The Statistical Reporting Service's Crop Reports Could Be of More Use to Farmers

The accuracy, reliability, and timeliness of the Department of Agriculture's Statistical Reporting Service (SRS) reports and their usefulness to farmers were evaluated. SRS is responsible for preparing national and state forecasts and estimates pertaining to current and near-future supplies of agricultural products. The purpose of publishing such data is to help farmers make production and marketing decisions.

Farmers were not using SRS reports because they were not aware of the reports' availability or because they believed that the reports were inaccurate, untimely, or irrelevant. This problem is the result of poor communications between SRS and the farmers. In addition, the SRS internal evaluation system does not ask for farmers' views on their information needs or on proposed SRS program modifications. The system lacks formal procedures which have limited its effectiveness. SRS statistical practices could be improved by eliminating some of the subjective judgments presently used in developing estimates and forecasts and by using weather information in arriving at forecasts and estimates. The Bureau of the Census and SRS are attempting to maintain two separate mailing lists of the same farm population; such duplication is costly to the government. Most of the obstacles to consolidation of the two functions stem from restrictions placed on Census information.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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