 

probing, he read the bonus wage definition again, and he said he would still report the 

incentivized bonus but not the bonus paid to workers who stayed on until he sold the farm. 

Total Overtime Wages

Respondents understood overtime wages to be time and a half. Respondents who paid overtime 

provided overtime wages for hours worked beyond 40 hours in a week. Three respondents 

reported paying overtime. One did not pay overtime during the reference period. One respondent 

estimated that he paid each employee overtime wages for 10 hours of work during the pay 

period. The other respondent did not answer the wage questions during the interview, but he 

indicated he could pull this number out of QuickBooks. 

As mentioned above, one respondent indicated that he paid overtime wages when he did not in 

order to avoid getting in trouble with “the authorities.” 

Respondents, who did not pay overtime wages, either entered zero or left the question blank. 

3.3.9 Section 3, Question 1 – Peak Number

Only four respondents were probed on this question. These respondents considered the same 

types of agricultural workers as they had in the previous section and reported the largest number 

of workers that were working on any one day. One respondent, who had included contract labor 

in the previous section, also included contract labor in his response to this question. Another 

respondent accidentally answered “5.” She saw her mistake during probing and changed her 

answer to “6.” She did not know what she misreported. 

3.3.10 Section 3, Question 2 - H-2A Workers

Two respondents indicated that they hire H-2A workers and they were included in their 

responses because they pay them directly. 

One respondent did not answer this question. During probing, he said he did not answer this 

question because he does not know the status of workers hired through a contractor. He said, “I 

could just say no that way it’s easier for me to just say no, but I don’t know what the status of 

those other people he brings in.” He also said, “I would doubt many farmers would know what it 

is. I know it’s a work visa kind of thing.” 

Two respondents were not familiar with the H-2A program. When answering this question, one 

respondent went back to the instructions to look for a definition of H-2A workers. She said, “I’m 

trying to find out what H-2A workers are. I missed that somewhere.” Her husband then pointed 

out the definition below the question. After reading the definition, she confirmed that they did 

not hire any of these types of workers. The other respondent, who was not familiar with this 

program, incorrectly answered yes to this question because one of his workers is a migrant 

worker who travels back to Mexico at least once a year; however, this person is not in the H-2A 

program. 
47

One respondent was not probed on this question.

3.3.11 Other Comments

Three respondents in this round of testing commented on the item codes in the response spaces. 

Two respondents first noticed the item codes when answering the question about the number of 

workers on the payroll (Question 3 on Version 1 and Question 2 on Version 2). When answering 

this question, one respondent asked why the number “660” was in the answer space and then 

indicated that he only has eight workers. Another respondent, who also first noticed this item 

code, stopped when filling out the worker table and asked, “These are like cells in an excel 

database? Is that something you’ll have on the final form? (Pointing to the item codes) These just 

confuse me because I wouldn’t use these for anything.” The interviewer then explained what 

they were used for and he said he first noticed them in Question 3 and was wondering what the 

“660” was. He said he would put them in the lower left-hand corner of the response space and 

make them “almost invisible.” A third respondent also asked what the items codes were when 

looking at the worker table during probing. She said, “I don’t know what all this means (pointing 

to the item codes).”

Some respondents in this round commented that this survey is difficult to fill out. Respondents 

appeared to have the most difficulty with the worker table. Before filling it out, one respondent 

stopped and asked, “I gotta fill all that out?” He said it was difficult for him to report this 

information since he only has one employee and does not have a regular payroll. Another 

respondent discussed the amount of time he typically spends to query his payroll database before 

responding to this survey. He said, “I usually fill out surveys when I get them if I can answer 

them off the top of my head. Anytime I need to go find data, this sits on my desk for the next six

months.” He said he thinks if NASS surveys were easier to answer and asked more general 

questions, people would be more apt to fill them out. He said to answer the labor survey, he 

needs to go to his wife and she needs to look the information up in QuickBooks and her check 

registers. He said pulling the data out of QuickBooks, “that’s 45 minutes to an hour worth of 

work and that has nothing to do with the farmer. It’s back office stuff.” He added, “To the extent 

you can have it just come out of their head, it will be a better product.”

As mentioned above, one respondent commented that she would not fill this survey out. “If I 

received this, I wouldn’t fill this out. It’s absurd. I find it complicated. We have a fairly simple 

operation. I mean how is it used?” Another respondent also asked how the data from the survey 

would be used. While filling out the worker table he said, “What I don’t see here is what is this 

used for? I know I need to do it.” He said the purpose of the survey needs to be stated at the top 

of the survey. He suggested adding a title like “report on pay period payroll” at the top of the 

survey. The interviewer pointed out the title of the survey on the front page. He then said that the 

purpose needs to be stated somewhere. He said, “It hasn’t told me what is this, what it is. What is 

it designed to do?” He then suggested adding the purpose to the instructions page. The 

interviewer told him the purpose is usually conveyed in the cover letter that is mailed with the 

survey, and he said it would be helpful to have it on the survey because he’s not going to read the 

cover letter.
48

4. FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the results from the three rounds of testing, we recommend the following:

1. A mockup of our recommended questionnaire can be found in Appendix H. We 

recommend using the same wording and formatting to the extent possible.

Resolution: See resolutions below. 

2. Include instructions at the front of the questionnaire using the wording and formatting in 

the recommended questionnaire (Appendix H). 

Resolution: Denied. The Labor Team decided to place the instructions in an insert 

instead of placing the instructions at the front of the questionnaire. Additionally, the 

instructions in Sections 1, 2, and 3 may be modified to reflect the instructions in the 

insert. 

3. Change the reference period to the pay period that included the 12th of the month.

Resolution: Denied. The Labor Team decided to not change the reference period.

4. Change the section headers for Sections 1 and 2 to: Pay Period that Included [insert 

month] 12, [insert year]

Resolution: Denied. The Labor Team did not accept this change because the 

reference period is not changing. 

5. Change the section header for Section 3 to: Agricultural Workers on the Payroll in [insert 

year]

Resolution: Accepted

6. In Sections 1 and 2, change wording of the first question to: Did this operation have 

agricultural workers on the payroll during the pay period that included [Insert month] 12, 

[Insert year]?

Resolution: The Labor Team decided to make no changes to the reference period. 

The team decided to accepted recommendation to the change in question wording,

with the exception of the reference period. Question will change to: Did this 

operation have agricultural workers on the payroll during the week of [insert 

reference week]? The team also decided not to have any include or exclude 

statements with this question.

7. In Sections 1 and 2, change wording of the second question to: How many agricultural 

workers did you have on the payroll during your pay period that included [insert month] 

12, [insert year]?
49

Resolution: The Labor team decided to accept the recommendation to the change in 

question wording, with the exception of the reference period. Change question to: 

How many agricultural workers did you have on the payroll during the week of 

[insert reference period]?

8. In Sections 1 and 2, change the wording of the third question to: “In the table below, 

report agricultural workers on the payroll during your pay period that included [insert 

month] 12, [insert year].” Do not let text wrap. Add space between this instruction and 

the first bullet. 

Resolution: The Labor Team decided to make no changes to the reference period. 

The team agreed to change the wording of the question, with the exception of the 

change in reference period. Change wording to: In the table below, report 

agricultural workers on the payroll during the week of [Insert reference period]. 

The team also accepted the change in spacing. 

9. In Sections 1 and 2, in the third question, use the following text for the bulleted 

instructions. Add a space between the bullets and the worker table. 

• Report workers who fall under the same worker code on a single line

• Report the total hours and wages paid to the group of workers during your 

pay period 

• Record each worker only once

Resolution: Accepted. Also, add “see instruction sheet for more information.”

10. Add columns for total base hours and total overtime hours to the worker table. 

Resolution: Accepted

11. If a question regarding the length of the pay period is necessary for publication, add it to 

Sections 1 and 2 as worded: What was the length of your pay period that included [insert 

month] 12, [insert year]?

Resolution: Denied. This is not necessary since the reference period is not changing. 

12. If a question regarding the length of the pay period is added and the no other questions 

are removed from these sections of the form, this question should follow the worker table 

to ensure maximum usability. 

Resolution: Denied. This is not necessary since the reference period is not changing. 

13. Place the 150-day question after the pay period question and word as follows: In 2019, 

how many of the agricultural workers reported above will be paid by this operation for 

150 days or more of work.

Resolution: Wording accepted, placement denied. This question will remain where it 
50

was in 2019 and the wording will change to “In 2019, how many of the agricultural 

workers on the payroll that week will be paid by this operation for 150 days or more 

of work?”

14. In the worker codes, change the heading “Field Workers” to “Crop, Nursery, and 

Greenhouse Workers.” Change the category name for worker code 15 to “All Other 

Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse Workers.”

Resolution: Accepted

15. Edit the Farmworkers – Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse Workers description to reduce the 

amount of text. Change to: Use hand tools to manually plant, cultivate, and harvest 

vegetables, fruits, nuts, horticultural specialties, field crops, Christmas trees and short 

rotation woody crops. Duties may include tilling soil and applying fertilizers; 

transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides; or cleaning, 

grading, sorting, packing, and loading harvested products. May construct trellises, repair 

fences and farm buildings, or participate in irrigation activities.

Resolution: Accepted

16. Add “specify type of other <type> workers” to codes 15, 24, and 44 in the worker code 

table.

Resolution: Accepted for paper questionnaire only. This will not be keyed or 

captured, but only available in the questionnaire FEITH images. 

17. In the worker code table, code 44, add a hard return after the first sentence to make the 

excludes more obvious. 

Resolution: Accepted

18. Consider adding grading and sorting to Livestock Farmworker category description.

Resolution: Accepted. This will be added to the end of the second sentence to read 

“Duties may include feeding, watering, herding, milking, grazing, castrating, 

branding, debeaking, weighing, catching, and loading animals, and grading and 

sorting animal products.”

19. In Section 3, change the wording of Question 1 (peak number) to: During 2019, what was 

or will be the largest number of agricultural workers on the payroll on any one day?

Resolution: Accepted

20. In Section 3, Question 1 (peak number), remove include and exclude statements. 

Resolution: Accepted
51

21. Make page numbers large and centered at the top of the page to increase visibility.

Resolution: Will do if possible in Questionnaire Designer. 

22. Office use boxes should be removed, combined, and font size reduced as much as 

possible. 

Resolution: Denied. This recommendation will be put through the spec process 

because it affects more than just the labor survey.

23. Item codes should be made small and removed from the response boxes to the extent 

possible. 

Resolution: Denied. This recommendation will be put through the spec process 

because it affects more than just the labor survey.

5. REFERENCES

Ridolfo, H. and Ott, K. (2020), Cognitive Testing of the 2018 April Agricultural Labor Survey. 

Washington, DC: National Agricultural Statistics Service. 

Ridolfo, H. and Ott, K. (2021), 2019 Agricultural Labor Base and Overtime Hours Cognitive 

Testing Report. Washington, DC: National Agricultural Statistics Service. 

Strauss, A. C., and Corbin, J. (1990), Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory

Procedures and Techniques, Newbury Park: Sage Publications. 
52

APPENDIX A. Round 1 Questionnaire
AGRICULTURAL LABOR SURVEY – April 2019

OMB No. 0535-0109

Approval Expires: 3/31/2021 

Project Code: 956

SurveyId: 4012

USDA/NASS

United States 

Department of 

Agriculture

NATIONAL 

AGRICULTURAL 

STATISTICS 

SERVICE

National Operations Division 

9700 Page Avenue, Suite 400 

St. Louis, MO 63132-1547 

Phone: 1-888-424-7828

Fax: 1-855-415-3687

E-mail: nass@nass.usda.gov

Please make corrections to name, address and ZIP Code, ifnecessary.

The information you provide will be used for statistical purposes only. Your responses will be kept confidential and any person who willfully discloses ANY 

identifiable information about you or your operation is subject to a jail term, a fine, or both. This survey is conducted in accordance with the Confidential 

Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws. For more information on how we protect your 

information please visit: https://www.nass.usda.gov/confidentiality. Response to this survey is voluntary.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of 

information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number is 0535-0109. The time required to complete this information 

collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and 

maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

State POID Tract Subtr.

1. [Verify name and mailing address of this operation. Make any corrections 

necessary (including the correct operation name) on the label andcontinue.]

2. Since June 1, 2018 have you or will you (name on label)--

a. grow any crops or cut hay?

☐ [Check if name label verified]

[INCLUDE grains, row crops, oilseeds, fruits, nuts, vegetables (including strawberries and melon crops), nursery 

and greenhouse, Christmas trees, and other specialty crops.]

1 ☐ Yes [Go topage 2] 3 ☐ No [Continue]

b. own or raise any livestock, poultry, bees or aquaculture?

[INCLUDE livestock and poultry owned, and any being raised under contract for someone else.]

1 ☐ Yes [Go to page 2] 3 ☐ No [Continue]

c. sell any agricultural products?

1 ☐ Yes [Go to page 2] 3 ☐ No [Continue]

d. receive government agricultural payments?

[EXCLUDE government payments received as a landlord.]

1 ☐ Yes [Go to page 2] 3 ☐ No [Continue]

e. have more than 19 acres of idle cropland or more than 99 acres of pastureland?

1 ☐ Yes [Go to page 2] 3 ☐ No [Go to page 12]

2019 Test Instrument
2

 Agricultural workers are workers directly hired and paid by the farm operation to perform work on a farm or ranch in 

connection with the production of agricultural products. 

 Include part-time workers, paid family members, hired managers, and workers on paid leave.

 Do not include workers hired through a contractor, custom workers (workers hired to use their machines to perform a 

service on the farm e.g., combining, fertilizing), retail workers, or value added workers (workers who materially alter the 

form of the product produced e.g., winery, dairy manufacturing plant workers).

 Report workers under the worker code in which they are working, not under the worker code for which they have been 

trained.

 Report each worker only once under the worker code that requires the highest level of skill if the worker performs work in 

two or more codes. If there is no measurable difference in skill requirements, report workers under the worker code in 

which they spend the most time.

TOTAL HOURS

Total hours are the sum of base and overtime hours worked. 

BASE HOURS

Base hours are hours worked at the employee’s regular rate of pay. For salaried employees, report the standard amount of hours 

worked on your operation. 

OVERTIME HOURS

Overtime hours are hours worked that are paid at an amount above the employee’s regular rate of pay.

GROSS WAGES

Gross wages are the total amount paid to workers before taxes and other deductions. Include the worker’s share of social security

and unemployment insurance, but exclude the employers’ share. Include in-kind payments (e.g., agricultural product like a side of 

beef, bushels of grain, etc.) provided in lieu of wages for work done. In-kind payments do not include benefits such as housing, 

meals or insurance. 

BASE WAGES

Base wages are the minimum amount paid and do not include bonuses, overtime pay, commissions. For employees on an 

incentive system, base wages are the minimum amount guaranteed. Include in-kind payments.

BONUS WAGES

Bonus wages are wages paid in addition to the base wages. These include performance pay (piece rate pay beyond base wage), 

hazard pay, and bonuses that are paid each pay period. Commissions should also be reported under bonus wages. Do not 

include end of the season bonuses. 

OVERTIME WAGES

Overtime wages are the wages paid for the overtime hours.

