USDA SPRING

DATA USERS’ MEETING

2024



University of Chicago – Gleacher Center
2024 USDA Data Users Meeting

April 16, 2024

University of Chicago – Gleacher Center

450 North Cityfront Plaza Drive

Chicago, IL 60611

AGENDA

Central Time

12:30pm Registration

1:00pm Welcome and Overview

Lance Honig, National Agricultural Statistics Service

1:10pm Agency Reviews

Foreign Agricultural Service

World Agricultural Outlook Board

National Agricultural Statistics Service

Economic Research Service

Farm Service Agency

Agricultural Marketing Service

U.S. Census Bureau

2:15pm Open Forum - Questions and comments from participants

2:55pm Break

3:15pm Open Forum Continues

4:15pm Concluding Comments

4:30pm End

We are pleased to have representatives from the Risk Management Agency (RMA) and

Energy Information Administration (EIA) available for questions during the Open Forum.

Foreign Agricultural Service - Patrick Packnett .........................2

World Agricultural Outlook Board - Mark Jekanowski..............8

National Agricultural Statistics Service - Troy Joshua .............11

Economic Research Service - Kelly Maguire...........................16

Farm Service Agency - Tim Gravlin........................................ 24

Agricultural Marketing Service - Michael Sheats ................... 44

U.S. Census Bureau - Joseph DeCampo.................................. 52

AGENDA

2024 USDA Data Users Meeting

April 16, 2024

University of Chicago – Gleacher Center

450 North Cityfront Plaza Drive

Chicago, IL 60611

AGENDA

Central Time

12:30pm Registration

1:00pm Welcome and Overview

Lance Honig, National Agricultural Statistics Service

1:10pm Agency Reviews

Foreign Agricultural Service

World Agricultural Outlook Board

National Agricultural Statistics Service

Economic Research Service

Farm Service Agency

Agricultural Marketing Service

U.S. Census Bureau

2:15pm Open Forum - Questions and comments from participants

2:55pm Break

3:15pm Open Forum Continues

4:15pm Concluding Comments

4:30pm End

We are pleased to have representatives from the Risk Management Agency (RMA) and

Energy Information Administration (EIA) available for questions during the Open Forum.
2 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

Page 1 of 6

Update on Information and Data Products Available from

USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service

April 2024 

Export Sales Reporting 

Authorized under Section 602 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978, the Export Sales Reporting (ESR) 

Program requires exporters of reportable U.S. commodities to report each week all their export sales, 

regardless of the quantity, to the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), United States Department of 

Agriculture (USDA). There are 40 commodities currently covered under the program to include wheat, 

wheat products, barley, corn, grain sorghum, oats, rye, soybeans, soybean cake and meal, soybean oil, 

flaxseed, linseed oil, cotton, sunflower seed oil, cottonseed, cottonseed cake and meal, cottonseed oil, 

rice, cattle hides and skins, wet blues, beef, and pork. Users can access the ESR System at 

https://apps.fas.usda.gov/export-sales/esrd1.html. In addition to being available online through the ESR 

webpage and the ESR Query System, weekly and daily reports are available through e-mail via 

GovDelivery to all users who sign up. To receive ESR daily reports via e-mail, register at:

https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAFAS/subscriber/new) 

After the failure to launch the Export Sales Reporting and Maintenance System (ESRMS) 2.0, USDA is 

proposing a name change to the electronic export sales weekly reporting system. With the redesign of 

the system, data reporting and the query system will be available through the same application platform 

unlike in the legacy ESRMS. This change was made primarily to improve system security and 

accessibility. The data query can be accessed directly, such as it is now, and for data entry, registration 

and a log-in are required. Pending approval from the Office of Management and Budget, the new system 

will be called the Export Sales Reporting and Query System (ESRQS). 

FAS is maintaining the aggregated reporting approach and not moving to contract-based reporting. Key 

to the upgrade of ESRMS is automation of existing data entry forms used by program participants. 

Currently all data entry is done manually. The new system will allow for automatic uploads using Excel 

spreadsheets, automate calculations in the data entry screens, and build additional automated data entry 

fields into the electronic forms. 

FAS aims to launch ESRQS in late 2025.

For additional information, contact the Export Sales Reporting team at esr@usda.gov. 

Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) 

USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) provides timely reports on foreign markets through the 

Global Agriculture Information Network (GAIN). The reports contain intelligence and analysis on 

agriculture markets, production, foreign government policies, and trade. In 2023, 93 FAS offices 

published 2,091 GAIN reports, covering 124 markets. Reports published in 2022 were downloaded 

approximately 1.25 million times in 2023. 

The topics covered by GAIN reports and their format evolve over time. Reporting requirements are 

reviewed annually to ensure that reporting aligns with developments in global agricultural production 

and trade. The most significant changes this year were to the format and reporting dates for the Exporter 

Guide, Food Processing Ingredient, Retail Food, and Hotel Restaurant Institutional (HRI) reports.
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 3

Page 2 of 6

The GAIN database contains reports dating back to 1996 from 98 offices covering 177 markets. Users 

can access these from the GAIN homepage: https://gain.fas.usda.gov/#/.

For questions about the GAIN search engine, please contact 1-GAINAppSupport@fas.usda.gov.

To receive GAIN reports via email, register at: 

https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAFAS/subscriber/new.

Production Estimates

FAS maintains a website that is a dynamic global crop production portal with key information including 

World Agricultural Production (WAP) briefs, Commodity Intelligence Reports (CIR), and Drought and 

Flood Monitoring highlights (Figure 1, https://www.ipad.fas.usda.gov).

Figure 1. FAS home page for global crop production

The FAS website for global crop production also hosts an application called Crop Explorer that displays 

global precipitation, average temperature, maximum/minimum temperature, evapotranspiration, soil 
4 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

Page 3 of 6

moisture, snow cover, and NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) vegetation conditions

during the growing season. Crop Explorer also monitors SPI (Standardized Precipitation Index) Drought 

Severity in five-day time steps to quickly identify dry spells and the severity of droughts that may 

reduce crop yields during the growing season. 

The Crop Explorer website was upgraded to monitor the latest crop conditions and seasonal rainfall 

received for specific crops grown within primary production states. The upgraded Crop Explorer 

monitors twelve specific crops with related web apps called Corn Explorer, Soybean Explorer, Wheat 

Explorer, Cotton Explorer, etc. For example, the dashboard view for Soybean Explorer shows soybean 

production maps at sub-national (state or province) levels, cumulative rainfall, and NDVI crop 

conditions for all major soybean producing countries (Figure 2).

For more information, please contact Curt Reynolds at curt.reynolds@usda.gov.

Figure 2. Commodity Explorers and Dashboard View of Soybean Explorer 

Global Agricultural and Disaster Assessment System (GADAS)

GADAS is a powerful web-based, geospatial application that empowers users to assess crop conditions 

in near real-time. Users can review detailed data – such as precipitation, temperature, vegetation index 

anomalies, soil moisture, and more – with spatially disaggregated agricultural data to assess crop 

conditions and perform agricultural area impact analysis. GADAS has more than 1,000 data layers that 
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 5

Page 4 of 6

can be interactively visualized or downloaded as charts or maps. GADAS can be accessed directly at 

(https://geo.fas.usda.gov/GADAS/index.html) or through (https://www.ipad.fas.usda.gov).

GADAS is also designed to provide hourly updates of natural disasters (cyclone tracking, drought 

evolution, flooding impacts) as well as tools for rapid pre- and post-disaster agricultural assessments. 

The data sets can be viewed together with user uploaded data and geo-processing tools to enhance 

analysis, label the maps, and collaborate with colleagues. These datasets in GADAS make analysis 

easier because the work associated with obtaining the data, managing the geospatial products, and 

sharing them are all contained in a single environment. GADAS is a ready-to-use application for 

international analysis that improves collaboration between teams in FAS working around the world.

For questions, please contact Lisa Colson at lisa.colson@usda.gov.

Figure 3. GADAS home page

Production, Supply and Distribution (PSD) Online

USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) PSD Online provides reports and the option for custom 

queries for data on production, supply, and distribution of those agricultural commodities and 

commodity aggregates published in the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE)

Report, and for the United States and key producing and consuming countries and aggregated regions, 

going back to 1960. 

The international portion of the data is updated with input from agricultural attachés stationed at U.S. 

embassies around the world, FAS commodity analysts, and country and commodity analysts with the 

Economic Research Service (ERS). The U.S. domestic component is updated with input from analysts in 

FAS, ERS, the National Agricultural Statistical Service, and the Farm Service Agency. Interagency 

work on the database is carried out under the aegis of the World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB). 

The official USDA supply and distribution data is published monthly in: WAOB, WASDE; in the 

foreign agricultural commodity circular series issued by FAS; and in the regional situation and outlook 

reports and monthly commodity newsletters of ERS.
6 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

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Users can access PSD online at https://apps.fas.usda.gov/psdonline/app/index.html#/app/home.

For questions, please contact us at https://apps.fas.usda.gov/psdonline/app/index.html#/app/contact.

Global Agricultural Trade System (GATS)

USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Global Agricultural Trade System (GATS) includes U.S. 

agricultural, fishery, and forestry trade statistics dating back to 1967, through the inception of the 

harmonized coding system in 1989 to present. U.S. trade data are updated monthly according to the U.S. 

Census Bureau’s reporting system. Users can access the GATS homepage at 

https://apps.fas.usda.gov/gats/default.aspx.

For questions, please contact Jason Carver (Jason.Carver@usda.gov) or Alex Beckman

(Alexander.Beckman@usda.gov).

FAS Data Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)

USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) data API portal provides users the ability to obtain 

programmatic access to publicly available agricultural commodity data from the Global Agricultural 

Trade System (GATS), Production, Supply & Distribution (PSD), and Export Sales Report (ESR) 

databases. 

The FAS Open Data Services can be found at https://apps.fas.usda.gov/opendataweb/home. 

For technical questions, please contact the FAS Web Admin Team at FASWebAdminTeam@usda.gov.

FAS – U.S. Agricultural Export Yearbook

The 2023 Agricultural Export Yearbook will be published on the FAS website in late April 2024. The 

yearbook provides a statistical summary of U.S. agricultural commodity exports to the world and the 

United States’ primary trading partners. The 2023 Yearbook will be available at

https://www.fas.usda.gov/data. 

All U.S. export data found within the Yearbook are collected and published by the U.S. Census Bureau 

of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Foreign country export data are sourced from the reporting 

countries’ national statistical agencies as reported through Trade Data Monitor (TDM). The 2023 U.S. 

Agricultural Export Yearbook consists of two sections: 1) commodity exports, and 2) country of 

destination exports. The Yearbook utilizes FAS product groups as defined in the Global Agricultural 

Trade System (GATS) using the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) at the ten-digit level and 

aggregated into classifications that include the primary commodity and its derivatives. FAS has titled 

these product groups as “BICO (HS-10)”. BICO is an FAS designation that stands for Bulk, 

Intermediate & Consumer Oriented goods. 

