NASS reinstates July Cattle report, county estimates
The Agriculture Department’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) announced today it is reinstating the July Cattle report, as well as County Estimates for Crops and Livestock.The county estimate reinstatement is effective for the 2024 crop season for the row crops (corn, cotton, peanuts, rice, sorghum, soybeans) and for the 2025 crop season for the small grain crops (barley, oats, wheat), NASS said in a news release.In April 2024, NASS announced that due to budget cuts in the appropriations bill, the agency was forced to discontinue several reports including the July Cattle Inventory report. The cancellations drew intense criticism from farm and ranch groups, whose leaders contended NASS could have cut other, less important reports.Following are scheduled release dates:
County Estimates – corn, sorghum, soybeans: May 6County Estimates – cotton: May 12County Estimates – cattle: May 13County Estimates – rice, peanuts: May 23July Cattle: July 25
“Recognizing the importance of this data to our members, we made reinstating these reports a legislative and policy priority,” said National Grain and Feed President and CEO Mike Seyfert. “We applaud and appreciate the support received from Congress, [Agriculture] Secretary [Brooke] Rollins, and the administration to reinstate the accessibility of this critical data and will advocate for its continued funding.””The return of the July Cattle report and county estimates is a big win for cattle producers who utilize these reports to efficiently run their operations and make important marketing decisions. These reports are not costly to produce, and the amount they are used by the U.S. agriculture sector make them extremely cost-effective,” said National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Executive Director of Government Affairs Tanner Beymer. “NCBA thanks USDA-NASS for bringing back these vital reports and continuing to deliver timely, accurate, and useful statistics that bring transparency to livestock markets across the country.”
–The Hagstrom Report