Instructions for Reporting Hours

Instructions for Reporting Wages

Instructions for Reporting Agricultural Workers
3

PIECE RATE PAY EXAMPLE

Sixty apple pickers worked 50 hours each during the pay period on piece rate pay, and they were guaranteed $12 per hour plus 

additional wages based on piece. They would be reported under worker code 12. Total hours and base hours would both be

3,000. They were paid $48,000 total gross wages based on the amount they picked. Base wages would be reported as $36,000

and bonus wages would be reported as $12,000.

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

12 60 3,000 3,000 0 $48,000 $36,000 $12,000 0

OVERTIME PAY EXAMPLE

Ten apple packers worked 50 hours each, 10 of which were overtime hours. Each were paid $10 an hour for the first 40 hours 

and time and a half ($15) for the 10 overtime hours. They would be reported under worker code 14. Total hours would be 500. 

Base hours would be 400. Overtime hours would be 100. The total gross wages paid would be $5,500. The base wages would be 

$4,000. Bonus wages would be zero. Overtime wages would be $1,500. 

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

14 10 500 400 100 $5,500 $4,000 0 $1,500

Examples:
4

Section 1 - PAID WORKERS for April 2019

1. Did this operation have agricultural workers on the payroll during the pay period that included April 12, 2019? 

600

1 ☐ Yes [Continue]

3 ☐ No [Go to page 6]

2 ☐ Don't Know [Go to page 6]

2. How many workers did you have on payroll to do agricultural work during the pay period that 

included April 12, 2019?...........................................................................................................

3. Fill out the table below for the workers paid to do agricultural work during the pay period that includes April 12, 

2019. 

 Report workers who fall under the same worker code on a single line

 Report the total hours and wages paid to the group of workers during the pay period 

 Record each worker only once

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

4. What is the length of the pay period that included April 12th? 

3☐ One Week 4☐ Two Weeks 5☐ Half Month 6☐ One Month

5. In 2019, how many of these total paid workers will be paid by this operation for 150 days or more

 of work?.............................................................................................................................................

Office Use Only Use – Completion Code - Usability 1 – Incomplete, Has Labor 2 – Incomplete, Unknown 3 – No Labor 698

660

TOTAL NUMBER

700

NUMBER OF 

WORKERS
5

Worker Code for Sections 1 and 2

Code Work Hired to Do

FIELD WORKERS

11 Agricultural Equipment Operators - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse:

Drive and control farm equipment to till soil and to plant, cultivate, and harvest crops.

12

Farmworkers - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse:

Manually plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables, fruits, nuts, horticultural specialties, field crops, Christmas trees and short rotation woody crops. 

Use hand tools, such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears, and knives. Duties may include tilling soil and applying fertilizers; 

transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides; or cleaning, grading, sorting, packing, and loading harvested products.May 

construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in irrigation activities.

13 Graders And Sorters - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse Products:

Grade, sort, or classify agricultural crops by size, weight, color or condition.

14 Hand Packers And Packagers - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse Products:

Pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials.

15 All Other Field Workers:

All agricultural workers working with crops, nursery or greenhouse products not included in codes 11-14.

LIVESTOCK WORKERS

20 Agricultural Equipment Operators – Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals: Drive and control heavy farm equipment while 

attending to live farm, ranch, or aquacultural animals and in harvest of unprocessed animal products.

21

Farmworkers - Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals: Attend to live farm, ranch, or aquacultural animals including cattle, sheep, 

swine, goats, horses and other equines, poultry, finfish, shellfish, and bees. Duties may include feeding, watering, herding, milking, grazing, 

castrating, branding, de-beaking, weighing, catching, and loading animals. May conduct simple exams; maintain records; assist in births; and 

administer medications, vaccinations, or insecticides. May clean and maintain animal housing areas.

22 Graders And Sorters - Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animal Products:

Grade, sort, or classify unprocessed food and other agricultural products by size, weight, color, or condition.

23 Hand Packers And Packagers - Farm, Ranch and Aquacultural Animal Products:

Pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials.

24 All Other Livestock Workers:

All agricultural workers working with farm, ranch and aquacultural animals or products not included in codes 20 – 23.

SUPERVISORS

31

Farmers, Ranchers and Other Agricultural Managers:

Plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of farms, ranches, greenhouses, aquacultural operations, nurseries, tree farms, or other 

agricultural establishments.

32 First-Line Supervisors of Farm Workers:

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of agricultural, aquacultural, and related workers.

OTHER WORKERS

41

Agricultural Inspectors:

Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment and facilities, and aquacultural operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and 

laws governing health, quality, and safety.

42 Animal Breeders:

Select and breed animals according to their genealogy, characteristics, and offspring.

43

Pesticide Handlers and Sprayers:

Mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors, soil incorporation, or chemical application to all crops 

including nursery and greenhouse products and facilities, and livestock, and livestock facilities. Usually requires specific training and state or 

federal certification. Excludes pilots who dust or spray crops from aircraft.

44

Any Other Worker Not Listed Above:

Including, but not limited to, mechanics, shop workers, truck drivers, accountants, bookkeepers, office workers. Excluding contract & custom 

workers, retail workers, and “value-added” workers.
6

Section 2 - PAID WORKERS for January 2019

1. Did this operation have agricultural workers on the payroll during the pay period that included January 12, 2019? 

600

1 ☐ Yes [Continue]

3 ☐ No [Go to page 7]

2 ☐ Don't Know [Go to page 7]

2. How many workers did you have on payroll to do agricultural work during the pay period that 

included January 12, 2019?...........................................................................................................

3. Fill out the table below for the workers paid to do agricultural work during the pay period that includes January 12, 

2019. 

 Report workers who fall under the same worker code on a single line

 Report the total hours and wages paid to the group of workers during the pay period 

 Record each worker only once

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

4. What is the length of the pay period that included January 12th? 

3☐ One Week 4☐ Two Weeks 5☐ Half Month 6☐ One Month

5. In 2019, how many of these total paid workers will be paid by this operation for 150 days or more

 of work?.............................................................................................................................................

Office Use Only Use – Completion Code - Usability 1 – Incomplete, Has Labor 2 – Incomplete, Unknown 3 – No Labor 698

660

TOTAL NUMBER

700

NUMBER OF 

WORKERS
7

Section 3 - PAID WORKERS in 2019

1. During 2019, what was or will be the largest number of hired workers on the payroll on any one day?

INCLUDE:

 Workers directly hired and paid by the farm operation

 Part-time workers, paid family members, and hired managers

 Workers on paid leave (sick or vacation)

EXCLUDE:

 Contract and custom workers

 Retail workers and "value-added" workers......................................................... 278

None

3 ☐

2. During 2019, did or will this operation have any H-2A temporary agricultural workers on the payroll?

The H-2A program allows agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring non 

immigrant foreign workers to the U.S. to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature.

279

1 ☐ Yes

3 ☐ No

2 ☐ Don't Know

277

Largest Number of 

Workers in 2019
8

Section 4 - VALUE of SALES

1. Please classify this operation in terms of total gross value ofsales 

(Be sure sales represent only 2018 and earlier years’production.)

Considering: Sales of all crops, livestock, poultry, and livestock products (milk, eggs, etc.) sold in 2018.

 The value of product removed for all crops, livestock, and poultry produced under contract in 2018.

 Sales of all miscellaneous agricultural products in 2018.

 All government agricultural payments received in 2018.

 Landlord’s share of government payments and crops sold in 2018.

a. What code represents total gross value of sales, including government agricultural payments?

Total Value GVS Code

'None' during 201.................................... 99 ☐

$ 1 ----- $ 999 ..... 1 ☐

$ 1,000 ----- $ 2,499 ..... 2 ☐

$ 2,500 ----- $ 4,999 ..... 3 ☐

$ 5,000 ----- $ 9,999 ..... 4 ☐ GVS Code

$ 10,000 ----- $ 24,999 ..... 5 ☐ 550

$ 25,000 ----- $ 49,999 ..... 6 ☐

$ 50,000 ---- -$ 99,999 ..... 7 ☐

$ 100,000 ----- $ 249,999 ..... 8 ☐

$ 250,000 ----- $ 499,999 ..... 9 ☐

$ 500,000 ----- $ 999,999 ..... 10 ☐

$ 1,000,000 ----- $ 2,499,999 ..... 11 ☐

$ 2,500,000 ----- $ 4,999,999 ..... 12 ☐

$ 5,000,000 and over .............

13 ☐

b. Does the GVS (gross value of sales) Code in Code Box 550 equal to '1' or '99'?

☐ Yes - (Continue) ☐ No - (Go to page 9, Item 2.)

c. Record all 2018 crops, land uses, and livestock or poultry now on the total acres operated, then go to page 10, Item 2.

Land Use

Field Crops Intended For 

Harvest Other Crops ACRES

CRP/WRP .......................................... ... Cut Christmas Trees

Idle Cropland ..................................... ... .. .

Summer Fallow ................................. ... ...

........................... ... ...

Livestock NUMBER

Government Payments

WHOLE 

DOLLARS Fruits/Nuts ACRES Cattle – Dairy................

CRP/WRP Payments ........................... ... Cattle – Other................

Other Gov’t Payments .......................... ... Chickens.......................

... Hogs..............................

Pasture/Rangeland ... Horses...........................

ACRES ... Mules/Burros ..................

Cropland Used Only For Pasture ...

Permanent Pasture ....................... Vegetables/Melons ACRES ...

Woodland Pasture ......................... ... ...

... ...

Aquaculture NUMBER ... Office Use

Acres of Ponds in Use ..................... TOTAL POINTS

Foodsize/Stockers ............................ Berries ACRES 552

Fingerlings/Broodfish ....................... ... PASTURE POINTS

Trout Eggs .......................................... ... 554

ACRES ACRES
10

Section 4 - VALUE of SALES (continued)

2. Of the farm or ranch income reported, which of these categories represents the largest portion of the gross income 

from this operation?

Code

1 – Grains, Oilseeds, Dry Beans, and Dry Peas .........................................................

(corn, flaxseed, grain silage and forage, grains and oilseeds, popcorn, rice, 1 ☐

small grains, sorghum, soybeans, sunflowers, straw, etc.)

2 – Tobacco ................................................................................................................... 2 ☐

3 – Cotton and Cottonseed .......................................................................................... 3 ☐

4 – Vegetables, Melons, Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes .............................................

(beets, cabbage, cantaloupes, pumpkins, sweet corn, 4 ☐

tomatoes, watermelons, vegetable seeds, etc.)

5 – Fruit, Tree Nuts and Berries ..................................................................................

(almonds, apples, blueberries, cherries, grapes, hazelnuts, kiwifruit, 5 ☐

oranges, pears, pecans, strawberries, walnuts, etc.)

6 – Nursery, Greenhouse, Floriculture and Sod .........................................................

(bedding plants, bulbs, cut flowers, flower seeds, foliage plants, 6 ☐

mushrooms, nursery potted plants, shrubbery, sod, etc.)

7 – Cut Christmas Trees and Short Rotation Woody Crops ..................................... 7 ☐

8 – Other Crops and Hay, CRP and Pasture ...............................................................

(grass seed, hay and grass silage, hops, maple syrup, mint, 8 ☐

peanuts, sugarcane, sugarbeets, CRP, etc.)

9 – Hogs and Pigs ......................................................................................................... 9 ☐

10 – Milk and Other Dairy Products from Cows ............................................................ 10 ☐

11 – Cattle and Calves ....................................................................................................

(beef and dairy cattle for breeding stock, fed cattle, beef and dairy cull animals, 

stockers and feeders, veal calves, etc.)

11 ☐

12 – Sheep, Goats, and their Products ............................................................................12 (wool, mohair, milk and cheese)

13 – Horses, Ponies, and Mules ....................................................................................

(burros and donkeys)

14 – Poultry and Eggs ....................................................................................................

(broilers, chickens, turkeys, ducks, eggs, emus, geese, hatchlings, 

ostriches, pigeons, pheasants, quail, poultry products, etc.)

13 ☐

14 ☐

15 – Aquaculture ................................................................................................................15 (catfish, trout, ornamental and other fish, mollusks, crustaceans, etc.)

16 – Other Animals and Other Animal Products ..........................................................

(honey bees, honey, rabbits, fur-bearing animals, semen, manure, 

other animal specialties, etc.)

16 ☐

551

Farm Type 

Code

☐

☐
11

Section 5 - Operators

1. Are the day-to-day decisions for this operation made by oneindividual, 

a hired manager, or partners? [Check one]

☐ One individual - [Go to Section 6 on page 10.]

☐ A hired manager - [Go to Section 6 on page 10.]

☐ Partners – [Continue]

How many individuals are involved in the day-to-day decisions of this operation? 

(Enter the number of partners.) ......................................................................................

Include the partner named on the label. Partners jointly operate land and share in decision making. Do not include 

landlords and tenants as partners.

2. Please identify the other person(s) in this partnership, then go to Section 1, page 5.

[Verify partners' names and make necessary corrections if names have already been entered.]

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9922

Ind. Op.

9924

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9923

Ind. Op.

9924

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9927

Ind. Op.

9924

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9928

Ind. Op.

9924

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Number

For Office Use Only

R. Unit

9921

June 1

9930

Subst

9941
12

Section 6 - CHANGE in OPERATOR

Complete this section only if you answered “NO” for all questions in item 2 on the face page.

1. Has the operation named on the label been sold, rented, or turned over to someone else?

☐ Yes - (Go to item 2) ☐ No - (Go to a.)

2. Please provide the following information for the operation that has taken over the land:

Operation Name: 

Operator Name: 

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Phone: ( ) -

3. Was this new operation, reported in item 2, in business before June 1, 2018?

☐ Yes - [Go to page 12.] ☐ No - [Continue.]

4. Is this new operation managed?

☐ Yes - [Go to page 12.] ☐ No - [Continue.]

5. Were any individuals associated with the new operation, reported in item 2 above, operating land 

individually before June 1, 2018?

☐ Yes - [Go to page 12.] ☐ No - [Go to page 12.]

(Regardless of answer to above, write a note to explain 

the situation, then go to page 12.)

☐ Yes ☐ Don't Know ☐ No

a. Will the land be used for any agricultural purpose by 

you (the operator), or anyone else in the next year? 

(INCLUDE growing crops or raising livestock.)
13

Section 7 - CONCLUSION

1. Do you (the operator named on the label) make any day-to-day decisions for another farm orranch?

☐ Yes - Continue ☐ No - Go to Item 3

a. What is the name of the other operation(s)? .....

[ENUMERATOR NOTE: IF ADDITIONAL OPERATION IS INDIVIDUAL OR PARTNERSHIP, answer item 2

below and complete a separate questionnaire for the additional operation.]

2. Was this additional operation in business before June 1, 2018?

☐ Yes - Continue ☐ No - Continue

Comments:

3. Survey Results: To receive the complete results of this survey on the release date go to

www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Guide_to_NASS_Surveys/

To have a brief summary emailed to you at a 

later date, please enter your email address.