The 13 Yearbook product groups or commodity aggregations are based on the United States’ largest 

export categories. The country Yearbook pages include the United States’ top seventeen export 

destinations. Each commodity and country page includes a list of drivers that influenced exports, market 

conditions affecting supply and demand, and policy and market access issues that impact the United 

States’ ability to export.
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 7

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Agricultural Tariff Tracker

To help exporters obtain information about tariff reductions resulting from free trade agreements 

(FTAs), FAS launched the Agricultural Tariff Tracker in 2013. The Ag Tariff Tracker has tariff, tariff 

rate quota (TRQ), and safeguard information for the United States’ existing free trade agreements with 

11 FTA partners. The last update was in 2019, when the terms of the U.S.– Japan Trade agreement were 

added to the Ag Tariff Tracker. 

This tool is available at https://apps.fas.usda.gov/agtarifftracker/Home/Search on the Trade Policy/Trade 

Agreements topic page of the FAS website: https://www.fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-agreements.

For questions, please contact Jason Carver (Jason.Carver@usda.gov).
8 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

Office of the Chief Economist

U.S. DEPARTMENT of AGRICULTURE

World Agricultural Outlook Board

Questions about World Agricultural Outlook Board programs may be directed to Mark Jekanowski Chairman, 

WAOB, Mail Stop 3812, South Building, USDA, Washington, D.C. 20250-3812; Mark.Jekanowski@usda.gov

The World Agricultural Outlook Board’s (WAOB) primary mission is to provide reliable and 

objective economic forecasts for farmers and other participants in the food and fiber system. 

Functions include coordinating USDA forecasts of domestic and international agriculture; 

providing economic analysis related to global commodity markets; monitoring markets and 

agricultural weather; and disseminating relevant commodity market information. 

Mark Jekanowski, WAOB Chairman, oversees the creation of the World Agricultural Supply 

and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report and chairs the Program Committee for USDA’s annual 

Agricultural Outlook Forum. Former positions include Deputy Director for the commodity 

outlook program at USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS), Chief of the Crops Branch at 

ERS, and Senior Vice President at Informa Economics.

WAOB senior economists chair the Department’s Interagency Commodity Estimates 

Committees (ICECs) and clear all USDA commodity outlook reports to ensure consistency with 

official USDA estimates. The ICECs develop supply and demand estimates for the United States

over 100 individual countries. Four USDA agencies are represented on the committees: 

Economic Research Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, Farm Service Agency, and the 

Agricultural Marketing Service. 

Report Usage: Each year, WAOB issues 12 monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand 

Estimates (WASDE) reports; and publishes 52 weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin reports. On 

average, the WASDE is accessed by over 100,000 users worldwide each month. It is one of 

USDA’s Principal Federal Economic Indicators and directly impacts commodity markets. The 

WASDE report is available at: https://www.usda.gov/oce/commodity/wasde 

USDA Baseline: WAOB oversees the annual publication of the inter-agency USDA Agricultural 

Long-term Projections. The Long-term Projections report provides a conditional long run 

scenario about what would be expected to happen to the global agricultural economy under a 

continuation of current farm legislation and other specific assumptions. These reports are an 

important source of strategic planning information used in formulating the President’s budget 

and for decision-making by agricultural producers, agribusiness leaders, and policy officials. The 

latest edition of the report and data tables (Projections to 2033) can be found at

https://www.usda.gov/oce/commodity-markets/baseline. 

Agricultural Weather Monitoring and Assessments: WAOB’s staff of meteorologists 

generate timely weather and crop assessments in support of the monthly Crop Production and 

WASDE reports issued by National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and WAOB, 

respectively. The meteorologists also provide weekly updates of crop weather to USDA Radio 
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 9

and often appear on local and national radio and television broadcasts. As recognized experts 

within the Department, they are often asked to brief Capitol Hill staff, review legislation, and 

contribute expertise to various USDA publications. They also routinely meet with foreign 

delegations and domestic groups regarding the process of using weather and climate products to 

produce agricultural weather assessments and yield forecasts. 

WAOB meteorologists publish the Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin (WWCB), which provides 

the public with weekly assessments of global agricultural weather. Data and products are 

supplied to the WWCB by NASS and NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, through a formal 

agreement establishing the Joint Agricultural Weather Facility. The WWCB averaged over 

10,000 downloads per week in FY23 from the USDA site, and additional downloads from the 

Cornell site. On a rotating basis, WAOB meteorologists prepare the weekly U.S. Drought 

Monitor and the monthly North American Drought Monitor. WAOB continues to engage our 

international counterparts and lends support to activities led by the World Meteorological 

Organization and Global Water Partnership. WAOB weather products can be found at: 

https://www.usda.gov/oce/weather-drought-monitor 

Mark Brusberg, Chief Meteorologist, chairs USDA’s Combined Drought and Water 

Management Team, a venue for agencies within the Department to share information and 

coordinate responses on projects and programs involving drought and water resources. He is 

USDA’s main point of contact for, drought-related activities involving the Department and other 

Federal Partners, especially the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Mr. 

Brusberg serves on the Executive Council of the NOAA-led National Integrated Drought 

Information System (NIDIS) and leads several projects related to the work done by NIDIS and 

other drought-oriented groups on behalf of the Department. 

USDA’s 100th Agricultural Outlook Forum, themed "Cultivating the Future," took place on 

February 15-16, 2024, in Arlington, Virginia. The forum was held in person, with all sessions 

live-streamed.

The Agricultural Outlook Forum (AOF) is USDA's largest and longest-running annual gathering. 

It routinely draws a large and diverse group of attendees including producers, processors, 

policymakers, government officials, and non-governmental organizations to discuss current and 

emerging issues. This year, the event attracted over 1,400 in-person participants, along with 

more than 5,000 virtual attendees from the U.S. and around the world. 

At the Forum's opening session, USDA's Chief Economist presented initial forecasts for the U.S. 

agricultural economy, commodity markets, and foreign trade for the new marketing year. 

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack delivered a keynote address emphasizing USDA's progress in 

creating a model to support agricultural producers of all sizes. 

The second-day plenary session focused on trade, featuring virtual remarks from Secretary of 

State Antony Blinken and an in-person speech by U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai. 

Secretary Vilsack led a discussion with Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay L. Carlson and 

Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E. Knapper to explore opportunities for U.S. agricultural exports 

in the global marketplace. 

The Forum program included over 120 expert speakers addressing topics such as commodity 
10 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

outlooks, climate-smart agriculture, innovative farming practices, and indigenous food practices. 

For more information about the Forum or to access sessions’ recordings, visit the event website.

INTERAGENCY COMMODITY ESTIMATES COMMITTEES

Note: The World Agricultural Outlook Board reviews and approves the World Agricultural 

Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report. The Board’s analysts chair the Interagency 

Commodity Estimates Committees (ICECs) that prepare the monthly report. 

Wheat: Mark Simone, ICEC Chair, WAOB, mark.simone@usda.gov

Andrew Sowell, ERS; Amy Gaito, FAS; Bruce McWilliams, FPAC

Rice: Mark Simone, ICEC Chair, WAOB, mark.simone@usda.gov

Nathan Childs, ERS; Rachel Trego, FAS; Kent Lanclos, FPAC.

Feed Grains: Michael Jewison, ICEC Chair, WAOB, michael.jewison2@usda.gov

Aaron Ates, ERS; Kevin Min, FAS; Jacob Vuillemin, FPAC.

Oilseeds: Joanna Hitchner, ICEC Chair, WAOB, joanna.hitchner@usda.gov Maria 

Bukowski, ERS; Agata Kingsbury, FAS; Gustavo Ferreira, FPAC.

Cotton: Stephen MacDonald, ICEC Chair, WAOB, stephen.macdonald3@usda.gov

Leslie Meyer, ERS; Graham Soley, FAS; Kent Lanclos, FPAC.

Sugar: Stephen Haley, ICEC Chair, WAOB, stephen.haley2@usda.gov

Vida Abadam, ERS; Souleymane Diaby, FAS; Barbara Fecso, FPAC.

Meat Animals: Shayle Shagam, ICEC Chair, WAOB, shayle.shagam@usda.gov

Sherry Wise, AMS; Mildred Haley, ERS; John Brower, FAS; Georgi Gabrielyan, FPAC.

Poultry: Shayle Shagam, ICEC Chair, WAOB, shayle.shagam@usda.gov

Peyton Ferrier, AMS; Grace Grossen, ERS; Claire Mezoughem, FAS; Georgi Gabrielyan, 

FPAC.

Dairy: Shayle Shagam, ICEC Chair, WAOB, shayle.shagam@usda.gov

Carolyn Liebrand, AMS; Angel Teran, ERS; Jeffery Dwyer, FAS; Georgi Gabrielyan, 

FPAC.

The 2024 WASDE report release dates are: Jan. 12, Feb. 8, March 8, April 

11, May 10, June 12, July 12, Aug. 12, Sept. 12, Oct. 11, Nov. 8, Dec. 10
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 11

NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE

STATISTICS DIVISION

What’s New and What’s Changing?

NASS Mission Statement:

To provide timely, accurate, and useful statistics in service to U.S. Agriculture

CROPS

NASS completed a thorough review of its annual es�ma�ng program in late 2023. The primary 

purpose is to ensure that the NASS annual es�ma�ng program targets commodi�es and states most 

relevant based on the latest available informa�on. Although the full results can be found at 

htps://www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Program_Review/index.php, the following items highlight 

some of the most notable changes.

• Dry Edible Peas

o NASS will remove wrinkled seed peas and Austrian winters peas from the dry edible 

peas es�mates. This change will make NASS es�mates more consistent with industry

standards.

• Potatoes

o NASS will no longer publish percentage es�mates of potatoes by type.

o NASS will no longer publish potato cer�fied seed es�mates.

o NASS will no longer publish potato stock es�mates for the Klamath Basin in the 

Potato Stocks report. 

o NASS will no longer publish processing breakouts for Malheur County and “other 

than Malheur County” in the Potato Stocks report. 

o NASS will no longer publish the monthly dehydrated es�mate in the Potato Stocks

report. NASS will con�nue to publish the annual dehydrated total in the annual 

Potatoes report. 

o NASS will no longer publish regional breakouts in the annual Potatoes report. 

• Dry Edible Beans

o NASS will no longer publish planted class es�mates in the August Crop Production 

report. NASS will con�nue class to publish end of season class es�mates for acreage, 

yield, and produc�on in the Crop Production Annual Summary report.

o NASS will no longer publish class es�mates for small white, baby lima, and large 

lima. These classes will be collected and published in the “other class” total.

o NASS will begin publishing class es�mates for white kidney, which was previously 

included in the “other class” total.

• All Crops

o Some states represen�ng a limited propor�on of the produc�on/value of various 

crops were eliminated from the annual es�ma�ng program. Compara�vely, states 

were added to the es�ma�on programs for crops in instances where the state’s 

produc�on/value now accounts for a significant por�on of the US total.
12 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

As is done following each Census of Agriculture, NASS reviewed es�mates for the previous 5 crop 

seasons (2018-2022). Final es�mates for these years were (or will be) published to Quick Stats on 

the following dates and will never be revised again.

