The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct the Cash Rents and Leases Survey beginning in February. Over 241,000 operators have been asked to complete the survey, with nearly 8,500 in Illinois. The Cash Rent and Leases Survey provides the primary source of data for estimating the current year’s cash rents for cropland (irrigated and non-irrigated), as well as permanent pasture.
Farmers and ranchers can complete the survey online at agcounts.usda.gov, by mail or phone. If respondents do not complete the survey by Feb. 24, they could be contacted for an interview by phone or in person.
“Survey responses from as many operators as possible ensure that cash rental rates accurately represent their locality,” said Mark Schleusener, Illinois state statistician. “The data from the Cash Rents and Leases survey gives landowners and operators a useful tool in negotiating rental agreements and making business decisions for their operations.”
Information from this survey is also used in the Farm Service Agency Conservation Reserve Program as an alternative soil rental rate prior to finalizing new rates each year.
In accordance with federal law, NASS keeps survey responses confidential. The data will be available only in aggregate form to ensure that no individual producer or operation can be identified. NASS will publish the statelevel data on Aug. 4 and county-level data on Aug. 25.
For assistance with the survey or for more information, please contact the NASS Heartland Regional Field Office at (800) 551-1014 or nassrfohlr@usda.gov.
Categories: Illinois, Government & Policy