Would you rather have a brief summary mailed to you at a later date? 1 ☐ Yes 3 ☐ No

Respondent Name:

9911

Phone:

9910

Date:

MM DD YY

Thank you for your help

OFFICE USE ONLY

Response Respondent Mode Enum. Eval. Change Office Use for POID

1-Comp 

2-R

3-Inac

4-Office Hold 

5-R – Est

6-Inac – Est

7-Off Hold – Est

9901 1-Op/Mgr 

2-Sp

3-Acct/Bkpr 

4-Partner

9-Oth

9902 1-PASI (Mail)

2-PATI (Tel)

3-PAPI (Faceto-Face) 

6-e-mail

7-Fax 

19-Other

9903 9998 9900 9985 9989

 - - 

Optional Use

9907 9908 9906 9916

S/E Name

Operation Name: 

Address:

City: State: ZIP: 

Phone: ( ) 

9990

1095
65

APPENDIX B. Round 1 Cognitive Interview Guide

2019 Ag Labor Cognitive Testing

The purpose of this testing is to test proposed changes to the Agricultural Labor Survey in 2019. The 

proposed changes include:

• Change the reference period from a reference week to the pay period that includes the 12th of 

the month

• Replacing the language “work hired to do” with “Report each worker only once under the 

worker code that requires the highest level of skill if the worker performs work in two or more 

codes. If there is no measurable difference in skill requirements, report workers under the 

worker code in which they spend the most time.”

• Clarify that bonuses should only include bonuses that are paid each pay period

• Add clarification for commissions and in-kind payments

• Reformatting the questionnaire to include an instruction sheet

• Ease and accuracy of reporting of base hours and overtime hours

• Addition of new pay period question

A maximum of 30 cognitive interviews will be completed across three rounds of testing. Two rounds will 

be completed in person and one round will be completed via webex. Respondents who pay overtime or 

piece rate will be oversampled for the interviews. 

Respondents will complete the paper questionnaire on their own (sections 1 and 3). Retrospective 

probes will then be used to understand the respondents’ response process. 
66

Demographics

Interviewer’s Name 

POID

PID 

State 

Date of Interview 

Type of Farm 

Gender of Respondent 

Age of Respondent (18-29, 30-44, 45-59, 

60+)

 

Number of hired workers reported (and 

number on list frame)

 

Types of pay (overtime, incentive, piece, 

bonus, etc.)

 

Other Information 

Instruction Sheet: 

Did respondents read the instruction sheet before beginning section 1? Did respondents refer back to 

the instruction sheet at any time while filling out the questionnaire? 
67

Section 1: (Probe generally on each question in Section 1)

Pay Period: 

For all questions in Section 1, do respondents understand to report for the full pay period that includes 

the 12th? For those who pay monthly, did they have any issues if their payroll period is not yet complete 

(when the survey would typically be mailed out)?

Worker Types:

What type of workers do they report in Section 1? Do they adhere to instructions? 

For workers that fit into multiple categories, did respondents follow the instructions? Did they report 

each worker only once? Did they report them in the category that requires the highest level of skill (if 

similar levels of skill, in the category that they spend the most time?

How do they pay their workers? Is it different by worker type (e.g., payroll, type of pay)?
68

Hours:

Do respondents report total, base, and overtime hours accurately? Do these questions cause any 

additional burden?

Wages: 

How did respondents report wages? In particular, those who pay piece rate, bonuses, commissions, or 

overtime, how did they report wages? For overtime wage, did they understand to report the total 

overtime wages? When are bonuses, commissions, etc. paid?

Do respondents pay in-kind (agricultural product like a side of beef, bushels of grain, etc), if so how are 

they reporting it? (Note: In-kind payments do not include benefits such as housing, meals or insurance.)
69

Pay Period Question:

Did respondents answer questions 4 and 5? Did they have any difficulty answering question 4 on pay 

period?

Consistency:

Did respondents adhere to the “instructions” for agricultural workers when completing each section? Or 

do they shift regarding which workers they are considering when answering? (e.g., do they adhere to 

instructions for all workers reported in section 1? Do they shift who they think about in sections 1, 2, 

and 3?)
70

APPENDIX C. Round 2 Questionnaire
AGRICULTURAL LABOR SURVEY – April 2019

OMB No. 0535-0109

Approval Expires: 3/31/2021 

Project Code: 956

SurveyId: 4012

USDA/NASS

United States 

Department of 

Agriculture

NATIONAL 

AGRICULTURAL 

STATISTICS 

SERVICE

National Operations Division 

9700 Page Avenue, Suite 400 

St. Louis, MO 63132-1547 

Phone: 1-888-424-7828

Fax: 1-855-415-3687

E-mail: nass@nass.usda.gov

Please make corrections to name, address and ZIP Code, ifnecessary.

The information you provide will be used for statistical purposes only. Your responses will be kept confidential and any person who willfully discloses ANY 

identifiable information about you or your operation is subject to a jail term, a fine, or both. This survey is conducted in accordance with the Confidential 

Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws. For more information on how we protect your 

information please visit: https://www.nass.usda.gov/confidentiality. Response to this survey is voluntary.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of 

information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number is 0535-0109. The time required to complete this information 

collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and 

maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

State POID Tract Subtr.

1. [Verify name and mailing address of this operation. Make any corrections 

necessary (including the correct operation name) on the label andcontinue.]

2. Since June 1, 2018 have you or will you (name on label)--

a. grow any crops or cut hay?

☐ [Check if name label verified]

[INCLUDE grains, row crops, oilseeds, fruits, nuts, vegetables (including strawberries and melon crops), nursery 

and greenhouse, Christmas trees, and other specialty crops.]

1 ☐ Yes [Go topage 2] 3 ☐ No [Continue]

b. own or raise any livestock, poultry, bees or aquaculture?

[INCLUDE livestock and poultry owned, and any being raised under contract for someone else.]

1 ☐ Yes [Go to page 2] 3 ☐ No [Continue]

c. sell any agricultural products?

1 ☐ Yes [Go to page 2] 3 ☐ No [Continue]

d. receive government agricultural payments?

[EXCLUDE government payments received as a landlord.]

1 ☐ Yes [Go to page 2] 3 ☐ No [Continue]

e. have more than 19 acres of idle cropland or more than 99 acres of pastureland?

1 ☐ Yes [Go to page 2] 3 ☐ No [Go to page 12]

2019 Test Instrument – V2
 Agricultural workers are workers directly hired and paid by the farm operation to perform work on a farm or ranch in 

connection with the production of agricultural products. 

 Include part-time workers, paid family members, hired managers, and workers on paid leave.

 Do not include workers hired through a contractor, custom workers (workers hired to use their machines to perform a 

service on the farm e.g., combining, fertilizing), retail workers, or value added workers (workers who materially alter the 

form of the product produced e.g., winery, dairy manufacturing plant workers).

 Report workers under the worker code (provided on page 5) in which they are working, not under the worker code for 

which they have been trained.

 Report each worker only once.

 If the worker performs work in two or more worker codes, report them under the worker code that requires the highest 

level of skill. If there is no measurable difference in skill requirements, report workers under the worker code in which they 

spend the most time.

 Report for your pay period. Pay periods can vary (monthly, biweekly, weekly, etc). For example, if your pay period is 

weekly, report all agricultural workers’ hours and wages for the week that includes the 12th of the month. 

 If your workers were not working on the 12th of the month, include workers, hours and wages for the other days in your 

pay period that included the 12th of the month. 

TOTAL HOURS

Total hours are the sum of base and overtime hours worked. 

BASE HOURS

Base hours are hours worked at the employee’s regular rate of pay. For salaried employees, report the standard amount of hours 

worked on your operation. 

OVERTIME HOURS

Overtime hours are hours worked that are paid at an amount above the employee’s regular rate of pay.

Instructions for Reporting Hours

Instructions for Reporting Agricultural Workers

Instructions for Reporting Pay Period

2
GROSS WAGES

Gross wages are the total amount paid to workers before taxes and other deductions. Include the worker’s share of social security

and unemployment insurance, but exclude the employer’s share. Include in-kind payments (e.g., agricultural product like a side of 

beef, bushels of grain, etc.) provided in lieu of wages for work done. In-kind payments do not include benefits such as housing, 

meals or insurance. 

BASE WAGES

Base wages are the minimum amount paid and do not include bonuses, overtime pay, commissions. For employees on an 

incentive system, base wages are the minimum amount guaranteed. Include in-kind payments.

BONUS WAGES

Bonus wages are wages paid in addition to the base wages. These include performance pay (piece rate pay beyond base wage), 

hazard pay, and bonuses that are paid each pay period. Commissions should also be reported under bonus wages. Do not 

include end of the season bonuses. 

OVERTIME WAGES

Overtime wages are the wages paid for the overtime hours.

PIECE RATE PAY EXAMPLE

Sixty apple pickers worked 50 hours each during the pay period on piece rate pay, and they were guaranteed $12 per hour plus 

additional wages based on piece. They would be reported under worker code 12. Total hours and base hours would both be 

3,000. They were paid $48,000 total gross wages based on the amount they picked. Base wages would be reported as $36,000

and bonus wages would be reported as $12,000.

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

12 60 3,000 3,000 0 $48,000 $36,000 $12,000 0

OVERTIME PAY EXAMPLE

Ten apple packers worked 50 hours each, 10 of which were overtime hours. Each were paid $10 an hour for the first 40 hours 

and time and a half ($15) for the 10 overtime hours. They would be reported under worker code 14. Total hours would be 500. 

Base hours would be 400. Overtime hours would be 100. The total gross wages paid would be $5,500. The base wages would be 

$4,000. Bonus wages would be zero. Overtime wages would be $1,500. 

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

14 10 500 400 100 $5,500 $4,000 0 $1,500

Instructions for Reporting Wages

Examples:

3
Section 1 - PAID WORKERS for April 2019

1. Did this operation have agricultural workers on the payroll during the pay period that included April 12, 2019? 

600

1 ☐ Yes [Continue]

3 ☐ No [Go to page 6]

2 ☐ Don't Know [Go to page 6]

2. How many agricultural workers did you have on the payroll during your pay period that included 

April 12, 2019?...........................................................................................................

3. Fill out the table below for the agricultural workers on your payroll during your pay period that includes April 12, 

2019. 

 Report workers who fall under the same worker code on a single line

 Report the total hours and wages paid to the group of workers during the pay period 

 Record each worker only once

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

4. What is the length of your pay period that included April 12th? 

3☐ One Week 4☐ Two Weeks 5☐ Half Month 6☐ One Month

5. In 2019, how many of the agricultural workers reported above will be paid by this operation for 

150 days or more of work?..............................................................................................

Office Use Only Use – Completion Code - Usability 1 – Incomplete, Has Labor 2 – Incomplete, Unknown 3 – No Labor 698

660

TOTAL NUMBER

700

NUMBER OF 

WORKERS

4
Worker Codes for Sections 1 and 2

Code

CROP, NURSERY, AND GREENHOUSE WORKERS

11 Agricultural Equipment Operators - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse:

Drive and control farm equipment to till soil and to plant, cultivate, and harvest crops.

12

Farmworkers - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse:

Use hand tools to manually plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables, fruits, nuts, horticultural specialties, field crops, Christmas trees and short 

rotation woody crops. Duties may include tilling soil and applying fertilizers; transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides; 

or cleaning, grading, sorting, packing, and loading harvested products.May construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in 

irrigation activities.

13 Graders And Sorters - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse Products:

Grade, sort, or classify agricultural crops by size, weight, color or condition.

14 Hand Packers And Packagers - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse Products:

Pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials.

15

All Other Field Workers:

All agricultural workers working with crops, nursery or greenhouse products not included in codes 11-14.

Specify type of other field workers: _______________________________________________

LIVESTOCK WORKERS

20 Agricultural Equipment Operators – Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals: Drive and control heavy farm equipment while 

attending to live farm, ranch, or aquacultural animals and in harvest of unprocessed animal products.

21

Farmworkers - Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals: Attend to live farm, ranch, or aquacultural animals including cattle, sheep, 

swine, goats, horses and other equines, poultry, finfish, shellfish, and bees. Duties may include feeding, watering, herding, milking, grazing, 

castrating, branding, de-beaking, weighing, catching, and loading animals. May conduct simple exams; maintain records; assist in births; and 

administer medications, vaccinations, or insecticides. May clean and maintain animal housing areas.

22 Graders And Sorters - Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animal Products:

Grade, sort, or classify unprocessed food and other agricultural products by size, weight, color, or condition.

23 Hand Packers And Packagers - Farm, Ranch and Aquacultural Animal Products:

Pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials.

24

All Other Livestock Workers:

All agricultural workers working with farm, ranch and aquacultural animals or products not included in codes 20 – 23.

Specify type of other livestock workers: _______________________________________________

SUPERVISORS

31

Farmers, Ranchers and Other Agricultural Managers:

Plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of farms, ranches, greenhouses, aquacultural operations, nurseries, tree farms, or other 

agricultural establishments.

32 First-Line Supervisors of Farm Workers:

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of agricultural, aquacultural, and related workers.

OTHER WORKERS

41

Agricultural Inspectors:

Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment and facilities, and aquacultural operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and 

laws governing health, quality, and safety.

42 Animal Breeders:

Select and breed animals according to their genealogy, characteristics, and offspring.

43

Pesticide Handlers and Sprayers:

Mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors, soil incorporation, or chemical application to all crops 

including nursery and greenhouse products and facilities, and livestock, and livestock facilities. Usually requires specific training and state or 

federal certification. Excludes pilots who dust or spray crops from aircraft.

44

Any Other Worker Not Listed Above:

Including, but not limited to, mechanics, shop workers, truck drivers, accountants, bookkeepers, office workers. Excluding contract & custom 

workers, retail workers, and “value-added” workers.

Specify type of other workers: _______________________________________________

5
Section 2 - PAID WORKERS for January 2019

1. Did this operation have agricultural workers on the payroll during the pay period that included January 12, 2019? 

600

1 ☐ Yes [Continue]

3 ☐ No [Go to page 7]

2 ☐ Don't Know [Go to page 7]

2. How many agricultural workers did you have on the payroll during your pay period that included 

January 12, 2019?...........................................................................................................

3. Fill out the table below for the agricultural workers on your payroll during your pay period that includes January 

12, 2019. 

 Report workers who fall under the same worker code on a single line

 Report the total hours and wages paid to the group of workers during the pay period 

 Record each worker only once

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 614 620 627 628

4. What is the length of your pay period that included January 12th? 

3☐ One Week 4☐ Two Weeks 5☐ Half Month 6☐ One Month

5. In 2019, how many of the agricultural workers reported above will be paid by this operation for 

150 days or more of work?...............................................................................

Office Use Only Use – Completion Code - Usability 1 – Incomplete, Has Labor 2 – Incomplete, Unknown 3 – No Labor 698

660

TOTAL NUMBER

700

NUMBER OF 

WORKERS

6
Section 3 - PAID WORKERS in 2019

1. During 2019, what was or will be the largest number of agricultural workers on the payroll on None

any one day?................................................................................................................................... 3☐

2. During 2019, did or will this operation have any H-2A temporary agricultural workers on the payroll?

The H-2A program allows agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring non 

immigrant foreign workers to the U.S. to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature.

279

1 ☐ Yes

3 ☐ No

2 ☐ Don't Know

277

Largest Number of 

Workers in 2019

7
Section 4 - VALUE of SALES

1. Please classify this operation in terms of total gross value ofsales 

(Be sure sales represent only 2018 and earlier years’production.)

Considering: Sales of all crops, livestock, poultry, and livestock products (milk, eggs, etc.) sold in 2018.

 The value of product removed for all crops, livestock, and poultry produced under contract in 2018.

 Sales of all miscellaneous agricultural products in 2018.

 All government agricultural payments received in 2018.