• January 3, 2024: Citrus Fruits; Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts; and Vegetables

• January 9, 2024: Field Crops; Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes; Rice Stocks; and Stocks of Grain, 

Oilseeds and Hay

• February 16, 2024: Crop Values

• February 23, 2024: Corn (Grain and Silage), Sorghum and Soybean County Estimates

• March 8, 2024: Rice County Estimates

• March 15, 2024: Barley, Oats and Wheat County Estimates

• May 10, 2024: Cotton County Estimates

Due to budget constraints

• NASS will no longer publish small grain and row crop county es�mates beginning with the 

2024 crop year.

• The coton objec�ve yield survey has been discon�nued.

LIVESTOCK

NASS completed a thorough review of its annual es�ma�ng program in early 2024. The primary 

purpose is to ensure that the NASS annual es�ma�ng program targets commodi�es and states most 

relevant based on the latest available informa�on. Although the full results can be found at 

htps://www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Program_Review/index.php, the following items highlight 

some of the most notable changes.

• Hogs & Pigs

o NASS will reduce the number of individually published states from 50 to 16. The 34 

non-published states will be included in an “other states” total.

• Catle

o NASS will reduce the number of individually published states from 50 to 31 for all 

es�mates except catle & calves inventory, all cows inventory, and calf crop. 

• Catle on Feed

o NASS will move Minnesota from a published to non-published state in the monthly 

Cattle on Feed report. Minnesota will be included in the “other states” total.

• Milk Produc�on

o NASS will reduce the number of individually published states for the quarterly Milk 

Production from 50 to 33. The 17 non-published states will be included in an “other 

states” total.

• Goats

o NASS will reduce the number of individually published states for Goats – Meat from 

28 to 26. Nebraska will move from non-published to published. The 3 non-published 

states will be included in an “other states” total.

o NASS will increase the number of individually published states for Goats – Milk from 

29 to 30. Nevada will be the addi�onal state.
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 13

• Broilers

o NASS will move Florida & Louisiana from published to non-published states in the 

weekly Broiler Hatchery report. They will be included in the “other states” total.

• Chicken & Eggs

o NASS will move Maryland, South Dakota, & Virginia from published to non-published 

states in the monthly Chicken and Eggs report. They will be included in the “other 

states” total.

o NASS will move Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusets, Montana, South Dakota, 

Virginia, and West Virginia from published to non-published states in the annual 

Chicken and Eggs report. They will be included in the “other states” total.

• Trout

o NASS will publish 12 states individually in the Trout report.

• Honey

o NASS will reduce the number of individually published states for the Honey report 

from 39 to 20. The 30 non-published states will be included in an “other states” 

total.

• Mink

o NASS will no longer publish mink pelts produced and females bred to produce kits 

by state.

o NASS will no longer publish state level data by color class.

As is done following each Census of Agriculture, NASS reviewed es�mates for the previous 5 years 

(2018-2022). Final es�mates for these years were (or will be) published to Quick Stats on the 

following dates and will never be revised again.

• January 11, 2024: Hogs and Pigs

• February 2, 2024: Milk Cows & Production and Sheep and Goats

• March 5, 2024: Chicken and Eggs

• April 8, 2024: Honey

• April 29, 2024: Meat Animals Production, Disposition, and Income; Milk Production, 

Disposition, and Income; and Poultry Production and Value

Due to budget constraints

• NASS will not collect data nor publish the July Cattle report.

• NASS will no longer publish livestock county es�mates beginning in 2024.

Environmental, Economics and Demographics

Key reports were (or will be) released and are described below:

• On November 22, 2023, the Farm Labor data were released. Coefficients of varia�on 

associated with the model-based es�mates were also published.

• On February 16, 2024, the Farms and Land in Farms data were released. The June 

Agricultural Survey was used to compute indica�ons of farm numbers and acres of land in

farms.
14 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

• On April 30, 2024, the monthly Agricultural Prices report will be released using an updated 

annual benchmark methodology for all monthly prices paid indexes. The annual average of 

administra�ve data from the Bureau of Labor Sta�s�cs (BLS) and the Energy Informa�on 

Administra�on (EIA) is used as a component of the index formula.

• On May 10, 2024, Field Crop Chemical Usage data will be released. Origina�ng in 1990, the 

NASS Chemical Use data series is USDA’s official source of sta�s�cs about on-farm chemical 

use, fer�lizer use and pest management prac�ces.

• On July 17, 2024, Fruit Chemical Usage data will be released.

• The Cash Rents county level data will be released on August 23, 2024. NASS was directed 

through the “Food, Conserva�on, and Energy Act of 2008” and amended by the 

“Agricultural Act of 2014” to collect cash rents data for use by the Farm Service Agency 

(FSA) in program administra�on. Bayesian small area models are used for county level 

rented acre totals and rental rates.

As is done following each Census of Agriculture, NASS reviewed es�mates for the previous 5 years 

(2018-2022). Final es�mates for these years were published to Quick Stats on the following dates 

and will never be revised again.

• February 13, 2024: Farms & Land in Farms

• April 4: Land Values

Census of Agriculture Program

The Census of Agriculture (COA) was released on February 13, 2024. The briefing streamed on 

NASS’s YouTube channel at 12:00 p.m. ET on February 14, 2024. Many addi�onal data products are 

scheduled for release in 2024.

On July 18, 2024, the Puerto Rico Census of Agriculture will be released. In Puerto Rico, the 2022 

Census of Agriculture was taken in accordance with a Coopera�ve Agreement signed by NASS, the 

Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture, and the University of Puerto Rico Extension Service. It is the 

Island's 19th Census of Agriculture, with the first being taken in 1910.

Two Special Studies are underway for fiscal year 2024. The Irriga�on and Water Management 

Survey (IWMS) and the Census of Aquaculture.

• The IWMS is an integral part of the Census of Agriculture and is conducted every five years 

under the authority of the Census of Agriculture Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-113) where 

par�cipa�on is mandatory. The primary purpose of IWMS is to provide a wide range of

irriga�on–related data covering water usage, irriga�on prac�ces, irriga�on by type, 

irriga�on by crop, expenses, sources of informa�on, purchase of energy for pumping water 

by power source, and use of recycled or reclaimed water. Data collec�on began in February 

2024 with a release scheduled for November 14, 2024. The IWMS data series goes back to 

1979. It was last released in November 2018.

• The Census of Aquaculture is also conducted under the authority of the Census of 

Agriculture Act of 1997 and par�cipa�on is mandatory. The primary purpose of the Census 

of Aquaculture is to provide inventory, produc�on, value of sales and sales outlets, and 

distribu�on of fish not sold. The Census of Aquaculture will provide comprehensive data at 
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 15

the State and Na�onal level for aquaculture products such as shellfish, egg produc�on, food 

or sport fish, bai�ish, ornamentals, crustaceans, mollusks, ca�ish, crawfish, koi, minnows,

oysters, perch, so�-shell crabs, trout, and turtles. Data collec�on began in December 2023 

with the release scheduled for December 16, 2024.

Moderniza�on

NASS is commited to high standards of customer service and making it easy for farmers, ranchers,

and data users to interact with us. NASS is modernizing their online systems to improve the 

customer experience around repor�ng data and accessing NASS official federal agricultural data and 

reports. We are making accurate data available on schedule in ways that customers like yourself 

have told us they want.

NASS has con�nued its ongoing efforts to modernize its customer interfaces, making responding to 

surveys and accessing NASS data and reports faster, friendlier, and easier. This moderniza�on effort 

also allows NASS to work more efficiently. Moderniza�on is focused in two main areas, Data 

Collec�on and Data Dissemina�on.

Data Collec�on

NASS recently released the new Respondent Portal and all new data collec�ons now flow through 

this modern entry point. Immediate benefits of the portal are:

• Streamlined authen�ca�on process provides a convenient, central point to respond to all 

NASS surveys.

• Crea�ng and using a user account allows respondents to see past survey responses.

Incremental development and improvements over the next few years will further meet customer

expecta�ons, such as:

• Improve performance and speed of the portal and offer addi�onal op�ons for repor�ng 

data to NASS including an upload feature.

• Providing a customized digital experience designed around the user’s needs and behaviors. 

Farmers and ranchers will be able to build and save custom homepages to compare their 

data with other (na�onal, state, county) data.

• Integra�on with USDA’s Farmers.gov website, allowing farmers, ranchers, and

agribusinesses to expand their access to mul�ple USDA agencies’ informa�on to make 

decisions for their opera�on that are fact based and data driven.

Data Dissemina�on

Due to the current budget environment, progress on migra�ng ASB reports to a new release format 

has been slowed. NASS is exploring op�ons to keep the project moving forward.
16 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

U.S. Department of Agriculture | Economic Research Service | www.ers.usda.gov

Economic Research Service

The mission of USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) is to anticipate 

trends and emerging issues in agriculture, food, the environment, and rural 

America and to conduct high-quality, objective economic research to 

inform and enhance public and private decision making. 

Providing Research, Data & Expert Analysis to Support 

Evidence-Based Policymaking
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 17

U.S. Department of Agriculture | Economic Research Service | www.ers.usda.gov

 www.ers.usda.gov

Cover photo images from Adobe Stock and Getty Images.

Use of commercial and trade names does not imply approval or constitute endorsement by USDA.

To ensure the quality of its research reports and satisfy governmentwide standards, ERS requires that all 

research reports with substantively new material be reviewed by qualified technical research peers. This 

technical peer review process, coordinated by ERS' Peer Review Coordinating Council, allows experts who 

possess the technical background, perspective, and expertise to provide an objective and meaningful 

assessment of the output’s substantive content and clarity of communication during the publication’s review.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights 

regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in 

or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, 

religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital

status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal 

or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all 

bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., 

Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or 

USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay 

Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other 

than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDAProgram Discrimination Complaint Form,AD3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDAoffice or write a letter

addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all information requested in the form. To request a copy of the

complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S.

Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, 

SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
18 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

Resources & 

Environment

Economic impacts of conservation programs, efficacy of policies designed to protect

the environment, and the use of technology to enhance agricultural 

U.S. Department of Agriculture | Economic Research Service | www.ers.usda.gov

Food & 

Nutrition

Economic research and analysis on policy-relevant issues related to the food sector 

(food safety, food prices, and markets); consumer behavior related to food choices 

(food consumption, diet quality, and nutrition); and food and nutrition assistance 

programs (SNAP, WIC, National School Lunch Program).

High-Quality, Objective 

Economic Research

ERS research programs provide timely, independent, and objective information about the U.S. agricultural 

economy, its resources, and its links to the general economy and food markets. Our research integrates 

market information and economic theory to inform decision makers in the Government, the U.S. Congress, 

agribusinesses, farm and industry groups, the media, and the general public.

Our research covers a range of economic and policy topics, including:

Farm & Rural 

Economy

Farm sector performance and farm households’ well-being; farm size and concentration; 

investments in rural communities and drivers of rural economic performance; and demographic change and its impact on rural communities.

Commodity

Markets &

Outlook

Timely, in-depth analyses and information important to understanding and anticipating 

developments in agricultural commodity markets. The Outlook program covers the 

major field crops (feedgrains, oilseeds, wheat, rice, cotton, and sugar), livestock and 

products, specialty crops (fruits, nuts, vegetables, and pulses), and agricultural trade.

