Purdue News
Purdue News
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February 12, 2004 Survey seeks out factors that impact agricultural economyWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Hoosier farmers have the chance to be heard on government policies and other factors influencing their operations by completing a survey or interview administered by the Indiana Agricultural Statistics Service (IASS). The Agricultural Resource Management Survey will query 1,400 farmers throughout Indiana during February and March. Once completed, the survey will provide producers, agribusinesses and government officials with information about the impact of the shifting global market, farmer production decisions and governmental policies on the agricultural economy. "The more information we receive, the better and more accurate our data will be," said state statistician Greg Preston. All individual data collected will be kept confidential. Farmers chosen to participate in the survey will represent similar farms. Preston said it's important for those chosen to participate, because no one else will be selected to help represent that sample operation. With new developments in technology, the way farmers work and what they are able to produce has changed vastly over the years, Preston said. The survey will gauge how farmers survive when input costs, such as hired labor, fertilizer and fuel costs, continue to rise; what the government is doing to help support and allow for advancement in agriculture; and how Indiana ranks in comparison to other states. The results will be released in a series of U.S. Department of Agriculture reports, the first of which will be released on July 15. A copy of the finished report and other statistics will be posted on the Web. The IASS is a joint venture between Purdue University Agricultural Research Programs and the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. The IASS publishes current and historic statistics concerning agriculture in Indiana and the United States. Writer: Julie Douglas, (765) 494-8402, agnews-stories@purdue.edu Source: Greg Preston, (765) 494-8371, gregory_preston@nass.usda.gov Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722; Beth Forbes, bforbes@aes.purdue.edu
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