 Landlord’s share of government payments and crops sold in 2018.

a. What code represents total gross value of sales, including government agricultural payments?

Total Value GVS Code

'None' during 201.................................... 99 ☐

$ 1 ----- $ 999 ..... 1 ☐

$ 1,000 ----- $ 2,499 ..... 2 ☐

$ 2,500 ----- $ 4,999 ..... 3 ☐

$ 5,000 ----- $ 9,999 ..... 4 ☐ GVS Code

$ 10,000 ----- $ 24,999 ..... 5 ☐ 550

$ 25,000 ----- $ 49,999 ..... 6 ☐

$ 50,000 ---- -$ 99,999 ..... 7 ☐

$ 100,000 ----- $ 249,999 ..... 8 ☐

$ 250,000 ----- $ 499,999 ..... 9 ☐

$ 500,000 ----- $ 999,999 ..... 10 ☐

$ 1,000,000 ----- $ 2,499,999 ..... 11 ☐

$ 2,500,000 ----- $ 4,999,999 ..... 12 ☐

$ 5,000,000 and over .............

13 ☐

b. Does the GVS (gross value of sales) Code in Code Box 550 equal to '1' or '99'?

☐ Yes - (Continue) ☐ No - (Go to page 9, Item 2.)

c. Record all 2018 crops, land uses, and livestock or poultry now on the total acres operated, then go to page 10, Item 2.

Land Use

Field Crops Intended For 

Harvest Other Crops ACRES

CRP/WRP .......................................... ... Cut Christmas Trees

Idle Cropland ..................................... ... .. .

Summer Fallow ................................. ... ...

........................... ... ...

Livestock NUMBER

Government Payments

WHOLE 

DOLLARS Fruits/Nuts ACRES Cattle – Dairy................

CRP/WRP Payments ........................... ... Cattle – Other................

Other Gov’t Payments .......................... ... Chickens.......................

... Hogs..............................

Pasture/Rangeland ... Horses...........................

ACRES ... Mules/Burros ..................

Cropland Used Only For Pasture ...

Permanent Pasture ....................... Vegetables/Melons ACRES ...

Woodland Pasture ......................... ... ...

... ...

Aquaculture NUMBER ... Office Use

Acres of Ponds in Use ..................... TOTAL POINTS

Foodsize/Stockers ............................ Berries ACRES 552

Fingerlings/Broodfish ....................... ... PASTURE POINTS

Trout Eggs .......................................... ... 554

ACRES ACRES

8
Section 4 - VALUE of SALES (continued)

2. Of the farm or ranch income reported, which of these categories represents the largest portion of the gross income 

from this operation?

Code

1 – Grains, Oilseeds, Dry Beans, and Dry Peas .........................................................

(corn, flaxseed, grain silage and forage, grains and oilseeds, popcorn, rice, 1 ☐

small grains, sorghum, soybeans, sunflowers, straw, etc.)

2 – Tobacco ................................................................................................................... 2 ☐

3 – Cotton and Cottonseed .......................................................................................... 3 ☐

4 – Vegetables, Melons, Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes .............................................

(beets, cabbage, cantaloupes, pumpkins, sweet corn, 4 ☐

tomatoes, watermelons, vegetable seeds, etc.)

5 – Fruit, Tree Nuts and Berries ..................................................................................

(almonds, apples, blueberries, cherries, grapes, hazelnuts, kiwifruit, 5 ☐

oranges, pears, pecans, strawberries, walnuts, etc.)

6 – Nursery, Greenhouse, Floriculture and Sod .........................................................

(bedding plants, bulbs, cut flowers, flower seeds, foliage plants, 6 ☐

mushrooms, nursery potted plants, shrubbery, sod, etc.)

7 – Cut Christmas Trees and Short Rotation Woody Crops ..................................... 7 ☐

8 – Other Crops and Hay, CRP and Pasture ...............................................................

(grass seed, hay and grass silage, hops, maple syrup, mint, 8 ☐

peanuts, sugarcane, sugarbeets, CRP, etc.)

9 – Hogs and Pigs ......................................................................................................... 9 ☐

10 – Milk and Other Dairy Products from Cows ............................................................ 10 ☐

11 – Cattle and Calves ....................................................................................................

(beef and dairy cattle for breeding stock, fed cattle, beef and dairy cull animals, 

stockers and feeders, veal calves, etc.)

11 ☐

12 – Sheep, Goats, and their Products ............................................................................12 (wool, mohair, milk and cheese)

13 – Horses, Ponies, and Mules ....................................................................................

(burros and donkeys)

14 – Poultry and Eggs ....................................................................................................

(broilers, chickens, turkeys, ducks, eggs, emus, geese, hatchlings, 

ostriches, pigeons, pheasants, quail, poultry products, etc.)

13 ☐

14 ☐

15 – Aquaculture ................................................................................................................15 (catfish, trout, ornamental and other fish, mollusks, crustaceans, etc.)

16 – Other Animals and Other Animal Products ..........................................................

(honey bees, honey, rabbits, fur-bearing animals, semen, manure, 

other animal specialties, etc.)

16 ☐

551

Farm Type 

Code

☐

☐

9
Section 5 - Operators

1. Are the day-to-day decisions for this operation made by oneindividual, 

a hired manager, or partners? [Check one]

☐ One individual - [Go to Section 6 on page 10.]

☐ A hired manager - [Go to Section 6 on page 10.]

☐ Partners – [Continue]

How many individuals are involved in the day-to-day decisions of this operation? 

(Enter the number of partners.) ......................................................................................

Include the partner named on the label. Partners jointly operate land and share in decision making. Do not include 

landlords and tenants as partners.

2. Please identify the other person(s) in this partnership, then go to Section 1, page 5.

[Verify partners' names and make necessary corrections if names have already been entered.]

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9922

Ind. Op.

9924

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9923

Ind. Op.

9924

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9927

Ind. Op.

9924

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9928

Ind. Op.

9924

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Number

For Office Use Only

R. Unit

9921

June 1

9930

Subst

9941

10
Section 6 - CHANGE in OPERATOR

Complete this section only if you answered “NO” for all questions in item 2 on the face page.

1. Has the operation named on the label been sold, rented, or turned over to someone else?

☐ Yes - (Go to item 2) ☐ No - (Go to a.)

2. Please provide the following information for the operation that has taken over the land:

Operation Name: 

Operator Name: 

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Phone: ( ) -

3. Was this new operation, reported in item 2, in business before June 1, 2018?

☐ Yes - [Go to page 12.] ☐ No - [Continue.]

4. Is this new operation managed?

☐ Yes - [Go to page 12.] ☐ No - [Continue.]

5. Were any individuals associated with the new operation, reported in item 2 above, operating land 

individually before June 1, 2018?

☐ Yes - [Go to page 12.] ☐ No - [Go to page 12.]

(Regardless of answer to above, write a note to explain 

the situation, then go to page 12.)

☐ Yes ☐ Don't Know ☐ No

a. Will the land be used for any agricultural purpose by 

you (the operator), or anyone else in the next year? 

(INCLUDE growing crops or raising livestock.)

11
Section 7 - CONCLUSION

1. Do you (the operator named on the label) make any day-to-day decisions for another farm orranch?

☐ Yes - Continue ☐ No - Go to Item 3

a. What is the name of the other operation(s)? .....

[ENUMERATOR NOTE: IF ADDITIONAL OPERATION IS INDIVIDUAL OR PARTNERSHIP, answer item 2

below and complete a separate questionnaire for the additional operation.]

2. Was this additional operation in business before June 1, 2018?

☐ Yes - Continue ☐ No - Continue

Comments:

3. Survey Results: To receive the complete results of this survey on the release date go to

www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Guide_to_NASS_Surveys/

To have a brief summary emailed to you at a 

later date, please enter your email address.

Would you rather have a brief summary mailed to you at a later date? 1 ☐ Yes 3 ☐ No

Respondent Name:

9911

Phone:

9910

Date:

MM DD YY

Thank you for your help

OFFICE USE ONLY

Response Respondent Mode Enum. Eval. Change Office Use for POID

1-Comp 

2-R

3-Inac

4-Office Hold 

5-R – Est

6-Inac – Est

7-Off Hold – Est

9901 1-Op/Mgr 

2-Sp

3-Acct/Bkpr 

4-Partner

9-Oth

9902 1-PASI (Mail)

2-PATI (Tel)

3-PAPI (Faceto-Face) 

6-e-mail

7-Fax 

19-Other

9903 9998 9900 9985 9989

 - - 

Optional Use

9907 9908 9906 9916

S/E Name

Operation Name: 

Address:

City: State: ZIP: 

Phone: ( ) 

9990

1095

12
83

APPENDIX D. Round 2 Cognitive Interview Guide

2019 Ag Labor Cognitive Testing – Round 2

The purpose of this testing is to test proposed changes to the Agricultural Labor Survey in 2019. The 

proposed changes include:

• Change the reference period from a reference week to the pay period that includes the 12th of 

the month

• Replacing the language “work hired to do” with “Report each worker only once under the 

worker code that requires the highest level of skill if the worker performs work in two or more 

codes. If there is no measurable difference in skill requirements, report workers under the 

worker code in which they spend the most time.”

• Clarify that bonuses should only include bonuses that are paid each pay period

• Add clarification for commissions and in-kind payments

• Reformatting the questionnaire to include an instruction sheet

• Ease and accuracy of reporting of base hours and overtime hours

• Addition of new pay period question

A maximum of 30 cognitive interviews will be completed across three rounds of testing. Two rounds will 

be completed in person and one round will be completed via webex. Respondents who pay overtime or 

piece rate will be oversampled for the interviews. 

Respondents will complete the paper questionnaire on their own (sections 1 and 3). Retrospective 

probes will then be used to understand the respondents’ response process. 
84

Round 2 - Demographics

Interviewer’s Name 

POID

PID 

State 

Date of Interview 

Type of Farm 

Gender of Respondent 

Age of Respondent (18-29, 30-44, 45-59, 

60+)

 

Number of hired workers reported (and 

number on list frame)

 

Types of pay (overtime, incentive, piece, 

bonus, etc.)

 

Other Information 

Instruction Sheet: 

Did respondents read the instruction sheet (instructions and examples) before beginning section 1? Did 

respondents refer back to the instruction sheet at any time while filling out the questionnaire? Do 

respondents have any issues with the instructions or examples? 
85

Section 1: (Probe generally on each question in Section 1)

Pay Period: 

For all questions in Section 1, do respondents understand to report for the full pay period that includes 

the 12th? For those who pay monthly, did they have any issues if their payroll period is not yet complete 

(when the survey would typically be mailed out)? [note we changed the language to “your pay period 

due to comprehension issues in Round 1]

Questions 1 and 2

Do respondents have any issues with these questions? What do they think the questions are asking? Do 

they report accurately? 
86

Worker Types:

What type of workers do they report in Section 1? Do they adhere to instructions? 

For workers that fit into multiple categories, did respondents follow the instructions? Did they report 

each worker only once? Did they report them in the category that requires the highest level of skill (if 

similar levels of skill, in the category that they spend the most time? Are there any issues with our 

instructions? [Note: we reformatted these instructions in Round 2 to encourage respondents to read 

them]

How do they pay their workers? Is it different by worker type (e.g., payroll, type of pay)?

Do respondents who report “other” see the instruction to specify the job tasks? 

Number of Workers

Do respondents have any issues with reporting number of workers by worker type? 
87

Hours:

Do respondents report total, base, and overtime hours accurately? Do these questions cause any 

additional burden? Do they understand/agree with the definitions we provide? Do people who pay 

piece rate track hours? 

Wages: 

How did respondents report wages? In particular, those who pay piece rate, bonuses, commissions, or 

overtime, how did they report wages? For overtime wages, did they understand to report the total 

overtime wages? When are bonuses, commissions, etc. paid? Do respondents with piece rate have any 

issues with how we’re asking them to report? 

Do respondents pay in-kind (agricultural product like a side of beef, bushels of grain, etc), if so how are 

they reporting it? (Note: In-kind payments do not include benefits such as housing, meals or insurance.)

Do respondents understand/agree with our instructions regarding wages?
88

Pay Period Question:

Did respondents answer questions 4 and 5? Did they have any difficulty answering question 4 on pay 

period?

150 Day Question:

What did respondents think this question was asking? Did they have any issues? 
89

Section 3

Question 1 – largest number

What did respondents think this question was asking? Did they have any issues? 

Consistency:

Did respondents adhere to the “instructions” for agricultural workers when completing each section? Or 

do they shift regarding which workers they are considering when answering? (e.g., do they adhere to 

instructions for all workers reported in section 1? Do they shift who they think about in sections 1, 2, 

and 3?)

Section 3, Question 2 – H2A

What did respondents think this question was asking? Did they have any issues? 
90

APPENDIX E. Round 3 Questionnaire Version 1
AGRICULTURAL LABOR SURVEY – October 2019

OMB No. 0535-0109

Approval Expires: 3/31/2021 

Project Code: 956

SurveyId: 4012

USDA/NASS

United States 

Department of 

Agriculture

NATIONAL 

AGRICULTURAL 

STATISTICS 

SERVICE

National Operations Division 

9700 Page Avenue, Suite 400 

St. Louis, MO 63132-1547 

Phone: 1-888-424-7828

Fax: 1-855-415-3687

E-mail: nass@nass.usda.gov

Please make corrections to name, address and ZIP Code, ifnecessary.

The information you provide will be used for statistical purposes only. Your responses will be kept confidential and any person who willfully discloses ANY 

identifiable information about you or your operation is subject to a jail term, a fine, or both. This survey is conducted in accordance with the Confidential 

Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws. For more information on how we protect your 

information please visit: https://www.nass.usda.gov/confidentiality. Response to this survey is voluntary.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of 

information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number is 0535-0109. The time required to complete this information 

collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and 

maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

State POID Tract Subtr.

1. [Verify name and mailing address of this operation. Make any corrections 

necessary (including the correct operation name) on the label andcontinue.]

2. Since June 1, 2019 have you or will you (name on label)--

a. grow any crops or cut hay?

☐ [Check if name label verified]

[INCLUDE grains, row crops, oilseeds, fruits, nuts, vegetables (including strawberries and melon crops), nursery 

and greenhouse, Christmas trees, and other specialty crops.]

1 ☐ Yes [Go topage 2] 3 ☐ No [Continue]

b. own or raise any livestock, poultry, bees or aquaculture?

[INCLUDE livestock and poultry owned, and any being raised under contract for someone else.]

1 ☐ Yes [Go to page 2] 3 ☐ No [Continue]

c. sell any agricultural products?

1 ☐ Yes [Go to page 2] 3 ☐ No [Continue]

d. receive government agricultural payments?

[EXCLUDE government payments received as a landlord.]

1 ☐ Yes [Go to page 2] 3 ☐ No [Continue]

e. have more than 19 acres of idle cropland or more than 99 acres of pastureland?

1 ☐ Yes [Go to page 2] 3 ☐ No [Go to page 12]

2019 Test Instrument – V3
 Agricultural workers are workers directly hired and paid by the farm operation to perform work on a farm or ranch in 

connection with the production of agricultural products. 

 Include part-time workers, paid family members, hired managers, and workers on paid leave.

 Do not include workers hired through a contractor, custom workers (workers hired to use their machines to perform a 

service on the farm e.g., combining, fertilizing), retail workers, or value added workers (workers who materially alter the 

form of the product produced e.g., winery, dairy manufacturing plant workers).