Global Markets

& Trade

Major markets and competitors; economic impacts of existing and potential exports 

and imports, trade barriers, and existing/potential trade agreements.
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 19

U.S. Department of Agriculture | Economic Research Service | www.ers.usda.gov

Timely Data on the 

Agricultural Economy 

and Commodity Markets

ERS creates more than 65 data products covering the agricultural economy, commodities, and food 

markets. Collectively, ERS data products were accessed 4 million times in fiscal year 2023. 

Our work on data products includes transforming raw survey data to make the information accessible to 

users, as well as developing new datasets based on economic models or through the compilation of data 

from diverse sources.

ERS releases four types of data products:

 Survey Data such as the Agricultural Resource Management Survey, which is a 

primary source of information on the financial conditions, production practices, and 

resource use of U.S. farm businesses.

 Model-Based Results, including estimates from our economic models, such as the 

Food Dollar series, which measures annual expenditures by U.S. consumers on 

domestically produced food; and the Agricultural Trade Multipliers, which estimate the 

amount of economic activity and jobs generated by agricultural exports.

 Economic Indicators and Summary Statistics compiled from an array of 

official sources. Examples include Farm Income estimates, Cost of Production estimates, 

and detailed data on commodity supply/use and U.S. agricultural trade.

 Charts and Visualizations, including Charts of Note released daily, Tableau 

visualizations, and an extensive inventory of chart galleries that display key trends and 

relationships across market variables.
20 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

U.S. Department of Agriculture | Economic Research Service | www.ers.usda.gov

Modernization of Data

Delivery

To expand the reach of our data products, ERS is continuously innovating to develop data dissemination 

tools and channels that meet the changing needs and expectations of our users. Ongoing efforts include:

Developing Structured and Automated Databases to facilitate open and centralized access to a broad range of data.

Expanding Use of Application Programming Interfaces

to allow users and developers to design new ways to access and 

present data.

Developing a New Data Dissemination Web Platform 

that will serve as a one-stop shop for our most used data, including 

commodity market data.

Leveraging Tableau and Other Visualization Software 

to present data in a modern, user-friendly format.

1

2

3

4

Food Price Environment: Interactive Visualization
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 21

U.S. Department of Agriculture | Economic Research Service | www.ers.usda.gov

Recent Publications by the

Economic Research Service

ERS releases periodic outlook reports covering developments in commodity markets, including seven 

monthly releases on field crops and livestock/dairy/poultry, two biannual reports covering specialty crops, 

and quarterly U.S. Agricultural Trade Outlook reports.

Other ERS outlooks, economic research reports and economic informational bulletins include: 

How China’s African Swine Fever Outbreaks Affected Global Pork Markets

After moving from Europe to China in 2018, the African swine fever (ASF) virus spread 

throughout China in less than a year after the country’s first outbreaks were reported, 

dramatically reducing China’s pork supplies. This report investigates the impacts on China’s 

pork market that resulted from the virus and how China’s increased demand for imported pork 

affected markets for pork-exporting countries. 

World Agricultural Production, Resource Use, and Productivity, 1961–2020

World agriculture has undergone significant transformation over the past six decades. Over 

this period, most regions of the world transitioned from a natural resource-dependent to a 

productivity-led growth path, made possible by the development and adoption of new 

technologies and farming practices. This report documents those changes, providing insights 

into shifting patterns of agricultural production and resource use world-wide. 

International Food Security Assessment, 2023–2033

Millions of people around the world lack access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food. Several 

factors affect the prevalence of food security including food availability (agricultural production 

and market conditions), access to food (economic and physical), stability (price and income 

shocks), and utilization (food safety and nutritional knowledge). This report focuses on the 

availability and access dimensions of food security. Using a demand-driven model that

integrates income, food prices, and food supply, the International Food Security Assessment. 

analysis helps USDA and its stakeholders assess food security for 83 countries in 5 regions: 

Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, the Former Soviet Union, Asia, and 

Latin America and the Caribbean.
22 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

U.S. Department of Agriculture | Economic Research Service | www.ers.usda.gov

The Stocking Impact and Financial-Climate Risk of the Livestock Forage 

Disaster Program

USDA operates a range of programs designed to help mitigate the costs imposed by drought 

on livestock producers. This report focuses on one of these programs, the USDA, Farm 

Service Agency’s Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), which provides payments to 

livestock producers impacted by drought or wildfire. 

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children 

(WIC): Background, Trends, and Economic Issues, 2024 Edition

The 2024 edition of the report explains how WIC works, discusses program trends, and 

summarizes research findings on key economic outcomes and policy issues facing the 

program. This report also outlines temporary changes to WIC in response to the Coronavirus 

(COVID-19) pandemic and the infant formula supply chain disruptions that occurred in 2022.

The Nature of the Rural-Urban Mortality Gap

The 2019 age-adjusted natural-cause mortality (NCM) rate for the prime working-age 

population (aged 25–54) was 43 percent higher in rural (nonmetropolitan) areas than in urban 

(metropolitan) areas. This is a shift from 25 years ago when NCM rates in urban and rural 

areas were similar for this age group. As a first step to understanding the increasing gap 

between rural and urban NCM rates, this report examines natural (disease-related) deaths for 

prime working-age adults in rural and urban areas between 1999 and 2019 using data from the 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade: February 2024

This report presents and discusses USDA’s February 2024 quarterly USDA forecasts for 

agricultural trade in the United States for fiscal year 2024.
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 23

U.S. Department of Agriculture | Economic Research Service | www.ers.usda.gov

Examples of Data Products by the

Economic Research Service

Primary–Survey Data

 ARMS Farm Financial and Crop Production Practices, which are developed jointly with 

USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

Model Results Estimates

 Food Dollar

 Agricultural Trade Multipliers

 International Baseline Data

 Season-Average Price Forecasts

Summary Statistics 

 Foreign Agricultural Trade of the U.S.

 U.S. Bioenergy Statistics

 Feed Grains Database

 Livestock & Meat Domestic Data

Charts and Visualizations

 Charts of Note  Now available via mobile app

 Cross-Commodity Visualization
24 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

What’s New at FSA

October 2023 – April 2024

USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program Pays More Than 

$1.77 Billion to America’s Producers in Support of 

Conservation and Climate-Smart Agriculture

Agricultural producers and landowners have chosen conservation on 

more than 23 million acres of private land nationwide.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16, 2023 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has 

issued more than $1.77 billion this year to agricultural producers and 

landowners through its Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), a critical piece of 

the Department’s efforts to support climate-smart agriculture and forestry on 

working lands. Right now, CRP’s more than 667,000 participants received 

payments from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) for their voluntary 

conservation efforts on more than 23 million acres of private land. Since 2021, 

CRP has grown by 21 percent in terms of acres enrolled, testament to the 

Biden-Harris administration’s program improvement efforts. 

“Through the addition of tools to sequester carbon, reduce greenhouse gas 

emissions and better quantify these efforts, while also bringing into the fold 

more Tribes and underserved producers, we’ve made the Conservation Reserve 

Program better for our nation’s natural resources and for our agricultural 

producers and landowners,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “These 

producers and landowners voluntarily place their land under contract and, in the 

spirit of stewardship, agree to establish and maintain prescribed conservation 

practices for the life of contract. We’re grateful to all CRP participants who are 

making a tremendous difference by proactively addressing climate change and 

conserving natural resources now and for future generations.”

Top five states for CRP participant payments:

• Iowa, $402,508,900

• Illinois, $172,723,800

• Minnesota, $150,773,400

• South Dakota, $129,545,200

• Missouri, $99,849,600
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 25

Improvements to CRP

Since 2021, FSA has made improvements to the program: 

• Introducing a new climate-smart practice incentive for CRP general 

and continuous signups designed to reward participants who implement 

conservation practices that increase carbon sequestration and reduce 

greenhouse gas emissions.

• Enabling additional soil rental rate adjustments or rate flexibilities, 

including a possible increase in rates where appropriate.

• Increasing payments for practice incentives from 20 percent to 50 

percent. This incentive, in addition to cost share payments, for continuous 

CRP practices is based on establishment cost.

• Increasing payments for water quality practices rates from 10 percent 

to 20 percent for certain water quality benefiting practices available 

through the CRP continuous signup, such as grassed waterways, riparian 

buffers and filter strips.

• Establishing a Grassland CRP minimum rental rate benefitting more 

than 1,000 counties with rates currently below the $13 minimum.

Additionally, FSA made significant improvements to the Conservation Reserve 

Enhancement Program (CREP) that reduce barriers by making the program 

more accessible to a broader cross-section of agricultural producers and new 

conservation partners. These program improvements include the flexibility for 
26 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

partners to provide matching funds in the form of cash, in-kind contributions, or 

technical assistance and the ability for FSA to invest in additional, full-time staff 

devoted to working directly with our CREP partners and program specialists in 

FSA’s state offices. 

Since 2021, FSA has also entered into the first-ever Tribal Nations CREP 

agreements in partnership with the Cheyenne River, Rosebud and Oglala Sioux 

Tribes. In 2022, USDA also entered into the Big Sioux River Watershed CREP 

agreement with the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish & Parks to assist 

farmers, ranchers and agricultural landowners to improve water quality, reduce 

soil erosion, enhance wildlife habitat, and create public hunting and fishing 

access. These CREP agreements reflect priorities and goals of USDA to 

broaden the scope and reach of its voluntary, incentive-based conservation 

programs to engage underserved producers. 

FSA’s conservation programs had a strong showing in 2023. FSA partnered with 

producers and landowners to enroll 3.9 million CRP this year –including 927,000 

enrolled acres through General CRP, 2.3 million acres enrolled in Grassland 

CRP and 694,000 acres enrolled in Continuous CRP. These results underscore 

the continued importance of CRP as a tool to help producers invest in the longterm health, sustainability, and profitability of their land and natural resources.

USDA to Provide More Than $3 Billion to Commodity 

and Specialty Crop Producers Impacted by 2022 Natural 

Disasters 

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2023 - The U. S Department of Agriculture (USDA) will 

provide more than $3 billion to commodity and specialty crop producers 

impacted by natural disaster events in 2022. Eligible impacted producers can 

apply for financial assistance through the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) 

2022. The program will help offset the financial impacts of crop yield and value 

losses from qualifying disasters occurring in 2022.

“2022 was another year of weather-related challenges — for some, the third 

consecutive year or more in a row. The financial impact to a family farm or 

ranch in one year is significant but the cumulative impact of multiple years can 

be devastating,” said USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Zach 

Ducheneaux. “In our continued commitment to improving our delivery of 

emergency relief assistance, we have further refined our Emergency Relief 

Program 2022 delivery process. Instead of two separate program phases, we 

will now run two tracks concurrently increasing our efficiencies in application 

and payment processing while ensuring equitable program delivery. We also 
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 27

listened to important input from producers and stakeholders and have enhanced 

ERP 2022 provisions to ensure shallow loss impacts on revenue are 

considered.” 

Background 

On Dec. 29, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Disaster Relief 

Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328) that provides about $3.7 

billion in financial assistance for agricultural producers impacted by eligible 

natural disasters that occurred in calendar year 2022. 

ERP 2022 covers losses to crops, trees, bushes and vines due to qualifying, 

calendar year 2022 natural disaster events including wildfires, hurricanes, 

floods, derechos, excessive heat, tornadoes, winter storms, freeze (including a 

polar vortex), smoke exposure, excessive moisture, qualifying drought and 

related conditions. 

