Representative Jim Costa (D-CA) and Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) led 70 colleagues in sending a letter to Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack regarding the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
The officials want him to reverse the USDA’s decision to cancel or discontinue several NASS reports. The July Cattle Report, the Cotton Objective Yield Survey, and County Estimates for Crops and Livestock reports provide farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers with transparent livestock, grain, and fiber market insights as they position themselves to effectively manage risk and build supply and demand estimates, which help determine commodity sourcing plans to remain operational.
“The reports slated for discontinuation are highly valuable to the entire U.S. agricultural sector, and particularly for cattle, cotton, and grain,” the lawmakers say in the letter. “Relatedly, the reports offer a great deal of transparency and market anticipation for the entire ag sector.” The letter is supported by multiple American agricultural organizations.