 Report workers under the worker code (provided on page 5) in which they are working, not under the worker code for 

which they have been trained.

 If the worker performs work in two or more worker codes, report them under the worker code that requires the highest 

level of skill. If there is no measurable difference in skill requirements, report workers under the worker code in which they 

spend the most time.

 Report each worker only once.

 Report for your pay period. Pay periods can vary (monthly, biweekly, weekly, etc). For example, if your pay period is 

weekly, report all agricultural workers’ hours and wages for the week that includes the 12th of the month. 

 If your workers were not working on the 12th of the month, include workers, hours and wages for the other days in your 

pay period that included the 12th of the month. 

TOTAL HOURS

Total hours are the sum of base and overtime hours worked. 

BASE HOURS

Base hours are hours worked at the employee’s regular rate of pay. For salaried employees, report the standard amount of hours 

worked on your operation. 

OVERTIME HOURS

Overtime hours are hours worked that are paid at an amount above the employee’s regular rate of pay.

Instructions for Reporting Hours

Instructions for Reporting Agricultural Workers

Instructions for Reporting Pay Period

2
GROSS WAGES

Gross wages are the total amount paid to workers before taxes and other deductions. Include the worker’s share of social security

and unemployment insurance, but exclude the employer’s share. Include in-kind payments (e.g., agricultural product like a side of 

beef, bushels of grain, etc.) provided in lieu of wages for work done. In-kind payments do not include benefits such as housing, 

meals or insurance. 

BASE WAGES

Base wages are the minimum amount paid and do not include bonuses, overtime pay, commissions. For employees on an 

incentive system, base wages are the minimum amount guaranteed. Include in-kind payments.

BONUS WAGES

Bonus wages are wages paid in addition to the base wages. These include performance pay (piece rate pay beyond base wage), 

hazard pay, and bonuses that are paid each pay period. Commissions should also be reported under bonus wages. Do not 

include end of the season bonuses. 

OVERTIME WAGES

Overtime wages are the wages paid for the overtime hours.

PIECE RATE PAY EXAMPLE

Sixty apple pickers worked 50 hours each during the pay period on piece rate pay, and they were guaranteed $12 per hour plus 

additional wages based on piece. They would be reported under worker code 12. Total hours and base hours would both be 

3,000. They were paid $48,000 total gross wages based on the amount they picked. Base wages would be reported as $36,000

and bonus wages would be reported as $12,000.

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

12 60 3,000 3,000 0 $48,000 $36,000 $12,000 0

OVERTIME PAY EXAMPLE

Ten apple packers worked 50 hours each, 10 of which were overtime hours. Each were paid $10 an hour for the first 40 hours 

and time and a half ($15) for the 10 overtime hours. They would be reported under worker code 14. Total hours would be 500. 

Base hours would be 400. Overtime hours would be 100. The total gross wages paid would be $5,500. The base wages would be 

$4,000. Bonus wages would be zero. Overtime wages would be $1,500. 

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

14 10 500 400 100 $5,500 $4,000 0 $1,500

Instructions for Reporting Wages

Examples:

3
Section 1 - PAID WORKERS for October 2019

1. Did this operation have agricultural workers on the payroll during the pay period that included October 12, 2019? 

600

 

1 ☐ Yes [Continue]

3 ☐ No [Go to page 6]

2 ☐ Don't Know [Go to page 6]

2. What is the length of your pay period that included October 12, 2019?

 xxx

 3☐ One Week 4☐ Two Weeks 5☐ Half Month 6☐ One Month

3. How many agricultural workers did you have on the payroll during your pay period that included 

 October 12, 2019?............................................................................................................................

4. Fill out the table below for the agricultural workers on the payroll during your pay period that included October 12,

2019.

 Report workers who fall under the same worker code on a single line

 Report the total hours and wages paid to the group of workers during the pay period 

 Record each worker only once

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

5. In 2019, how many of the agricultural workers reported above will be paid by this operation for 

150 days or more of work?.................................................................................................................

Office Use Only Use – Completion Code - Usability 1 – Incomplete, Has Labor 2 – Incomplete, Unknown 3 – No Labor 698

700

NUMBER OF 

WORKERS

4

660
Worker Codes for Sections 1 and 2

Code

CROP, NURSERY, AND GREENHOUSE WORKERS

11 Agricultural Equipment Operators - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse:

Drive and control farm equipment to till soil and to plant, cultivate, and harvest crops.

12

Farmworkers - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse:

Use hand tools to manually plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables, fruits, nuts, horticultural specialties, field crops, Christmas trees and short 

rotation woody crops. Duties may include tilling soil and applying fertilizers; transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides; 

or cleaning, grading, sorting, packing, and loading harvested products.May construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in 

irrigation activities.

13 Graders And Sorters - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse Products:

Grade, sort, or classify agricultural crops by size, weight, color or condition.

14 Hand Packers And Packagers - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse Products:

Pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials.

15

All Other Field Workers:

All agricultural workers working with crops, nursery or greenhouse products not included in codes 11-14.

Specify type of other field workers: _______________________________________________

LIVESTOCK WORKERS

20 Agricultural Equipment Operators – Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals: Drive and control heavy farm equipment while 

attending to live farm, ranch, or aquacultural animals and in harvest of unprocessed animal products.

21

Farmworkers - Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals: Attend to live farm, ranch, or aquacultural animals including cattle, sheep, 

swine, goats, horses and other equines, poultry, finfish, shellfish, and bees. Duties may include feeding, watering, herding, milking, grazing, 

castrating, branding, de-beaking, weighing, catching, and loading animals. May conduct simple exams; maintain records; assist in births; and 

administer medications, vaccinations, or insecticides. May clean and maintain animal housing areas.

22 Graders And Sorters - Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animal Products:

Grade, sort, or classify unprocessed food and other agricultural products by size, weight, color, or condition.

23 Hand Packers And Packagers - Farm, Ranch and Aquacultural Animal Products:

Pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials.

24

All Other Livestock Workers:

All agricultural workers working with farm, ranch and aquacultural animals or products not included in codes 20 – 23.

Specify type of other livestock workers: _______________________________________________

SUPERVISORS

31

Farmers, Ranchers and Other Agricultural Managers:

Plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of farms, ranches, greenhouses, aquacultural operations, nurseries, tree farms, or other 

agricultural establishments.

32 First-Line Supervisors of Farm Workers:

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of agricultural, aquacultural, and related workers.

OTHER WORKERS

41

Agricultural Inspectors:

Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment and facilities, and aquacultural operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and 

laws governing health, quality, and safety.

42 Animal Breeders:

Select and breed animals according to their genealogy, characteristics, and offspring.

43

Pesticide Handlers and Sprayers:

Mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors, soil incorporation, or chemical application to all crops 

including nursery and greenhouse products and facilities, and livestock, and livestock facilities. Usually requires specific training and state or 

federal certification. Excludes pilots who dust or spray crops from aircraft.

44

Any Other Worker Not Listed Above:

Including, but not limited to, mechanics, shop workers, truck drivers, accountants, bookkeepers, office workers. Excluding contract & custom 

workers, retail workers, and “value-added” workers.

Specify type of other workers: _______________________________________________

5
Section 2 - PAID WORKERS for July 2019

1. Did this operation have agricultural workers on the payroll during the pay period that included July 12, 2019?

600

 1 ☐ Yes [Continue]

 3 ☐ No [Go to page 7]

 2 ☐ Don't Know [Go to page 7]

2. What is the length of your pay period that included July 12, 2019? 

 xxx

 3☐ One Week 4☐ Two Weeks 5☐ Half Month 6☐ One Month

3. How many agricultural workers did you have on the payroll during your pay period that included 

July 12, 2019?....................................................................................................................................

4. Fill out the table below for the agricultural workers on the payroll during your pay period that included July 12, 

2019. 

 Report workers who fall under the same worker code on a single line

 Report the total hours and wages paid to the group of workers during the pay period 

 Record each worker only once

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

5. In 2019, how many of the agricultural workers reported above will be paid by this operation for 

 150 days or more of work?......................................................................................................

Office Use Only Use – Completion Code - Usability 1 – Incomplete, Has Labor 2 – Incomplete, Unknown 3 – No Labor 698

700

NUMBER OF 

WORKERS

6

660
Section 3 - PAID WORKERS in 2019

1. During 2019, what was or will be the largest number of agricultural workers on the payroll on None

any one day?................................................................................................................................... 3☐

2. During 2019, did or will this operation have any H-2A temporary agricultural workers on the payroll?

The H-2A program allows agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring non 

immigrant foreign workers to the U.S. to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature.

279

1 ☐ Yes

3 ☐ No

2 ☐ Don't Know

277

Largest Number of 

Workers in 2019

7
Section 4 - VALUE of SALES

1. Please classify this operation in terms of total gross value ofsales 

(Be sure sales represent only 2018 and earlier years’production.)

Considering: Sales of all crops, livestock, poultry, and livestock products (milk, eggs, etc.) sold in 2018.

 The value of product removed for all crops, livestock, and poultry produced under contract in 2018.

 Sales of all miscellaneous agricultural products in 2018.

 All government agricultural payments received in 2018.

 Landlord’s share of government payments and crops sold in 2018.

a. What code represents total gross value of sales, including government agricultural payments?

Total Value GVS Code

'None' during 201.................................... 99 ☐

$ 1 ----- $ 999 ..... 1 ☐

$ 1,000 ----- $ 2,499 ..... 2 ☐

$ 2,500 ----- $ 4,999 ..... 3 ☐

$ 5,000 ----- $ 9,999 ..... 4 ☐ GVS Code

$ 10,000 ----- $ 24,999 ..... 5 ☐ 550

$ 25,000 ----- $ 49,999 ..... 6 ☐

$ 50,000 ---- -$ 99,999 ..... 7 ☐

$ 100,000 ----- $ 249,999 ..... 8 ☐

$ 250,000 ----- $ 499,999 ..... 9 ☐

$ 500,000 ----- $ 999,999 ..... 10 ☐

$ 1,000,000 ----- $ 2,499,999 ..... 11 ☐

$ 2,500,000 ----- $ 4,999,999 ..... 12 ☐

$ 5,000,000 and over .............

13 ☐

b. Does the GVS (gross value of sales) Code in Code Box 550 equal to '1' or '99'?

☐ Yes - (Continue) ☐ No - (Go to page 9, Item 2.)

c. Record all 2018 crops, land uses, and livestock or poultry now on the total acres operated, then go to page 10, Item 2.

Land Use

Field Crops Intended For 

Harvest Other Crops ACRES

CRP/WRP .......................................... ... Cut Christmas Trees

Idle Cropland ..................................... ... .. .

Summer Fallow ................................. ... ...

........................... ... ...

Livestock NUMBER

Government Payments

WHOLE 

DOLLARS Fruits/Nuts ACRES Cattle – Dairy................

CRP/WRP Payments ........................... ... Cattle – Other................

Other Gov’t Payments .......................... ... Chickens.......................

... Hogs..............................

Pasture/Rangeland ... Horses...........................

ACRES ... Mules/Burros ..................

Cropland Used Only For Pasture ...

Permanent Pasture ....................... Vegetables/Melons ACRES ...

Woodland Pasture ......................... ... ...

... ...

Aquaculture NUMBER ... Office Use

Acres of Ponds in Use ..................... TOTAL POINTS

Foodsize/Stockers ............................ Berries ACRES 552

Fingerlings/Broodfish ....................... ... PASTURE POINTS

Trout Eggs .......................................... ... 554

ACRES ACRES

8
Section 4 - VALUE of SALES (continued)

2. Of the farm or ranch income reported, which of these categories represents the largest portion of the gross income 

from this operation?

Code

1 – Grains, Oilseeds, Dry Beans, and Dry Peas .........................................................

(corn, flaxseed, grain silage and forage, grains and oilseeds, popcorn, rice, 1 ☐

small grains, sorghum, soybeans, sunflowers, straw, etc.)

2 – Tobacco ................................................................................................................... 2 ☐

3 – Cotton and Cottonseed .......................................................................................... 3 ☐

4 – Vegetables, Melons, Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes .............................................

(beets, cabbage, cantaloupes, pumpkins, sweet corn, 4 ☐

tomatoes, watermelons, vegetable seeds, etc.)

5 – Fruit, Tree Nuts and Berries ..................................................................................

(almonds, apples, blueberries, cherries, grapes, hazelnuts, kiwifruit, 5 ☐

oranges, pears, pecans, strawberries, walnuts, etc.)

6 – Nursery, Greenhouse, Floriculture and Sod .........................................................

(bedding plants, bulbs, cut flowers, flower seeds, foliage plants, 6 ☐

mushrooms, nursery potted plants, shrubbery, sod, etc.)

7 – Cut Christmas Trees and Short Rotation Woody Crops ..................................... 7 ☐

8 – Other Crops and Hay, CRP and Pasture ...............................................................

(grass seed, hay and grass silage, hops, maple syrup, mint, 8 ☐

peanuts, sugarcane, sugarbeets, CRP, etc.)

9 – Hogs and Pigs ......................................................................................................... 9 ☐

10 – Milk and Other Dairy Products from Cows ............................................................ 10 ☐

11 – Cattle and Calves ....................................................................................................

(beef and dairy cattle for breeding stock, fed cattle, beef and dairy cull animals, 

stockers and feeders, veal calves, etc.)

11 ☐

12 – Sheep, Goats, and their Products ............................................................................12 (wool, mohair, milk and cheese)

13 – Horses, Ponies, and Mules ....................................................................................

(burros and donkeys)

14 – Poultry and Eggs ....................................................................................................

(broilers, chickens, turkeys, ducks, eggs, emus, geese, hatchlings, 

ostriches, pigeons, pheasants, quail, poultry products, etc.)

13 ☐

14 ☐

15 – Aquaculture ................................................................................................................15 (catfish, trout, ornamental and other fish, mollusks, crustaceans, etc.)

16 – Other Animals and Other Animal Products ..........................................................

(honey bees, honey, rabbits, fur-bearing animals, semen, manure, 

other animal specialties, etc.)

16 ☐

551

Farm Type 

Code

☐

☐

9
Section 5 - Operators

1. Are the day-to-day decisions for this operation made by oneindividual, 

a hired manager, or partners? [Check one]

☐ One individual - [Go to Section 6 on page 10.]

☐ A hired manager - [Go to Section 6 on page 10.]

☐ Partners – [Continue]

How many individuals are involved in the day-to-day decisions of this operation? 

(Enter the number of partners.) ......................................................................................

Include the partner named on the label. Partners jointly operate land and share in decision making. Do not include 

landlords and tenants as partners.

2. Please identify the other person(s) in this partnership, then go to Section 1, page 5.

[Verify partners' names and make necessary corrections if names have already been entered.]

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9922

Ind. Op.

9924

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9923

Ind. Op.

9924

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9927

Ind. Op.

9924

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9928

Ind. Op.

9924

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Number

For Office Use Only

R. Unit

9921

June 1

9930

Subst

9941

10
Section 6 - CHANGE in OPERATOR

Complete this section only if you answered “NO” for all questions in item 2 on the face page.

1. Has the operation named on the label been sold, rented, or turned over to someone else?

☐ Yes - (Go to item 2) ☐ No - (Go to a.)