ERP 2022 program benefits will be delivered to eligible producers through a 

two-track process. FSA intends to make both tracks available to producers at 

the same time. This two-track approach enables USDA to: 

• Streamline the application process. 

• Reduce the paperwork burden on producers. 

• Proactively include provisions for underserved producers who have not 

been well served by past emergency relief efforts. 

• Encourage producer participation in existing risk management programs 

to mitigate the impacts of future severe weather events. 

It’s important to note that disaster-impacted producers may be eligible for ERP 

2022 assistance under one or both tracks. To avoid duplicative benefits, if a 

producer applies for both tracks, the Track 2 payment calculation will take into 

account any payments received through Track 1. 

ERP 2022 Application Process – Track 1 

ERP 2022 Track 1 leverages existing federal crop insurance or Noninsured Crop 

Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) data as the basis for calculating payments 

for eligible crop producers who received indemnities through these risk 

management programs. 

Although FSA is sending pre-filled ERP 2022 Track 1 application forms to 

producers who have crop insurance and NAP data already on file with USDA, 

producers indemnified for losses resulting from 2022 natural disasters do not 

have to wait to receive the application before requesting ERP 2022 assistance. 
28 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

Effective Oct. 31, 2023, producers can apply for ERP 2022 benefits whether 

they have received the pre-filled application or not. Receipt of a pre-filled 

application is not confirmation that a producer is eligible to receive an ERP 

2022 Track 1 payment. 

USDA estimates that ERP Track 1 benefits will reach more than 206,000 

producers who received indemnities for losses covered by federal crop 

insurance and more than 4,500 producers who obtained NAP coverage for the 

2022 crop year. 

ERP 2022 Application Process – Track 2 

Track 2 is a revenue-based certification program designed to assist eligible 

producers who suffered an eligible decrease in revenue resulting from 2022 

calendar year disaster events when compared with revenue in a benchmark 

year using revenue information that is readily available from most tax 

records. In cases where revenue does not reasonably reflect a normal year’s 

revenue, Track 2 provides an alternative method for establishing revenue. 

Likewise, Track 2 affords producers of crops that are used within an operation 

and do not generate revenue from the sale of the crop a method for establishing 

revenue for the purpose of applying for ERP 2022 benefits. Producers are not 

required to submit tax records to FSA unless requested by the County 

Committee if required for an FSA compliance spot check. 

Although not required when applying for ERP 2022 Track 2, applicants might 

find the following documents useful to the process: 

• Schedule F (Form 1040) 

• Profit or Loss from Farming or similar tax documents for tax years 2018, 

2019, 2022 and 2023. 

Track 2 targets gaps in emergency relief assistance for eligible producers 

whose eligible losses were not covered by crop insurance or NAP including 

revenue losses too small (shallow loss) to be covered by crop insurance. 

Producers interested in applying for ERP 2022 Track 2, should contact their 

local FSA county office. Additional reference resources can be found on 

FSA’s emergency relief website. 

Additional Required Forms 

For both ERP 2022 tracks, all producers must have certain required forms on 

file with FSA within 60 days of the ERP 2022 deadline. Producers can apply for 

ERP 2022 starting Oct. 31, 2023. The application deadline has not yet been 
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 29

determined and will be announced at a later date. If not already on file, 

producers can update, complete and submit required forms to FSA at any time. 

Required forms: 

• Form AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet.

• Form CCC-902, Farm Operating Plan for an individual or legal entity. 

• Form CCC-901, Member Information for Legal Entities (if applicable). 

• Form FSA-510, Request for an Exception to the $125,000 Payment 

Limitation for Certain Programs (if applicable). 

• Form CCC-860, Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and 

Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification, if applicable, for the 2022 

program year. 

• A highly erodible land conservation (sometimes referred to as HELC) and 

wetland conservation certification (Form AD-1026 Highly Erodible Land 

Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification) for 

the ERP producer and applicable affiliates. 

Most producers, especially those who have previously participated in FSA 

programs, will likely have these required forms on file. However, those who are 

uncertain or want to confirm the status of their forms can contact their local FSA 

county office. 

Future Insurance Coverage Requirements 

All producers who receive ERP 2022 payments must purchase crop insurance, 

or NAP coverage where crop insurance is not available, in the next two 

available crop years as determined by the Secretary. Purchased coverage must 

be at the 60/100 coverage level or higher for insured crops or at the 

catastrophic coverage level or higher for NAP crops. 
30 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

More than $1.4B to date has been disbursed in ERP 2022 funds.

USDA to Begin Issuing Pandemic Assistance Revenue 

Program Payments

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13, 2023 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

today announced that it will begin issuing more than $223 million in Pandemic 

Assistance Revenue Program (PARP) payments. These payments help 

producers who suffered a decrease in allowable gross revenue due to the 

COVID-19 pandemic for the 2020 calendar year. 

Eligible PARP applicants must have been in the business of farming during at 

least part of the 2020 calendar year and had a 15% or greater decrease in 

allowable gross revenue for the 2020 calendar year, as compared to a baseline 

year. PARP benefits help address gaps in previous pandemic assistance, which 

was targeted at price loss or lack of market access, rather than overall revenue 

losses. PARP was designed to help deliver financial assistance to a broader set 

of producers, including underserved communities, small and medium sized 

producers, and farmers and producers of livestock and less traditional crops. 

“USDA realizes the importance of PARP payments, especially since they are 

benefitting producers who may not have received assistance through other 

USDA pandemic assistance programs,” said Farm Service Agency (FSA) 

Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “PARP implementation marks the delivery of 

the final program in the suite of pandemic assistance programs provided by FSA 
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 31

and is also one of the first times that FSA has delivered a program focused on 

decreases in revenue. The number of applications we received for PARP 

assistance shows there is producer need for and interest in programs that 

consider other indicators of disaster impacts on their business, like decreases 

in revenue.” 

The PARP application period closed July 14, 2023. More than 38,500 PARP 

applications triggered payments totaling nearly $7 billion, meaning PARP 

program participation exceeds available funding. Therefore, consistent with 

PARP regulations, to ensure equitable funding distribution to all eligible 

producers, a 9.5% payment factor has been applied to all payments. These 

PARP payments are in addition to the $31.9 billion in pandemic assistance that 

USDA has already provided to eligible producers through the Coronavirus Food 

Assistance Program 1 and 2 as well as the FSA programs in the Pandemic 

Assistance for Producers initiative.

“It is important to remember that, as part of filling gaps in equitable service to 

all pandemic-impacted producers, we were able to increase the number of 

specialty crop and underserved producers benefiting from pandemic assistance 

and bring new producers to FSA through our Service Center doors,” said 

Ducheneaux. “The demand for PARP assistance greatly exceeds available 

funding resources. We left no stone unturned in our efforts to find additional 

funding. We worked to assist as many producers in need of help as possible in 

designing PARP, which requires the current decision to heavily factor payments 

consistent with program regulations.”
32 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

More than $195M to date has been disbursed in PARP funds.

USDA to Issue $306 Million in Final Payments to 

Producers Impacted by 2020 and 2021 Natural Disasters 

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2024 - The U. S Department of Agriculture (USDA) is 

issuing final Emergency Relief Program (ERP) payments totaling approximately 

$306 million to eligible commodity and specialty crop producers who incurred 

losses due to natural disasters in 2020 and 2021. USDA’s Farm Service Agency 

(FSA) will begin issuing these additional payments to eligible producers this 

week.

“In the natural disaster recovery process, every little bit of available assistance 

helps offset the financial toll that these catastrophic events have taken on 

agricultural producers, their families, and their operations,” said FSA 

Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “With remaining funds after initial factoring, 

USDA was able to put additional money back in the hands of the producers as 

we strive for the most fair and equitable distribution of available funds to as 

many producers as possible.”

Recipients of the additional payment are limited to those producers who 

received ERP Phase One payments from FSA that were calculated based 

on crop insurance indemnities. Initially, ERP Phase One payments to producers 
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 33

who were indemnified through Federal crop insurance, were subject to a 75% 

payment factor. FSA has since determined that adequate funding exists to 

provide an additional 3.5% ERP Phase One payment to producers who had crop 

insurance increasing the overall payment factor to 78.5%. These additional ERP 

Phase One payments are subject to FSA payment limitation provisions as 

outlined in the ERP Phase One fact sheet. 

Because ERP Phase One payments to producers of noninsured crops covered 

by FSA NAP policies were originally paid at 100%, there will be no additional 

payments issued to these producers for 2020 and 2021 losses. 

The Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act, 

2021 (P.L. 117-43) provided $10 billion in assistance to agricultural producers 

impacted by wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, winter storms and other eligible 

disasters experienced during calendar years 2020 and 2021. In 2022, FSA 

implemented ERP Phase One, which delivered $7.5 billion in payments to 

commodity and specialty crop producers. For Phase One, ERP used a 

streamlined process with pre-filled application forms, leveraging crop insurance 

indemnities or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) payments 

on file with USDA. 

Separately, through the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 

(P.L. 117-328) Congress allocated approximately $3.2 billion in funding to cover 

necessary expenses related to losses of revenue, quality or production losses of 

crops. Enrollment is ongoing for ERP 2022, which covers losses to crops, trees, 

bushes and vines due to qualifying, calendar year 2022 natural disaster events 

including wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, tornadoes, 

winter storms, freeze (including a polar vortex), smoke exposure, excessive 

moisture, qualifying drought and related conditions.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In 

the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system 

with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer 

markets for all producers, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all 

communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and 

producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic 

investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and 

committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and 

building a workforce more representative of America.
34 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

More than $8.6B to date has been disbursed in ERP funds

USDA ERP Public Dashboard: ERP Dashboard (usda.gov)

Dairy Producers Can Enroll for 2024 Dairy Margin 

Coverage Beginning Feb. 28

Payments to Begin Early March 

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2024– Starting next Wednesday, dairy producers will 

be able to enroll for 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC), an important safety 

net program offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that 

provides producers with price support to help offset milk and feed price 

differences. This year’s DMC signup begins Feb. 28, 2024, and ends April 29, 

2024. For those who sign up for 2024 DMC coverage, payments may begin as 

soon as March 4, 2024, for any payments that triggered in January 2024.
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 35

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has revised the regulations for DMC to 

allow eligible dairy operations to make a one-time adjustment to established 

production history. This adjustment will be accomplished by combining 

previously established supplemental production history with DMC production 

history for those dairy operations that participated in Supplemental Dairy Margin 

Coverage during a prior coverage year. DMC has also been authorized through 

calendar year 2024. Congress passed a 2018 Farm Bill extension requiring 

these regulatory changes to the program.

“FSA is announcing the sign up for 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage. We encourage 

producers to enroll in this important safety net program. In reviewing 2023 

margins and the more than $1.2 billion in Dairy Margin Coverage payments 

issued to producers, Dairy Margin Coverage is proven to be a program to 

reduce risk for our dairy producers,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. 

“If 2023 taught us anything, it’s that we honestly have no idea what will happen 

in the market in any given year. Producers who took advantage of this 

affordable risk management tool for the 2023 program year, were able to 

mitigate some financial impacts on their operations. At $0.15 per hundredweight 

for $9.50 coverage, risk protection through Dairy Margin Coverage is a relatively 

inexpensive investment in a true sense of security and peace of mind.” 