2. Please provide the following information for the operation that has taken over the land:

Operation Name: 

Operator Name: 

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Phone: ( ) -

3. Was this new operation, reported in item 2, in business before June 1, 2018?

☐ Yes - [Go to page 12.] ☐ No - [Continue.]

4. Is this new operation managed?

☐ Yes - [Go to page 12.] ☐ No - [Continue.]

5. Were any individuals associated with the new operation, reported in item 2 above, operating land 

individually before June 1, 2018?

☐ Yes - [Go to page 12.] ☐ No - [Go to page 12.]

(Regardless of answer to above, write a note to explain 

the situation, then go to page 12.)

☐ Yes ☐ Don't Know ☐ No

a. Will the land be used for any agricultural purpose by 

you (the operator), or anyone else in the next year? 

(INCLUDE growing crops or raising livestock.)

11
Section 7 - CONCLUSION

1. Do you (the operator named on the label) make any day-to-day decisions for another farm orranch?

☐ Yes - Continue ☐ No - Go to Item 3

a. What is the name of the other operation(s)? .....

[ENUMERATOR NOTE: IF ADDITIONAL OPERATION IS INDIVIDUAL OR PARTNERSHIP, answer item 2

below and complete a separate questionnaire for the additional operation.]

2. Was this additional operation in business before June 1, 2018?

☐ Yes - Continue ☐ No - Continue

Comments:

3. Survey Results: To receive the complete results of this survey on the release date go to

www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Guide_to_NASS_Surveys/

To have a brief summary emailed to you at a 

later date, please enter your email address.

Would you rather have a brief summary mailed to you at a later date? 1 ☐ Yes 3 ☐ No

Respondent Name:

9911

Phone:

9910

Date:

MM DD YY

Thank you for your help

OFFICE USE ONLY

Response Respondent Mode Enum. Eval. Change Office Use for POID

1-Comp 

2-R

3-Inac

4-Office Hold 

5-R – Est

6-Inac – Est

7-Off Hold – Est

9901 1-Op/Mgr 

2-Sp

3-Acct/Bkpr 

4-Partner

9-Oth

9902 1-PASI (Mail)

2-PATI (Tel)

3-PAPI (Faceto-Face) 

6-e-mail

7-Fax 

19-Other

9903 9998 9900 9985 9989

 - - 

Optional Use

9907 9908 9906 9916

S/E Name

Operation Name: 

Address:

City: State: ZIP: 

Phone: ( ) 

9990

1095

12
103

APPENDIX F. Round 3 Questionnaire Version 2
AGRICULTURAL LABOR SURVEY – October 2019

OMB No. 0535-0109

Approval Expires: 3/31/2021 

Project Code: 956

SurveyId: 4012

USDA/NASS

United States 

Department of 

Agriculture

NATIONAL 

AGRICULTURAL 

STATISTICS 

SERVICE

National Operations Division 

9700 Page Avenue, Suite 400 

St. Louis, MO 63132-1547 

Phone: 1-888-424-7828

Fax: 1-855-415-3687

E-mail: nass@nass.usda.gov

Please make corrections to name, address and ZIP Code, ifnecessary.

The information you provide will be used for statistical purposes only. Your responses will be kept confidential and any person who willfully discloses ANY 

identifiable information about you or your operation is subject to a jail term, a fine, or both. This survey is conducted in accordance with the Confidential 

Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws. For more information on how we protect your 

information please visit: https://www.nass.usda.gov/confidentiality. Response to this survey is voluntary.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of 

information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number is 0535-0109. The time required to complete this information 

collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and 

maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

State POID Tract Subtr.

1. Verify the name and mailing address of this operation above and make any corrections.

2. Since June 1, 2019 has this operation or will this operation –

(Check all that apply)

grow any crops or cut hay? Include grains, row crops, oilseeds, fruits, nuts, vegetables, 

berries, melons, nursery and greenhouse, Christmas trees, and other specialty crops

own or raise any livestock, poultry, bees or aquaculture? Include livestock and poultry 

owned, and any being raised under contract for someone else.

sell any agricultural products?

receive government agricultural payments, excluding government payments received as a 

landlord.

have more than 19 acres of idle cropland or more than 99 acres of pastureland?

If you did not check any of the above, go to Section 6.

2019 Test Instrument – V3
 Agricultural workers are workers directly hired and paid by the farm operation to perform work on a farm or ranch in 

connection with the production of agricultural products. 

 Include part-time workers, paid family members, hired managers, and workers on paid leave.

 Do not include workers hired through a contractor, custom workers (workers hired to use their machines to perform a 

service on the farm e.g., combining, fertilizing), retail workers, or value added workers (workers who materially alter the 

form of the product produced e.g., winery, dairy manufacturing plant workers).

 Report workers under the worker code (provided on page 5) in which they are working, not under the worker code for 

which they have been trained.

 If the worker performs work in two or more worker codes, report them under the worker code that requires the highest 

level of skill. If there is no measurable difference in skill requirements, report workers under the worker code in which they 

spend the most time.

 Report each worker only once.

 Report for your pay period. Pay periods can vary (monthly, biweekly, weekly, etc). For example, if your pay period is 

weekly, report all agricultural workers’ hours and wages for the week that includes the 12th of the month. 

 If your workers were not working on the 12th of the month, include workers, hours and wages for the other days in your 

pay period that included the 12th of the month. 

TOTAL HOURS

Total hours are the sum of base and overtime hours worked. 

BASE HOURS

Base hours are hours worked at the employee’s regular rate of pay. For salaried employees, report the standard amount of hours 

worked on your operation. 

OVERTIME HOURS

Overtime hours are hours worked that are paid at an amount above the employee’s regular rate of pay.

Instructions for Reporting Hours

Instructions for Reporting Agricultural Workers

Instructions for Reporting Pay Period

2
GROSS WAGES

Gross wages are the total amount paid to workers before taxes and other deductions. Include the worker’s share of social security

and unemployment insurance, but exclude the employer’s share. Include in-kind payments (e.g., agricultural product like a side of 

beef, bushels of grain, etc.) provided in lieu of wages for work done. In-kind payments do not include benefits such as housing, 

meals or insurance. 

BASE WAGES

Base wages are the minimum amount paid and do not include bonuses, overtime pay, commissions. For employees on an 

incentive system, base wages are the minimum amount guaranteed. Include in-kind payments.

BONUS WAGES

Bonus wages are wages paid in addition to the base wages. These include performance pay (e.g., piece rate pay beyond base 

wage), hazard pay, and bonuses that are paid each pay period. Commissions should also be reported under bonus wages. Do 

not include end of the season bonuses. 

OVERTIME WAGES

Overtime wages are the wages paid for the overtime hours.

PIECE RATE PAY EXAMPLE

Sixty apple pickers worked 50 hours each during the pay period on piece rate pay, and they were guaranteed $12 per hour plus 

additional wages based on piece. They would be reported under worker code 12. Total hours and base hours would both be 

3,000. They were paid $48,000 total gross wages based on the amount they picked. Base wages would be reported as $36,000

and bonus wages would be reported as $12,000.

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

12 60 3,000 3,000 0 $48,000 $36,000 $12,000 0

OVERTIME PAY EXAMPLE

Ten apple packers worked 50 hours each, 10 of which were overtime hours. Each were paid $10 an hour for the first 40 hours 

and time and a half ($15) for the 10 overtime hours. They would be reported under worker code 14. Total hours would be 500. 

Base hours would be 400. Overtime hours would be 100. The total gross wages paid would be $5,500. The base wages would be 

$4,000. Bonus wages would be zero. Overtime wages would be $1,500. 

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

14 10 500 400 100 $5,500 $4,000 0 $1,500

Instructions for Reporting Wages

Examples:

3
Section 1 - PAID WORKERS for October 2019

1. Did this operation have agricultural workers on the payroll during the pay period that included October 12, 2019? 

600

 

1 ☐ Yes [Continue]

3 ☐ No [Go to page 6]

2 ☐ Don't Know [Go to page 6]

2. How many agricultural workers did you have on the payroll during your pay period that included 

 October 12, 2019?............................................................................................................................

3. In 2019, how many of the agricultural workers reported in Question 2 will be paid by this 

operation for 150 days or more of work?...........................................................................................

4. In 2019, how many of the agricultural workers reported in Question 2 will be paid by this 

operation for 149 days or less of work?............................................................................................

5. What is the length of your pay period that included October 12, 2019?

xxx

3☐ One Week 4☐ Two Weeks 5☐ Half Month 6☐ One Month

6. Fill out the table below for the agricultural workers on the payroll during your pay period that included October 12,

2019.

 Report workers who fall under the same worker code on a single line

 Report the total hours and wages paid to the group of workers during the pay period 

 Record each worker only once

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

Office Use Only Use – Completion Code - Usability 1 – Incomplete, Has Labor 2 – Incomplete, Unknown 3 – No Labor 698 599

 10

4

660

700
Worker Codes for Sections 1 and 2

Code

CROP, NURSERY, AND GREENHOUSE WORKERS

11 Agricultural Equipment Operators - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse:

Drive and control farm equipment to till soil and to plant, cultivate, and harvest crops.

12

Farmworkers - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse:

Use hand tools to manually plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables, fruits, nuts, horticultural specialties, field crops, Christmas trees and short 

rotation woody crops. Duties may include tilling soil and applying fertilizers; transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides; 

or cleaning, grading, sorting, packing, and loading harvested products.May construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in 

irrigation activities.

13 Graders And Sorters - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse Products:

Grade, sort, or classify agricultural crops by size, weight, color or condition.

14 Hand Packers And Packagers - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse Products:

Pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials.

15

All Other Field Workers:

All agricultural workers working with crops, nursery or greenhouse products not included in codes 11-14.

Specify type of other field workers: _______________________________________________

LIVESTOCK WORKERS

20 Agricultural Equipment Operators – Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals: Drive and control heavy farm equipment while 

attending to live farm, ranch, or aquacultural animals and in harvest of unprocessed animal products.

21

Farmworkers - Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals: Attend to live farm, ranch, or aquacultural animals including cattle, sheep, 

swine, goats, horses and other equines, poultry, finfish, shellfish, and bees. Duties may include feeding, watering, herding, milking, grazing, 

castrating, branding, de-beaking, weighing, catching, and loading animals. May conduct simple exams; maintain records; assist in births; and 

administer medications, vaccinations, or insecticides. May clean and maintain animal housing areas.

22 Graders And Sorters - Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animal Products:

Grade, sort, or classify unprocessed food and other agricultural products by size, weight, color, or condition.

23 Hand Packers And Packagers - Farm, Ranch and Aquacultural Animal Products:

Pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials.

24

All Other Livestock Workers:

All agricultural workers working with farm, ranch and aquacultural animals or products not included in codes 20 – 23.

Specify type of other livestock workers: _______________________________________________

SUPERVISORS

31

Farmers, Ranchers and Other Agricultural Managers:

Plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of farms, ranches, greenhouses, aquacultural operations, nurseries, tree farms, or other 

agricultural establishments.

32 First-Line Supervisors of Farm Workers:

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of agricultural, aquacultural, and related workers.

OTHER WORKERS

41

Agricultural Inspectors:

Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment and facilities, and aquacultural operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and 

laws governing health, quality, and safety.

42 Animal Breeders:

Select and breed animals according to their genealogy, characteristics, and offspring.

43

Pesticide Handlers and Sprayers:

Mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors, soil incorporation, or chemical application to all crops 

including nursery and greenhouse products and facilities, and livestock, and livestock facilities. Usually requires specific training and state or 

federal certification. Excludes pilots who dust or spray crops from aircraft.

44

Any Other Worker Not Listed Above:

Including, but not limited to, mechanics, shop workers, truck drivers, accountants, bookkeepers, office workers. Excluding contract & custom 

workers, retail workers, and “value-added” workers.

Specify type of other workers: _______________________________________________

5
Section 2 - PAID WORKERS for July 2019

1. Did this operation have agricultural workers on the payroll during the pay period that included July 12, 2019?

600

1 ☐ Yes [Continue]

3 ☐ No [Go to page 7]

2 ☐ Don't Know [Go to page 7]

2. How many agricultural workers did you have on the payroll during your pay period that included 

July 12, 2019?..................................................................................................................................

3. In 2019, how many of the agricultural workers reported in Question 2 will be paid by this 

operation for 150 days or more of work?.............................................................................

4. In 2019, how many of the agricultural workers reported in Question 2 will be paid by this 

operation for 149 days or less of work?...............................................................................

5. What is the length of your pay period that included July 12, 2019? 

 xxx

3☐ One Week 4☐ Two Weeks 5☐ Half Month 6☐ One Month

6. Fill out the table below for the agricultural workers on the payroll during your pay period that included July 12, 

2019. 

 Report workers who fall under the same worker code on a single line

 Report the total hours and wages paid to the group of workers during the pay period 

 Record each worker only once

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

Office Use Only Use – Completion Code - Usability 1 – Incomplete, Has Labor 2 – Incomplete, Unknown 3 – No Labor 698 599

 7

6

660

700
Section 3 - PAID WORKERS in 2019

1. During 2019, what was or will be the largest number of agricultural workers on the payroll on None

any one day?................................................................................................................................... 3☐

2. During 2019, did or will this operation have any H-2A temporary agricultural workers on the payroll?

The H-2A program allows agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring non 

immigrant foreign workers to the U.S. to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature.

279

1 ☐ Yes

3 ☐ No

2 ☐ Don't Know

277

Largest Number of 

Workers in 2019

7
Section 4 - VALUE of PRODUCTION

1. Please classify the operation in terms of the total value of agricultural production in 2018, including government 

agricultural payments. 

Include:

 Include all agricultural production, including products produced under contract in 2018.

 Landlord’s share of total value of production and government payments in 2018.

Exclude: 

 Production on land rented to others.

2. Is the reported total value of production between $0 and $999?

 YES – Continue below. NO – Skip to the next page.

3. Record all 2019 crops, land uses, and livestock or poultry now on the total acres operated, then go to page 10, Item 2.

Land Use ACRES

Field Crops Intended 

for Harvest ACRES Other Crops ACRES

CRP/WRP.............................. _________________... Cut Christmas Trees

Idle Cropland.......................... _________________... _______________...

Summer Fallow _________________... _______________...

_____________.......................... _________________... _______________...

Government Payments

WHOLE 

DOLLARS

Fruits/Nuts

_________________...

ACRES Livestock

Cattle-Dairy............

NUMBER

CRP/WRP Payments............... _________________... Cattle- Other..........

Other Gov’t Payments.............. _________________... Chickens...............

_________________... Hogs....................

Pasture/Rangeland ACRES _________________... Horses..................

Cropland Used Only For Pasture Mules/Burros..........

Permanent Pasture.................. Vegetables/Melons ACRES _______________...

Woodland Pasture................... _________________... _______________...

_________________... _______________...

Aquaculture NUMBER _________________... _______________...

Acres of Pond in Use...............

Foodsize/Stockers.................. Berries ACRES

Fingerlings/Broodfish............... _________________... Office Use

Trout Eggs............................. _________________... Total Points Pasture Points

552 554

860

99 None during 2018

1 $1 - $999

2 $1,000 - $2,499

3 $2,500 - $4,999

4 $5,000 - $9,999

5 $10,000 - $24,999

6 $25,000 - $49,999

7 $50,000 - $99,999

8 $100,000 - $249,999

9 $250,000 - $499,999

10 $500,000 - $999,999

11 $1,000,000 - $2,499,999

12 $2,500,000 - $4,999,999

13 $5,000,000 and over

8
Section 4 – VALUE OF PRODUCTION (continued)

1. Of the farm or ranch income reported, which of these categories represents the largest portion of the gross income

from this operation?

Code

1 – Grains, Oilseeds, Dry Beans, and Dry Peas .........................................................

(corn, flaxseed, grain silage and forage, grains and oilseeds, popcorn, rice, 1 ☐

small grains, sorghum, soybeans, sunflowers, straw, etc.)

2 – Tobacco ................................................................................................................... 2 ☐

3 – Cotton and Cottonseed .......................................................................................... 3 ☐

4 – Vegetables, Melons, Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes .............................................

(beets, cabbage, cantaloupes, pumpkins, sweet corn, 4 ☐

tomatoes, watermelons, vegetable seeds, etc.)

5 – Fruit, Tree Nuts and Berries ..................................................................................

(almonds, apples, blueberries, cherries, grapes, hazelnuts, kiwifruit, 5 ☐

oranges, pears, pecans, strawberries, walnuts, etc.)

6 – Nursery, Greenhouse, Floriculture and Sod .........................................................

(bedding plants, bulbs, cut flowers, flower seeds, foliage plants, 6 ☐

mushrooms, nursery potted plants, shrubbery, sod, etc.)

7 – Cut Christmas Trees and Short Rotation Woody Crops ..................................... 7 ☐

8 – Other Crops and Hay, CRP and Pasture ...............................................................

(grass seed, hay and grass silage, hops, maple syrup, mint, 8 ☐

peanuts, sugarcane, sugarbeets, CRP, etc.)

9 – Hogs and Pigs ......................................................................................................... 9 ☐

10 – Milk and Other Dairy Products from Cows ............................................................ 10 ☐

11 – Cattle and Calves ....................................................................................................

(beef and dairy cattle for breeding stock, fed cattle, beef and dairy cull animals, 

stockers and feeders, veal calves, etc.)

11 ☐

12 – Sheep, Goats, and their Products ............................................................................12 (wool, mohair, milk and cheese)

13 – Horses, Ponies, and Mules ....................................................................................

(burros and donkeys)

14 – Poultry and Eggs ....................................................................................................

(broilers, chickens, turkeys, ducks, eggs, emus, geese, hatchlings, 

ostriches, pigeons, pheasants, quail, poultry products, etc.)

13 ☐

14 ☐

15 – Aquaculture ................................................................................................................15 (catfish, trout, ornamental and other fish, mollusks, crustaceans, etc.)

16 – Other Animals and Other Animal Products ..........................................................

(honey bees, honey, rabbits, fur-bearing animals, semen, manure, 

other animal specialties, etc.)

16 ☐

551

Farm Type 

Code

☐

☐

9
Section 5 - Operators

1. Are the day-to-day decisions for this operation made by oneindividual, 

a hired manager, or partners? [Check one]

☐ One individual - [Go to Section 6 on page 10.]

☐ A hired manager - [Go to Section 6 on page 10.]

☐ Partners – [Continue]

How many individuals are involved in the day-to-day decisions of this operation? 

(Enter the number of partners.) ......................................................................................

Include the partner named on the label. Partners jointly operate land and share in decision making. Do not include 

landlords and tenants as partners.

2. Please identify the other person(s) in this partnership, then go to Section 1, page 5.

[Verify partners' names and make necessary corrections if names have already been entered.]

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9922

Ind. Op.

9924

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9923

Ind. Op.

9924

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9927

Ind. Op.

9924

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9928

Ind. Op.

9924

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Number

For Office Use Only

R. Unit

9921

June 1

9930

Subst

9941

10
Section 6 - CHANGE in OPERATOR

Complete this section only if you answered “NO” for all questions in item 2 on the face page.

1. Has the operation named on the label been sold, rented, or turned over to someone else?

☐ Yes - (Go to item 2) ☐ No - (Go to a.)

2. Please provide the following information for the operation that has taken over the land:

Operation Name: 

Operator Name: 

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Phone: ( ) -

3. Was this new operation, reported in item 2, in business before June 1, 2018?

☐ Yes - [Go to page 12.] ☐ No - [Continue.]

4. Is this new operation managed?

☐ Yes - [Go to page 12.] ☐ No - [Continue.]

5. Were any individuals associated with the new operation, reported in item 2 above, operating land 

individually before June 1, 2018?

☐ Yes - [Go to page 12.] ☐ No - [Go to page 12.]

(Regardless of answer to above, write a note to explain 

the situation, then go to page 12.)

☐ Yes ☐ Don't Know ☐ No

a. Will the land be used for any agricultural purpose by 

you (the operator), or anyone else in the next year? 

(INCLUDE growing crops or raising livestock.)

11
Section 7 - CONCLUSION

1. Do you (the operator named on the label) make any day-to-day decisions for another farm orranch?

☐ Yes - Continue ☐ No - Go to Item 3

a. What is the name of the other operation(s)? .....

[ENUMERATOR NOTE: IF ADDITIONAL OPERATION IS INDIVIDUAL OR PARTNERSHIP, answer item 2

below and complete a separate questionnaire for the additional operation.]

2. Was this additional operation in business before June 1, 2018?

☐ Yes - Continue ☐ No - Continue

Comments:

3. Survey Results: To receive the complete results of this survey on the release date go to

www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Guide_to_NASS_Surveys/

To have a brief summary emailed to you at a 

later date, please enter your email address.

Would you rather have a brief summary mailed to you at a later date? 1 ☐ Yes 3 ☐ No

Respondent Name:

9911

Phone:

9910

Date:

MM DD YY

Thank you for your help

OFFICE USE ONLY

Response Respondent Mode Enum. Eval. Change Office Use for POID

1-Comp 

2-R

3-Inac

4-Office Hold 

5-R – Est

6-Inac – Est

7-Off Hold – Est

9901 1-Op/Mgr 

2-Sp

3-Acct/Bkpr 

4-Partner

9-Oth

9902 1-PASI (Mail)

2-PATI (Tel)

3-PAPI (Faceto-Face) 

6-e-mail

7-Fax 

19-Other

9903 9998 9900 9985 9989

 - - 

Optional Use

9907 9908 9906 9916

S/E Name

Operation Name: 

Address:

City: State: ZIP: 

Phone: ( ) 

9990

1095

12
110

APPENDIX G Round 3 Cognitive Interview Guide

Ag Labor 2019 Testing

Round 3 - Demographics

Interviewer’s Name 

POID

PID 

State 

Date of Interview 

Type of Farm 

Gender of Respondent 

Age of Respondent (18-29, 30-44, 45-59, 

60+)

 

Number of hired workers reported (and 

number on list frame)

 

Types of pay (overtime, incentive, piece, 

bonus, etc.)

 

Other Information 

Front page:
111

Instruction Sheet: 

Did respondents read the instruction sheet (instructions and examples) before beginning section 1? Did 

respondents refer back to the instruction sheet at any time while filling out the questionnaire? Do 

respondents have any issues with the instructions or examples? 

Section 1: (Probe generally on each question in Section 1)

Pay Period: 

For all questions in Section 1, do respondents understand to report for the full pay period that includes 

the 12th? For those who pay monthly, did they have any issues if their payroll period is not yet complete 

(when the survey would typically be mailed out)? [note we changed the language to “your pay period”

due to comprehension issues in Round 1]
112

Questions 1 and 2

Do respondents interpret reference period correctly? Do respondents have any issues with these 

questions? What do they think the questions are asking? Do they report accurately? 

150/149 Days

Do respondent interpret these questions correctly and provide an accurate response? 

Question 5 Pay Period:

Do respondents select the appropriate response? 
113

Worker Types:

What type of workers do they report in Section 1? Do they adhere to instructions? 

For workers that fit into multiple categories, did respondents follow the instructions? Did they report 

each worker only once? Did they report them in the category that requires the highest level of skill (if 

similar levels of skill, in the category that they spend the most time? Are there any issues with our 

instructions? [Note: we reformatted these instructions in Round 2 to encourage respondents to read 

them]

How do they pay their workers? Is it different by worker type (e.g., payroll, type of pay)?

Do respondents who report “other” see the instruction to specify the job tasks? 

Number of Workers

Do respondents have any issues with reporting number of workers by worker type? 

Hours:

Do respondents report total, base, and overtime hours accurately? Do these questions cause any 

additional burden? Do they understand/agree with the definitions we provide? Do people who pay 

piece rate track hours? 
114

Wages: 

How did respondents report wages? In particular, those who pay piece rate, bonuses, commissions, or 

overtime, how did they report wages? For overtime wages, did they understand to report the total 

overtime wages? When are bonuses, commissions, etc. paid? Do respondents with piece rate have any 

issues with how we’re asking them to report? 

Do respondents pay in-kind (agricultural product like a side of beef, bushels of grain, etc), if so how are 

they reporting it? (Note: In-kind payments do not include benefits such as housing, meals or insurance.)

Do respondents understand/agree with our instructions regarding wages?

Section 3

Question 1 – largest number

What did respondents think this question was asking? Did they have any issues? 

Consistency:

Did respondents adhere to the “instructions” for agricultural workers when completing each section? Or 

do they shift regarding which workers they are considering when answering? (e.g., do they adhere to 

instructions for all workers reported in section 1? Do they shift who they think about in sections 1, 2, 

and 3?)

Section 3, Question 2 – H2A

What did respondents think this question was asking? Did they have any issues? 
115

APPENDIX H. Recommended Questionnaire
AGRICULTURAL LABOR SURVEY – April 2020

OMB No. 0535-0109

Approval Expires: 3/31/2021 

Project Code: 956

SurveyId: 4012

USDA/NASS

United States 

Department of 

Agriculture

NATIONAL 

AGRICULTURAL 

STATISTICS 

SERVICE

National Operations Division 

9700 Page Avenue, Suite 400 

St. Louis, MO 63132-1547 

Phone: 1-888-424-7828

Fax: 1-855-415-3687

E-mail: nass@nass.usda.gov

Please make corrections to name, address and ZIP Code, ifnecessary.

The information you provide will be used for statistical purposes only. Your responses will be kept confidential and any person who willfully discloses ANY 

identifiable information about you or your operation is subject to a jail term, a fine, or both. This survey is conducted in accordance with the Confidential 

Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other applicable Federal laws. For more information on how we protect your 

information please visit: https://www.nass.usda.gov/confidentiality. Response to this survey is voluntary.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of 

information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number is 0535-0109. The time required to complete this information 

collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and 

maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

State POID Tract Subtr.

1. [Verify name and mailing address of this operation. Make any corrections 

necessary (including the correct operation name) on the label andcontinue.]

2. Since June 1, 2018 have you or will you (name on label)--

a. grow any crops or cut hay?

☐ [Check if name label verified]

[INCLUDE grains, row crops, oilseeds, fruits, nuts, vegetables (including strawberries and melon crops), nursery 

and greenhouse, Christmas trees, and other specialty crops.]

1 ☐ Yes [Go topage 2] 3 ☐ No [Continue]

b. own or raise any livestock, poultry, bees or aquaculture?

[INCLUDE livestock and poultry owned, and any being raised under contract for someone else.]

1 ☐ Yes [Go to page 2] 3 ☐ No [Continue]

c. sell any agricultural products?

1 ☐ Yes [Go to page 2] 3 ☐ No [Continue]

d. receive government agricultural payments?

[EXCLUDE government payments received as a landlord.]

1 ☐ Yes [Go to page 2] 3 ☐ No [Continue]

e. have more than 19 acres of idle cropland or more than 99 acres of pastureland?

1 ☐ Yes [Go to page 2] 3 ☐ No [Go to page 12]

Recommended Version for April 2020
 Agricultural workers are workers directly hired and paid by the farm operation to perform work on a farm or ranch in 

connection with the production of agricultural products. 

 Include part-time workers, paid family members, hired managers, and workers on paid leave.

 Do not include workers hired through a contractor, custom workers (workers hired to use their machines to perform a 

service on the farm e.g., combining, fertilizing), retail workers, or value added workers (workers who materially alter the 

form of the product produced e.g., winery, dairy manufacturing plant workers).

 Report workers under the worker code (provided on page 5) in which they are working, not under the worker code for 

which they have been trained.

 If the worker performs work in two or more worker codes, report them under the worker code that requires the highest 

level of skill. If there is no measurable difference in skill requirements, report workers under the worker code in which they 

spend the most time.

 In Sections 1 and 2, report for your pay period. Pay periods can vary (monthly, biweekly, weekly, etc). For example, if 

your pay period is one week long, report all agricultural workers’ hours and wages for the week that includes the 12th of 

the month. 

 If your workers were not working on the 12th of the month, include workers, hours and wages for the other days in your 

pay period that included the 12th of the month. 

In Sections 1 and 2, report total hours by worker code for the length of your pay period. 

TOTAL HOURS

Total hours are the sum of base and overtime hours worked. 

BASE HOURS

Base hours are hours worked at the employee’s regular rate of pay. For salaried employees, report the standard amount of hours 

worked on your operation. 

OVERTIME HOURS

Overtime hours are hours worked that are paid at an amount above the employee’s regular rate of pay.

Instructions for Reporting Hours

Instructions for Reporting Agricultural Workers

Instructions for Reporting Your Pay Period

2
In Sections 1 and 2, report total wages by worker code for the length of your pay period.

GROSS WAGES

Gross wages are the total amount paid to workers before taxes and other deductions. Include the worker’s share of social security

and unemployment insurance, but exclude the employer’s share. Include in-kind payments (e.g., agricultural product like a side of 

beef, bushels of grain, etc.) provided in lieu of wages for work done. In-kind payments do not include benefits such as housing, 

meals or insurance. 

BASE WAGES

Base wages are the minimum amount paid and do not include bonuses, overtime pay, commissions. For employees on an 

incentive system, base wages are the minimum amount guaranteed. Include in-kind payments.

BONUS WAGES

Bonus wages are wages paid in addition to the base wages. These include performance pay (e.g., piece rate pay beyond base 

wage), hazard pay, and bonuses that are paid each pay period. Commissions should also be reported under bonus wages. Do 

not include end of the season bonuses. 

OVERTIME WAGES

Overtime wages are the wages paid for the overtime hours.

PIECE RATE PAY EXAMPLE

Sixty apple pickers worked 50 hours each during a one week pay period on piece rate pay. They were guaranteed $12 per hour

and were paid $12,000 in additional wages based on the piece rate. They would be reported under worker code 12. Total hours 

and total base hours were both 3,000 for the 60 apple pickers. This group of workers were paid in total $48,000 gross wages 

based on the amount they picked. Base wages would be reported as $36,000 and bonus wages would be reported as $12,000.

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

12 60 3,000 3,000 0 $48,000 $36,000 $12,000 0

OVERTIME PAY EXAMPLE

Ten vegetable packers worked 50 hours each, 10 of which were overtime hours. Each were paid $10 an hour for the first 40 

hours and time and a half ($15) for the 10 overtime hours. They would be reported under worker code 14. Total hours would be 

500. Total base hours would be 400. Total overtime hours would be 100. This group of workers were paid $5,500 in total gross 

wages, $4,000 in total base wages, 0 total bonus wages, and $1,500 total overtime wages. 