DMC is a voluntary risk management program that offers protection to dairy 

producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed 

price (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the 

producer. In 2023, Dairy Margin Coverage payments triggered in 11 months 

including two months, June and July, where the margin fell below the 

catastrophic level of $4.00 per hundredweight, a first for Dairy Margin Coverage 

or its predecessor Margin Protection Program. 

2024 DMC Coverage and Premium Fees 

FSA has revised DMC regulations to extend coverage for calendar year 2024, 

which is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2024, and to provide an adjustment to the 

production history for dairy operations with less than 5 million pounds of 

production. In previous years, smaller dairy operations could establish a 

supplemental production history and receive Supplemental Dairy Margin 

Coverage. For 2024, dairy producers can establish one adjusted base 

production history through DMC for each participating dairy operation to better 

reflect the operation’s current production.

For 2024 DMC enrollment, dairy operations that established supplemental 

production history through Supplemental Dairy Margin Coverage for coverage 

years 2021 through 2023, will combine the supplemental production history with 

established production history for one adjusted base production history. 
36 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

For dairy operations enrolled in 2023 DMC under a multi-year lock-in contract, 

lock-in eligibility will be extended until Dec. 31, 2024. In addition, dairy 

operations enrolled in multi-year lock-in contracts are eligible for the discounted 

DMC premium rate during the 2024 coverage year. To confirm 2024 DMC lock-in 

coverage or opt out in favor of an annual contract for 2024, dairy operations 

having lock-in contracts must enroll during the 2024 DMC enrollment period. 

DMC offers different levels of coverage, even an option that is free to 

producers, minus a $100 administrative fee. The administrative fee is waived for 

dairy producers who are considered limited resource, beginning, socially 

disadvantaged or a military veteran. To determine the appropriate level of DMC 

coverage for a specific dairy operation, producers can use the online dairy 

decision tool. 

DMC Payments 

DMC payments are calculated using updated feed and premium hay costs, 

making the program more reflective of actual dairy producer expenses. These 

updated feed calculations use 100% premium alfalfa hay.

DMC Public Dashboard: Program Enrollment Informa�on (usda.gov)
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 37

USDA Provides $208 Million to Help Prevent 

Guaranteed Borrower Foreclosures and to Assist 

Emergency Loan Borrowers

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture today 

announced that it is providing approximately $208 million in automatic financial 

assistance for qualifying farm and emergency loan borrowers. This 

announcement is made possible by $3.1 billion in assistance for distressed farm 

loan borrowers provided in Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act, an 

important part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.

To help prevent foreclosures, USDA will cover approximately $80 million in 

delinquencies for an estimated 210 borrowers whose qualifying guaranteed 

loans were flagged for liquidation as of Nov. 30, 2023. USDA will also provide 

approximately $128 million for an estimated 1,120 borrowers with currently 

outstanding direct Emergency Loans as of Nov. 30, 2023. Any distressed 

borrowers who qualify for this assistance and are currently in bankruptcy will be 

addressed using the same case-by-case review process announced in October 

2022 for complex cases.

“At USDA, we are working hard every day to keep farmers on their farms. With 

the Inflation Reduction Act, we’ve begun charting a very different course than 

the one taken during the farm financial crisis in the 1980s,” said Agriculture 

Secretary Tom Vilsack. “We continue to work on credit reforms centered around 

this better approach and I encourage our lenders and borrowers alike to work 

with our local offices and our cooperators to capitalize on all available 

flexibilities in these important programs prior to foreclosing or liquidating farms.”

Since the Inflation Reduction Act was signed by President Biden in August 

2022, USDA’s Farm Service Agency has provided approximately $1.7 billion in 

immediate assistance to more than 30,000 distressed borrowers as part of an 

ongoing effort to keep borrowers farming and ranching, remove obstacles that 

currently prevent many borrowers from returning to their land, and improve the 

way that FSA approaches borrowing and loan servicing in the long-term. More 

options to prevent avoidable guaranteed loan foreclosures are currently being 

developed.

For any qualifying guaranteed borrowers that also qualified for previous Inflation 

Reduction Act assistance announced in October 2022 or August 2023, payments 

may be adjusted to account for that assistance.
38 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

Individual Requests for Distressed Farmers Seeking Assistance

In addition to the assistance announced today, FSA continues to accept 

individual distressed borrower assistance requests from direct loan borrowers 

who missed a recent installment or are unable to make their next scheduled 

installment on a qualifying direct farm loan due to cash flow issues, or those 

distressed borrowers who took certain extraordinary measures to avoid 

delinquency on their qualifying direct loans. More information on eligibility 

criteria for this assistance may be found on the Inflation Reduction Act 

Assistance for Distressed Borrowers page. 

Borrowers can submit requests in person at their local FSA office or by sending 

in a direct request using the extraordinary measures or cash flow-based 

assistance portals found on farmers.gov. All requests for extraordinary 

measures or cash flow-based assistance must be received by Dec. 31, 2023.

Important Tax Information

Like the other USDA Inflation Reduction Act assistance, payments provided to 

borrowers and payments to be applied to FSA farm loan accounts will be 

reported to the Internal Revenue Service. Borrowers will receive a 1099 form 

from FSA. Please note that payments over $600 are subject to federal and state 

income taxes and will be reflected on the annual 1099 form. Borrowers are 

encouraged to consult a tax professional with all tax-related questions regarding 

any Inflation Reduction Act assistance received. USDA also has tax-related 

resources at farmers.gov/taxes. 

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In 

the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system 

with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer 

markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food 

in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and 

producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic 

investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and 

committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and 

building a workforce more representative of America.

USDA Now Accepting Applications for 

Farm Loans Online

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has 

launched an online application for Direct Loan customers. More than 26,000 
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 39

customers who submit a Direct Loan application each year can now use an 

online, interactive, guided application that is paperless and provides helpful 

features including an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting 

documents such as tax returns, complete a balance sheet and build a farm 

operating plan. This tool is part of a broader effort by USDA’s Farm Service 

Agency (FSA) to streamline its processes, improve customer service, and 

expand credit access. 

“The Biden-Harris Administration is working hard to make it easier for farmers 

and ranchers to get the loans they need to keep growing food, fiber, and fuel for 

our country,” said Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small. “Online services are 

commonplace in commercial lending, and with USDA Farm Service Agency's 

new online loan application feature, it is now easier for producers to get the 

financing they need to start, expand, or maintain their farming and ranching 

operations.”

The online farm loan application replicates the support an applicant would 

receive when completing a loan application in person with an FSA Farm Loan 

Officer, while continuing to provide customers with one-on-one assistance as 

needed. This tool and other process improvements allow farmers and ranchers 

to submit complete loan applications and reduce the number of incomplete and 

withdrawn applications. 

Through a personalized dashboard, borrowers can track the progress of their 

loan application. It can be accessed on farmers.gov or by completing FSA’s 

Loan Assistance Tool at farmers.gov/loan-assistance-tool. To use the online 

loan application tool, producers must establish a USDA customer account and 

a USDA Level 2 eAuthentication (“eAuth”) account or a Login.gov account. For 

the initial stage, the online application tool is only available for producers who 

will be, or are currently, operating their farm as an individual. FSA is expanding 

the tools availability to married couples applying jointly and other legal entities 

in 2024. 

Farm Loan Improvement Efforts 

FSA has a significant initiative underway to streamline and automate Farm Loan 

Program customer-facing business processes. For the over 26,000 producers 

who submit a Direct Loan application to FSA annually, and its 85,000 Direct 

Loan borrowers, FSA has made improvements this year, including: 

• A simplified direct loan paper application, reduced from 29 pages to 13 

pages. 

• The Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov that provides customers with an 

interactive online, step-by-step guide to identifying the Direct Loan 
40 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

products that may be a fit for their business needs and to understanding 

the application process. 

More Information 

FSA continues to accept and review individual requests for assistance from 

qualifying borrowers who took certain extraordinary measures to avoid 

delinquency on their direct FSA loans or those who were unable to make a 

recent installment or are unable to make their next scheduled installment for 

installments through January 15, 2024. All requests for assistance must be 

received by Dec. 31, 2023. For more information, or to submit a request for 

assistance, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center or 

visit farmers.gov/inflation-reduction-investments/assistance.  

The Inflation Reduction Act, a historic, once-in-a-generation investment and 

opportunity for agricultural communities, provided $3.1 billion for USDA to 

provide relief for distressed borrowers with certain FSA direct and guaranteed 

loans and to expedite assistance for those whose agricultural operations are at 

financial risk. Since October 2022, USDA has provided approximately $1.6 

billion in assistance to more than 27,000 distressed direct and guaranteed FSA 

loan borrowers.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In 

the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system 

with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer 

markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food 

in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and 

producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic 

investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and 

committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and 

building a workforce more representative of America.

Since the launch on December 2, 2024, 99 direct loan making applications have 

been submitted in 33 states as of April 3, 2024. 

Note: The online application tool is currently only available for producers who 

will be, or are, operating their farm as an individual. FSA is expanding the tools 

availability to married couples applying jointly and other legal entities in 2024.
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 41

Application Fast Track Pilot Program

Notification of the Application Fast Track Pilot Program (AFT) was published in 

the Federal Register on August 3, 2023 (FR Doc. 2023-16489).

AFT provides an accelerated underwriting process using financial data to 

benchmark and identify applicants least likely to default. The expedited 

underwriting provided through AFT will result in significant time savings 

anticipated to benefit the entire FLP portfolio, as staff redistribute time and 

resources toward other priorities, including additional attention to applicants 

most in need of technical assistance.

There were 166 Service Centers originally identified as pilot program offices that began 

implementing the pilot on August 7, 2023. The pilot program was expanded to all Service 

Centers nationwide in January 2024 and will continue through September 30, 2024. 

Across the 166 offices included in the first phase of the pilot (August 7,2023 – December 

31, 2023):

• 454 obligated loans were processed under AFT

• 23 percent of obligations were processed under AFT

• Applications using AFT were processed about 6 days faster on average.

Farmers, Ranchers Now Can Make USDA Farm Loan 

Payments Online

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

announced today that most farm loan borrowers will be able to make payments 

to their direct loans online through the Pay My Loan feature on farmers.gov in 

early February. Pay My Loan is part of a broader effort by USDA’s Farm Service 

Agency (FSA) to streamline its processes, especially for producers who may 

have limited time during the planting or harvest seasons to visit a local FSA 

office; modernize and improve customer service; provide additional customer 

self-service tools; and expand credit access to assist more producers.

“Farmers and ranchers have responded to some difficult challenges over the 

last few years and their time is a precious commodity,” said Agriculture Deputy 

Secretary Xochitl Torres Small. "Having the option to conduct business online is 

essential, and the Pay My Loan feature allows customers to take care of 

business seamlessly. The online payment feature is just one of many ways the 
42 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

Farm Service Agency is modernizing its Farm Loan Programs and enhancing the 

customer experience for this incredibly hardworking group.”