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

14 10 500 400 100 $5,500 $4,000 0 $1,500

Instructions for Reporting Wages

Examples:

3
Section 1 – Pay Period that Included April 12, 2019

1. Did this operation have agricultural workers on the payroll during the pay period that included April 12, 2019? 

600

 

1 ☐ Yes [Continue]

3 ☐ No [Go to page 6]

2 ☐ Don't Know [Go to page 6]

2. How many agricultural workers did you have on the payroll during your pay period that included 

 April 12, 2019?............................................................................................................................

3. In the table below, report agricultural workers on the payroll during your pay period that included April 12, 2019.

 Report workers who fall under the same worker code on a single line

 Report the total hours and wages paid to the group of workers during your pay period 

 Record each worker only once

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

4. What was the length of your pay period that included April 12, 2019?

xxx

3☐ One Week 4☐ Two Weeks 5☐ Half Month 6☐ One Month

5. In 2019, how many of the agricultural workers reported above will be paid by this operation for 

150 days or more of work?.................................................................................................................

Office Use Only Use – Completion Code - Usability 1 – Incomplete, Has Labor 2 – Incomplete, Unknown 3 – No Labor 698 599

 4

4

660

700

NUMBER OF 

WORKERS
Worker Codes for Sections 1 and 2

Code

CROP, NURSERY, AND GREENHOUSE WORKERS

11 Agricultural Equipment Operators - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse:

Drive and control farm equipment to till soil and to plant, cultivate, and harvest crops.

12

Farmworkers - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse:

Use hand tools to manually plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables, fruits, nuts, horticultural specialties, field crops, Christmas trees and short 

rotation woody crops. Duties may include tilling soil and applying fertilizers; transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides; 

or cleaning, grading, sorting, packing, and loading harvested products.May construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in 

irrigation activities.

13 Graders And Sorters - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse Products:

Grade, sort, or classify agricultural crops by size, weight, color or condition.

14 Hand Packers And Packagers - Crop, Nursery and Greenhouse Products:

Pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials.

15

All Other Field Workers:

All agricultural workers working with crops, nursery or greenhouse products not included in codes 11-14.

Specify type of other field workers: _______________________________________________

LIVESTOCK WORKERS

20 Agricultural Equipment Operators – Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals: Drive and control heavy farm equipment while 

attending to live farm, ranch, or aquacultural animals and in harvest of unprocessed animal products.

21

Farmworkers - Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals: Attend to live farm, ranch, or aquacultural animals including cattle, sheep, 

swine, goats, horses and other equines, poultry, finfish, shellfish, and bees. Duties may include feeding, watering, herding, milking, grazing, 

castrating, branding, de-beaking, weighing, catching, and loading animals. May conduct simple exams; maintain records; assist in births; and 

administer medications, vaccinations, or insecticides. May clean and maintain animal housing areas.

22 Graders And Sorters - Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animal Products:

Grade, sort, or classify unprocessed food and other agricultural products by size, weight, color, or condition.

23 Hand Packers And Packagers - Farm, Ranch and Aquacultural Animal Products:

Pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials.

24

All Other Livestock Workers:

All agricultural workers working with farm, ranch and aquacultural animals or products not included in codes 20 – 23.

Specify type of other livestock workers: _______________________________________________

SUPERVISORS

31

Farmers, Ranchers and Other Agricultural Managers:

Plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of farms, ranches, greenhouses, aquacultural operations, nurseries, tree farms, or other 

agricultural establishments.

32 First-Line Supervisors of Farm Workers:

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of agricultural, aquacultural, and related workers.

OTHER WORKERS

41

Agricultural Inspectors:

Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment and facilities, and aquacultural operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and 

laws governing health, quality, and safety.

42 Animal Breeders:

Select and breed animals according to their genealogy, characteristics, and offspring.

43

Pesticide Handlers and Sprayers:

Mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors, soil incorporation, or chemical application to all crops 

including nursery and greenhouse products and facilities, and livestock, and livestock facilities. Usually requires specific training and state or 

federal certification. Excludes pilots who dust or spray crops from aircraft.

44

Any Other Worker Not Listed Above:

Including, but not limited to, mechanics, shop workers, truck drivers, accountants, bookkeepers, office workers. 

Excluding contract & custom workers, retail workers, and “value-added” workers.

Specify type of other workers: _______________________________________________

5
Section 2 - Pay Period that Included January 12, 2019

1. Did this operation have agricultural workers on the payroll during the pay period that included January 12, 2019?

600

1 ☐ Yes [Continue]

3 ☐ No [Go to page 7]

2 ☐ Don't Know [Go to page 7]

2. How many agricultural workers did you have on the payroll during your pay period that included 

January 12, 2019?............................................................................................................................

3. In the table below, report agricultural workers on the payroll during your pay period that included January 12, 

2019. 

 Report workers who fall under the same worker code on a single line

 Report the total hours and wages paid to the group of workers during your pay period 

 Record each worker only once

Enter the 

Worker 

Code from 

Page 5

Number of 

Paid 

Workers

Total 

Hours 

Worked

How many of the 

Total Hours Worked 

were....

Total Gross 

Wages Paid

(Dollars)

How much of the Total Gross Wages 

Paid were...

Total 

Base 

Hours

Total 

Overtime 

Hours

Total Base 

Wages

Total Bonus 

Wages

Total 

Overtime 

Wages

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

611 612 613 xxx xxx 614 620 627 628

4. What was the length of your pay period that included January 12, 2019?

xxx

3☐ One Week 4☐ Two Weeks 5☐ Half Month 6☐ One Month

5. In 2019, how many of the agricultural workers reported above will be paid by this operation for 

150 days or more of work?.................................................................................................................

Office Use Only Use – Completion Code - Usability 1 – Incomplete, Has Labor 2 – Incomplete, Unknown 3 – No Labor 698 599

 1

6

660

700

NUMBER OF 

WORKERS
Section 3 – Agricultural Workers on the Payroll in 2019

1. During 2019, what was or will be the largest number of agricultural workers on the payroll on None

any one day?................................................................................................................................... 3☐

2. During 2019, did or will this operation have any H-2A temporary agricultural workers on the payroll?

The H-2A program allows agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring non 

immigrant foreign workers to the U.S. to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature.

279

1 ☐ Yes

3 ☐ No

2 ☐ Don't Know

277

Largest Number of 

Workers in 2019

7
Section 4 - VALUE of SALES

1. Please classify this operation in terms of total gross value ofsales 

(Be sure sales represent only 2018 and earlier years’production.)

Considering: Sales of all crops, livestock, poultry, and livestock products (milk, eggs, etc.) sold in 2018.

 The value of product removed for all crops, livestock, and poultry produced under contract in 2018.

 Sales of all miscellaneous agricultural products in 2018.

 All government agricultural payments received in 2018.

 Landlord’s share of government payments and crops sold in 2018.

a. What code represents total gross value of sales, including government agricultural payments?

Total Value GVS Code

'None' during 201.................................... 99 ☐

$ 1 ----- $ 999 ..... 1 ☐

$ 1,000 ----- $ 2,499 ..... 2 ☐

$ 2,500 ----- $ 4,999 ..... 3 ☐

$ 5,000 ----- $ 9,999 ..... 4 ☐ GVS Code

$ 10,000 ----- $ 24,999 ..... 5 ☐ 550

$ 25,000 ----- $ 49,999 ..... 6 ☐

$ 50,000 ---- -$ 99,999 ..... 7 ☐

$ 100,000 ----- $ 249,999 ..... 8 ☐

$ 250,000 ----- $ 499,999 ..... 9 ☐

$ 500,000 ----- $ 999,999 ..... 10 ☐

$ 1,000,000 ----- $ 2,499,999 ..... 11 ☐

$ 2,500,000 ----- $ 4,999,999 ..... 12 ☐

$ 5,000,000 and over .............

13 ☐

b. Does the GVS (gross value of sales) Code in Code Box 550 equal to '1' or '99'?

☐ Yes - (Continue) ☐ No - (Go to page 9, Item 2.)

c. Record all 2018 crops, land uses, and livestock or poultry now on the total acres operated, then go to page 10, Item 2.

Land Use

Field Crops Intended For 

Harvest Other Crops ACRES

CRP/WRP .......................................... ... Cut Christmas Trees

Idle Cropland ..................................... ... .. .

Summer Fallow ................................. ... ...

........................... ... ...

Livestock NUMBER

Government Payments

WHOLE 

DOLLARS Fruits/Nuts ACRES Cattle – Dairy................

CRP/WRP Payments ........................... ... Cattle – Other................

Other Gov’t Payments .......................... ... Chickens.......................

... Hogs..............................

Pasture/Rangeland ... Horses...........................

ACRES ... Mules/Burros ..................

Cropland Used Only For Pasture ...

Permanent Pasture ....................... Vegetables/Melons ACRES ...

Woodland Pasture ......................... ... ...

... ...

Aquaculture NUMBER ... Office Use

Acres of Ponds in Use ..................... TOTAL POINTS

Foodsize/Stockers ............................ Berries ACRES 552

Fingerlings/Broodfish ....................... ... PASTURE POINTS

Trout Eggs .......................................... ... 554

8
Section 4 – VALUE OF SALES (continued)

2. Of the farm or ranch income reported, which of these categories represents the largest portion of the gross income 

from this operation?

Code

1 – Grains, Oilseeds, Dry Beans, and Dry Peas .........................................................

(corn, flaxseed, grain silage and forage, grains and oilseeds, popcorn, rice, 1 ☐

small grains, sorghum, soybeans, sunflowers, straw, etc.)

2 – Tobacco ................................................................................................................... 2 ☐

3 – Cotton and Cottonseed .......................................................................................... 3 ☐

4 – Vegetables, Melons, Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes .............................................

(beets, cabbage, cantaloupes, pumpkins, sweet corn, 4 ☐

tomatoes, watermelons, vegetable seeds, etc.)

5 – Fruit, Tree Nuts and Berries ..................................................................................

(almonds, apples, blueberries, cherries, grapes, hazelnuts, kiwifruit, 5 ☐

oranges, pears, pecans, strawberries, walnuts, etc.)

6 – Nursery, Greenhouse, Floriculture and Sod .........................................................

(bedding plants, bulbs, cut flowers, flower seeds, foliage plants, 6 ☐

mushrooms, nursery potted plants, shrubbery, sod, etc.)

7 – Cut Christmas Trees and Short Rotation Woody Crops ..................................... 7 ☐

8 – Other Crops and Hay, CRP and Pasture ...............................................................

(grass seed, hay and grass silage, hops, maple syrup, mint, 8 ☐

peanuts, sugarcane, sugarbeets, CRP, etc.)

9 – Hogs and Pigs ......................................................................................................... 9 ☐

10 – Milk and Other Dairy Products from Cows ............................................................ 10 ☐

11 – Cattle and Calves ....................................................................................................

(beef and dairy cattle for breeding stock, fed cattle, beef and dairy cull animals, 

stockers and feeders, veal calves, etc.)

11 ☐

12 – Sheep, Goats, and their Products ............................................................................12 (wool, mohair, milk and cheese)

13 – Horses, Ponies, and Mules ....................................................................................

(burros and donkeys)

14 – Poultry and Eggs ....................................................................................................

(broilers, chickens, turkeys, ducks, eggs, emus, geese, hatchlings, 

ostriches, pigeons, pheasants, quail, poultry products, etc.)

13 ☐

14 ☐

15 – Aquaculture ................................................................................................................15 (catfish, trout, ornamental and other fish, mollusks, crustaceans, etc.)

16 – Other Animals and Other Animal Products ..........................................................

(honey bees, honey, rabbits, fur-bearing animals, semen, manure, 

other animal specialties, etc.)

16 ☐

551

Farm Type 

Code

☐

☐

9
Section 5 - Operators

1. Are the day-to-day decisions for this operation made by oneindividual, 

a hired manager, or partners? [Check one]

☐ One individual - [Go to Section 6 on page 10.]

☐ A hired manager - [Go to Section 6 on page 10.]

☐ Partners – [Continue]

How many individuals are involved in the day-to-day decisions of this operation? 

(Enter the number of partners.) ......................................................................................

Include the partner named on the label. Partners jointly operate land and share in decision making. Do not include 

landlords and tenants as partners.

2. Please identify the other person(s) in this partnership, then go to Section 1, page 5.

[Verify partners' names and make necessary corrections if names have already been entered.]

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9922

Ind. Op.

9924

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9923

Ind. Op.

9924

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9927

Ind. Op.

9924

For Office Use Only

Stratum

9928

Ind. Op.

9924

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

☐ Yes ☐ No

Did this partner also operate land individually on 

June 1, 2018?

Phone: ( ) -

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Number

For Office Use Only

R. Unit

9921

June 1

9930

Subst

9941

10
Section 6 - CHANGE in OPERATOR

Complete this section only if you answered “NO” for all questions in item 2 on the face page.

1. Has the operation named on the label been sold, rented, or turned over to someoneelse?

☐ Yes - (Go to item 2) ☐ No - (Go to a.)

2. Please provide the following information for the operation that has taken over the land:

Operation Name: 

Operator Name: 

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Phone: ( ) -

3. Was this new operation, reported in item 2, in business before June 1, 2018?

☐ Yes - [Go to page 12.] ☐ No - [Continue.]

4. Is this new operation managed?

☐ Yes - [Go to page 12.] ☐ No - [Continue.]

5. Were any individuals associated with the new operation, reported in item 2 above, operating land 

individually before June 1, 2018?

☐ Yes - [Go to page 12.] ☐ No - [Go to page 12.]

(Regardless of answer to above, write a note to explain 

the situation, then go to page 12.)

☐ Yes ☐ Don't Know ☐ No

a. Will the land be used for any agricultural purpose by 

you (the operator), or anyone else in the next year? 

(INCLUDE growing crops or raising livestock.)

11
Section 7 - CONCLUSION

1. Do you (the operator named on the label) make any day-to-day decisions for another farm orranch?

☐ Yes - Continue ☐ No - Go to Item 3

a. What is the name of the other operation(s)? .....

[ENUMERATOR NOTE: IF ADDITIONAL OPERATION IS INDIVIDUAL OR PARTNERSHIP, answer item 2

below and complete a separate questionnaire for the additional operation.]

2. Was this additional operation in business before June 1, 2018?

☐ Yes - Continue ☐ No - Continue

Comments:

3. Survey Results: To receive the complete results of this survey on the release date go to

www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Guide_to_NASS_Surveys/

To have a brief summary emailed to you at a 

later date, please enter your email address.

Would you rather have a brief summary mailed to you at a later date? 1 ☐ Yes 3 ☐ No

Respondent Name:

9911

Phone:

9910

Date:

MM DD YY

Thank you for your help

OFFICE USE ONLY

Response Respondent Mode Enum. Eval. Change Office Use for POID

1-Comp 

2-R

3-Inac

4-Office Hold 

5-R – Est

6-Inac – Est

7-Off Hold – Est

9901 1-Op/Mgr 

2-Sp

3-Acct/Bkpr 

4-Partner

9-Oth

9902 1-PASI (Mail)

2-PATI (Tel)

3-PAPI (Faceto-Face) 

6-e-mail

7-Fax 

19-Other

9903 9998 9900 9985 9989

 - - 

Optional Use

9907 9908 9906 9916

S/E Name

Operation Name: 

Address:

City: State: ZIP: 

Phone: ( ) 

9990

1095

12