On average, local USDA Service Centers process more than 225,000 farm loan 

payments each year. Pay My Loan gives most borrowers an online repayment 

option and relieves them from needing to call, mail, or visit a Service Center to 

pay their loan installment. Farm loan payments can now be made at the 

borrower’s convenience, on their schedule and outside of FSA office hours.

Pay My Loan also provides time savings for FSA’s farm loan employees by 

minimizing manual payment processing activities. This new service for 

producers means that farm loan employees will have more time to focus on 

reviewing and processing new loans or servicing requests.

The Pay My Loan feature can be accessed at farmers.gov/loans. To use the 

payment feature, producers must establish a USDA customer account and a 

USDA Level 2 eAuthentication (“eAuth”) account or a Login.gov account. This 

initial release only allows individuals with loans to make online payments. For 

now, borrowers with jointly payable checks will need to continue to make loan 

payments through their local office.

FSA has a significant initiative underway to streamline and automate the Farm 

Loan Program customer-facing business process. For the over 26,000 

producers who submit a direct loan application annually, FSA has made various 

improvements including:

The Online Loan Application, an interactive, guided application that is paperless 

and provides helpful features including an electronic signature option, the ability 

to attach supporting documents such as tax returns, complete a balance sheet, 

and build a farm operating plan.

The Loan Assistance Tool that provides customers with an interactive online, 

step-by-step guide to identifying the direct loan products that may be a fit for 

their business needs and to understanding the application process.

A simplified direct loan paper application, which reduced loan applications by 

more than half, from 29 pages to 13 pages.

More Information

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In 

the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system 

with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer 

markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food 

in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and 
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 43

producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic 

investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and 

committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and 

building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit 

www.usda.gov.

As of April 3, 2024, FSA has received 407 payments form 298 producers totaling 

more than $3.3 million since the January 29, 2024 announcement.
44 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

The mission of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) 

is to facilitate the competitive and efficient marketing of agricultural products.

USDA DATA USERS’ SPRING MEETING 2024 

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) administers programs that create domestic and 

international marketing opportunities for U.S. producers of food, fiber, and specialty crops and 

provides the agriculture industry with valuable services to ensure the quality and availability of 

wholesome food for consumers across the country. 

Nearly 4,000 AMS professionals work every day to support the country’s diverse agricultural 

operations, which range from individual farmers to international businesses and employ 1 in 12 

people. AMS services and its millions of dollars in annual grant investments also create 

opportunities by supporting economic development in small towns and rural communities that 

stand as the backbone of American values.

Much of the agency’s support for agriculture is provided through commodity-specific efforts, 

such as its Dairy; Specialty Crops; Livestock and Poultry; and Cotton and Tobacco Programs. 

AMS also oversees the National Organic; Science and Technology; and Transportation and 

Marketing Programs. AMS provides regulatory oversight for over 20 research and promotion 

programs and enforces other Federal regulations such as the Packers and Stockyards Act, the 

Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA), and the Seed Act.

CURRENT ISSUES OF INTEREST

Data Offerings

 

AMS Market News continues to provide free, unbiased price and sales information to assist in 

the marketing and distribution of farm commodities. Key wholesale, retail and shipping data 

gives farmers, producers, and other agricultural businesses the information they need to evaluate 

market conditions, make purchasing and selling decisions, and evaluate transportation costs. 

AMS Market News continues to update and improve their electronic data offerings through the 

AMS, My Market News and Datamart websites (https://mymarketnews.ams.usda.gov/ , 

https://mpr.datamart.ams.usda.gov/). Through these websites, users can access commodity 

specific data on over 1,500 reports that are updated daily, weekly, monthly, and annually to 

provide up-to-the-minute information that assists producers, consumers, and other businesses in 

making informed marketing and production decisions. AMS Market News is a valuable resource 

for anyone who is involved in the agricultural industry. It provides unbiased, comprehensive, and 

timely information that can help users to make informed decisions. 
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 45

Additionally, AMS Market News provides two separate Application Programming Interfaces 

(API), where customers can now access data from over 1,045 unique commodity data sets. The 

APIs allows users to automatically download data in custom formats. After a one-time setup, the 

API will continue to deliver the requested information to the user in the established format 

without further action. Other updates that have been implemented on the site over the past year 

include the functionality that allows users to identify corrected data sets both by report and 

through the My Market News API and Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) API. 

For users who lack the time and resources to work with large data sets, AMS is developing an 

alternative through the Tableau visual analytics platform to provide users with enhanced insight 

through dynamic and intuitive interaction with data. These tools are proving to be popular as 

they provide producers with the ability to access and analyze, in detail, current market data – 

placing them on a more equal footing with large volume data users with whom they compete in 

the marketplace (for more information on current availability, see the Livestock, Poultry, and 

Grain Market News Reporting section below). 

In June 2023, AMS introduced version 3.0 of the USDA Market News Mobile Application with 

free iOS and Android versions available to download through the Apple and Google Play stores. 

The app gives users instant access to nearly 1,500 reports covering conventional and organic 

livestock, poultry, grain, dairy, cotton, and specialty crop market reports. The app lets users 

search for current and historical reports by location, State, or commodity. Version 3.0 of the app 

provides additional tools that allow users identify reports containing international, retail, and 

organic data. The update also simplifies the search process for the state and commodity search 

screens, making newly released reports more visible to users. To date, the app has been 

downloaded 22k times with report views measuring over half a million unique views. Future 

releases of the app are being planned.
46 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

Federal-State Cooperation 

AMS Market News has Federal-State Cooperative Agreements with 30 states for commodity 

market reporting activities. Beginning in FY 2023, these agreements were converted into the 

USDA ezFedGrants (eFG) Grants and Agreements System. The eFG system is used for 

processing Federal financial assistance transactions and provides significant efficiencies to all 

users managing grant and agreement portfolios. AMS worked closely with its state partners to 

ensure a successful transition to the new system. These cooperative working relationships enable 

resources at the Federal and State levels to be leveraged to expand the breadth, depth, and 

dissemination of market reporting to the benefit of the industry and information users. State 

reporters cover livestock auction and grain elevator markets, and other local reporting activities, 

such as farmers markets, that would otherwise be costly and more difficult to cover using Federal 

resources alone. 

Organic Market Reporting

The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (Act) re-authorized $5 million to USDA to conduct 

organic production and market data initiatives including the collection and reporting of data on 

the production and marketing of organic agricultural products. The Act requires USDA to 

collect and distribute pricing information for organic agricultural products; develop and 

implement surveys on organic production, handling, and distribution; and conduct analysis on 

the data for publication in reports. 

Under the Organic Data Initiative (ODI), AMS conducts several activities to enhance the 

collection and distribution of its data on organic production and marketing. Key among these is 

the collection and distribution of market information for organic agricultural products. For 

specialty crops, AMS publishes market data for over 240 organic commodities for three primary 

market sectors – shipping point or point of entry (for imports), wholesale, and retail. Reporting 

of organic commodities at shipping point includes tracking the volume of movement, which 

consists of domestic shipments or crossings from Mexico/imports from other countries. For 

livestock, poultry, and grain commodities, AMS publishes information for organic grains and 

feedstuffs; poultry and eggs; and includes organic poultry litter, one of the best organic fertilizers 

available to support organic crop production, in its production costs report series. For dairy, 

AMS publishes information for a range of key organic dairy products both direct to consumers 

and at retail outlets across the country. Finally, for cotton, AMS publishes an annual report on 

organic cotton and cottonseed. All these reports can be accessed from the AMS Market News 

website at https://www.ams.usda.gov/market-news/organic. 

In FY 2023, AMS continued to expand its outreach and educational efforts to the organic sector 

to promote the availability and usage of the existing market information and resources, identify 

new data needs, and build stronger relationships with stakeholders. Collection of organic data 

from additional markets and market types has been expanded as part of the ODI effort. AMS 

was able to participate in outreach at dozens of industry conferences and events, and partnered 

with multiple state institutions to both increase organic data as well as to conduct gap analyses of 

organic data needs.
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 47

Market Information Organization of the Americas/International Collaboration 

AMS Market News serves as the chair of the Market Information Organization of the Americas 

(MIOA), a cooperation network of institutions from 33 countries that operate like Market News. 

These institutions track and report major markets within their nations to ensure the availability of 

reliable information for their agro-industrial complex, relevant ministries, and government 

agencies. MIOA works to harmonize efforts, identify, and share best practices, and support trade 

and economic development through the availability of critical market data. 

Livestock, Poultry, and Grain Market News Reporting 

Livestock, Poultry, and Grain Market News (LPGMN), a division of the Livestock and Poultry 

Program (LP), continues to focus much of its efforts on improving our customers’ experience by 

providing greater access to LPGMN data through more modern tools. The statutory authority for 

the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Program (LMR) was extended through September 30, 2024, 

in the Consolidate Appropriations Act, 2024. 

In 2024, LPGMN is continuing to transition its market reports to the MARS/ My Market News

system with shell eggs and egg products; retail beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, and eggs; hay; 

organic feed grains; and sod scheduled to be added to the system. 

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (Pub. L. 117-103, March 15, 2022) directed AMS to 

establish a Cattle Contracts Library Pilot Program (CCL) to increase market transparency for 

cattle producers. The CCL provides transparency into both commonalities and key differences in 

contracts, as well as the context for those terms through the provision of relevant volume 

numbers. It became publicly accessible on January 31, 2023, and, on October 4, 2023, AMS 

announced that the CCL would continue in its present form. The CCL is updated on a weekly 
48 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

basis and provides information on contracts between packers and cattle producers for the 

purchase of fed cattle. The CCL provides increased market transparency to aid cattle producers 

in making informed marketing and business decisions. 

Unlike traditional Market News reports that are provided in a static, text or pdf format, the CCL 

is based on the Tableau visual analytics platform, used widely across USDA to provide users 

with enhanced insight through dynamic and intuitive interaction with data. The CCL is the first 

AMS Market News report provided in this dynamic format and represents the future of LPGMN 

data delivery. (https://mymarketnews.ams.usda.gov/Cattle_Contract_Library) 

The shift to public dynamic user data interaction in LP began in July 2021 with the launch of the 

Meat Grading Dashboard (https://mymarketnews.ams.usda.gov/lp_meat_grading_dashboard) 

that provides users access to up to 10 years of quality grade and volume information for beef, 

lamb and veal collected through the USDA Meat Grading Service. In July 2023 LPGMN 

released the Livestock Auction Dashboard that provides users with dynamic access to livestock 

auction market information for cattle, sheep, and goats in an intuitive and user-friendly format 

that allows for more in-depth analysis of past and present market conditions. 

(https://mymarketnews.ams.usda.gov/livestock_auction_dashboard) 

LPGMN is continuing to develop and enhance its growing suite of interactive data visualization

tools for future public release. These tools are proving to be popular as they provide producers 

with the ability to access and analyze, in detail, current market data – placing them on a more 

equal footing with large volume data users with whom they compete in the marketplace. The 

insight provided to producers through these dynamic data visualizations fosters a fairer and more 

competitive marketplace for all participants – the very purpose for which Market News was 

created. 

 
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 49

Cotton and Tobacco Market News Reporting 

Cotton and Tobacco Market News (CTMN) is working to add the Cotton Prices report series and 

associated data to the Market Analysis and Reporting Services and the My Market News 

Platform. As part of this process, the qualities of cotton quoted will be updated to reflect 

changes in the qualities of cotton produced and actively traded and the formal report layouts will 

be unified. For more information on this change contact CTMN at CottonMN@usda.gov. 

CTMN has added historical cotton price data files to the internet. Upland data can be found at 

https://apps.ams.usda.gov/Cotton/HistoricalUplandPrices/ and American Pima data can be found 

at https://apps.ams.usda.gov/Cotton/HistoricaPimaPrices/. The current market year data will be 

updated in early August. 

During the 20232-2023 cotton crop year, CTMN made changes to the Spot Cotton Quotations 

and the associated reports (Daily Spot Cotton Quotations and the Cotton Price Statistics). This 

change required a change in the regulations associated with the Cotton Futures Act. The rule 

was cleared for Redefining Bona Fide Cotton Spot Markets and was publicly displayed on July 

31, 2023, and published on August 1, 2023. Cotton from Kansas and Oklahoma is now included 

with cotton from West Texas for analysis and reporting. Two markets have been impacted and 

renamed: East Texas and South Texas, and West Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma. 

 

Dairy Market News Reporting

Dairy Market News (DMN) continues to enhance My Market News, improving access to 

information and data for the dairy industry. In the first quarter of FY24, Dairy Market News 

transitioned market reports from txt to pdf format. This change improved readability and 

provided consistent formatting for all Dairy Market News reports.

In January 2024, market commentary for the East and Central Dry Buttermilk market reports 

were consolidated into a single paragraph. Also in January 2024, market commentary for the 

East and Central Nonfat Dry Milk markets were consolidated into a single paragraph. These 

changes were implemented based on the East and Central regional market conditions becoming 

more consolidated over the last several years. 

Enhancements to APIs at the My Market News landing pages are available, with updates made 

regularly to meet customer needs. API documentation is displayed on the homepage of each 

Dairy Market News report in the My Market News system. The Dairy Market News Report 

Master List, available in the General Resources section of My Market News, was updated in 

March 2024. 

In conjunction with the Organic Data Initiative, additional farmers market reports are expected to 

be added to the Dairy Market News Local and Regional Food Marketing website in the near 

future. 

Reports of mandatory dairy product survey prices and Federal order statistics are published by 

the Dairy Market Information Branch (MIB) on the My Market News website, the AMS website, 
50 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

and Cornell’s USDA Economics, Statistics and Market Information System (ESMIS). The 

underlying data for these reports are available in Datamart and the associated API, both part of 

the Livestock Mandatory Reporting system. Sample API workbooks are also available on the 

My Market News website.

Specialty Crops Market News Reporting

In 2024, Specialty Crops Market News (SCMN) continues the transition to MARS/ My Market 

News with the successful launch of the Terminal market level in January 2024. Shipping Point, 

and Movement market levels will be the next to make the transition with Shipping Point 

becoming available in May of 2024 and Movement becoming available by December of 2024. 

For each market level, the full dataset including historical data will be available via API once 

transition to the new system is complete. SCMN continues to add new packages, origins, and 

varieties to its market reports as they emerged in the marketplace, or in response to industry 

requests to report new products or enhance existing products. Overall, SCMN tracks over 785 

unique specialty crop commodities at three market levels (retail, wholesale, and shipping point) 

plus the movement, which consists of domestic shipments, crossings from Mexico, and import 

volumes. 

Agricultural Transportation Open Data Visualization Platform – AgTransport 

The AgTransport platform (Open Ag Transport Data (usda.gov)) offers farmers, commodity 

analysts, elevator operators, shippers, and other stakeholders’ access to USDA data that can help 

them make timely market decisions about moving agricultural products across the country and 

around the world. This free, open data platform contains numerous datasets and dashboards 

about the four modes—rail, truck, barge, and ocean vessel (both bulk and container)—used to 

transport agricultural products. 

AgTransport facilitates easy analytics. Users can gain personalized insight through interactive 

charts, and they can generate and save their own unique visualizations and data views that will 

be updated automatically over time. If they wish, users also can share their visualizations with 

others in the tool’s open data community. AgTransport makes data available in many different, 

open formats and automatically generates and maintains an Application Programming Interface 

(API) for each dataset.

Two new features have been added since last year to provide users with a true dashboard 

experience, helping them quickly gauge the relevant indicators and information impacting 

agricultural transportation. The “Transportation at a Glance” dashboard provides a “one-stop 

shop” of key volume, rate, and service metrics across all modes, showing how current trends 

compare against historical benchmarks. The “Transportation Updates and Regulatory News” 

section presents highlights of recent announcements and regulatory news that affect multimodal 

agricultural transportation. These highlights are presented by mode and cover the latest Federal, 

State, and trade association transportation reports and studies that may be of interest to 

agricultural shippers, brokers, carriers, receivers, academics, and consultants.

Other features on the platform include: 
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• Grain Transportation Cost Indicators and Global Competitiveness Dashboard with data 

on Brazil, Mexico, and Japan

• Interactive Rail Dashboard with expanded Data, Maps, and Analysis, featuring 18 years 

of Surface Transportation Board Public Waybill data in an easy-to-use, accessible format.

• Agricultural Rail Service Metrics Dashboard

• Barge Dashboard with additional rivers and locks added to the waterway Lock 

Performance Management Data

• Ocean Port Profiles Dashboard

• Bulk and Container Ocean Fleet Data

• Grain Trucking Indicators

• Refrigerated Truck Dashboard with Rates, Volumes, and Availability

• Dashboard for selected Grain Price and Basis Data

• Digitized Modal Share Analysis for Transportation of U.S. Grains

• Biofuels Dashboard, including Ethanol, Biodiesel, and DDGs
52 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

Economic Data from the U.S. Census Bureau 

The U.S. Census Bureau provides information that tells the story of our changing economy. The Economic 

Indicators, Economic Census and our quarterly and annual economic surveys give Federal, state, and local 

governments, policy makers, and business and community leaders the information needed to make informed 

decisions that shape our economy. 

Issues of Interest to Data Users 

1. Accessing Data from the U.S. Census Bureau 

 USA Trade Online 

USA Trade Online is a dynamic data tool that gives users access to current and cumulative U.S. export 

and import data. With multiple data sets and capabilities, USA Trade Online can assist different types 

of customers from a wide range of industries and fields. This tool offers data by Harmonized System, 

North America Industry Classification System (NAICS), and the Department of Agriculture code. This 

powerful software allows users to create customized reports and colorful charts detailing international 

trade data at different levels. 

https://usatrade.census.gov/index.php

 Monthly Trade Data in the Census Data API 

 The U.S. Census Bureau has detailed monthly international trade data in its Application Programming 

Interface (API). The Census Data API has international trade data from 2010 to present. The 

international trade statistics provide monthly and cumulative year-to-date export and import totals 

with multiple layers of detail. The statistics also include two datasets with U.S. exports and imports by 

Department of Agriculture code. 

 The Application Programming Interface provides researchers and developers free access to its 

demographic and economic data. 

 https://census.gov/data/developers/data-sets/international-trade.html
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 53

 Global Market Finder (GMF) 

The Global Market Finder is an interactive data visualization tool that paints a picture of the export 

market for a particular commodity. The user just needs to select the Schedule B code they are 

interested in and the tool will display all the countries that the U.S. exports to, shows value by method 

of transportation, and unit price. Users can drill down to specific countries and download the data that 

they have pulled. 

https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/export-markets.html

 Census Business Builder 

The Census Business Builder (CBB) is a suite of services that provide selected demographic and 

economic data from the Census Bureau tailored to specific types of users in a simple to access and use 

format. The CBB includes: 

o Demographic, socioeconomic, and housing data from the American Community Survey 

o Business data from the County Business Patterns, Nonemployer Statistics, Economic Census, and 

Survey of Business Owners 

o Trade data on total imports and exports, broken out by mode of transportation (Air & Vessel), for 

selected three- and four-digit agriculture, mining, and manufacturing NAICS codes at the national and 

state level. 

o Building Permits data at the county and place level 

In addition, it provides Agriculture data from the Census of Agriculture (USDA). 

https://www.census.gov/data/data-tools/cbb.html 

2. Principal Economic Indicators 

The U.S. Census Bureau's Economic Indicators keep the world informed by providing the first official 

measures of the U.S. economy. Our Economic Indicator surveys provide monthly and quarterly data that 

are timely, reliable, and offer comprehensive measures of the U.S. economy. These surveys produce a 

variety of statistics covering construction, housing, international trade, retail trade, wholesale trade, 

services, and manufacturing. The survey data provide measures of economic activity that allow analysis of 

economic performance and inform business investment and policy decisions. The data can be accessed via 

the Economic Indicator Briefing Room and the Economic Indicator Database. 
54 2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting

 Economic Indicator Briefing Room 

The Economic Indicator Briefing Room web site provides access to the latest data, full release reports, 

historical data, and time series and trend charts. census.gov/economic-indicators

 Economic Indicator Database 

Select an economic indicator and customize your data selection. Ability to download the data to a 

spreadsheet and create your own time series charts. Business and Industry: Time Series / Trend Charts 

(census.gov)

 For questions regarding Economic Indicators, please contact: 

Ms. Catherine Buffington, Chief, Economic Indicators Division 

U.S. Census Bureau 

Washington, DC 20233-6010 

Phone: (301)-763-1838

Email: Catherine.D.Buffington@census.gov

3. International Trade 

Each month, the U.S. Census Bureau releases the U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services (FT900) 

report, which is one of the principal economic indicators for the United States. This report can be found 

along with other information on our website https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/index.html

Webinars are archived at: https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/outreach/index.html

 15 CFR PART 30 — Foreign Trade Regulations 

The Census Bureau is mandated by Title 13, Ch. 9, Sec. 301 to collect information from all persons who 

are exporting goods from or importing goods into the U.S. The legal authority that the Census Bureau 

uses to collect export information is guided by 15 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 30, the Foreign 

Trade Regulations (FTR) FTR_with_August_2023_FR_Incorporated_PUBLIC.pdf (census.gov). The FTR 

contains the legal definitions and requirements for reporting Electronic Export Information (EEI) in the 

Automated Export System. After the EEI is collected, it is used as the primary source to create export 

statistics. For information on the FTR and filing requirements, please email emd.askregs@census.gov 

or use the International Trade Helpline number, 1-800-549-0595 and select option 3. 
2024 USDA Spring Data Users’ Meeting 55

 Questionable data should be brought to our attention as soon as possible. Potential data errors caught 

early are easier to verify and improve the quality of data going forward. To request data verification, 

please contact Mr. Gregory Kondilas (gregory.kondilas@census.qov), Chief of our International Trade 

Indicator Micro Analysis Branch. 

4. Other Economic Data from the U.S. Census Bureau 

The Census Bureau produces economic data across the entire economy on a monthly, quarterly, yearly, 

and five-year basis, including industries related to agriculture. These industries can include: 

o NAICS 113 Forestry and Logging 

o NAICS 114 Fishing, Hunting and Trapping 

o NAICS 115 Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry 

o NAICS 311 Food Manufacturing 

o NAICS 4244 Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers 

o NAICS 4245 Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers 

o NAICS 445 Food and Beverage Stores