US House appropriations bill includes reinstatement of NASS reports

(Posted on 14/06/24)

A House appropriations subcommittee in the USA has approved its Fiscal Year 2025 bill that includes language directing the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to reinstate all County Estimates for Crops, the July Cattle report and the Cotton Objective Yield Survey.

Citing budget constraints, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) NASS announced on April 9 that it would discontinue all county estimates for crops and livestock beginning with the 2024 production year. The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee approved the bill during a markup on June 11.

The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) issued the following statement:

“NGFA members commend House lawmakers for recognizing the value of these reports to the entire U.S. agricultural value chain and encourage the inclusion of reinstatement language in any final bill. NGFA has been working with the USDA, lawmakers and other stakeholders toward reinstating these valuable reports, which aid in competition and transparency by providing marketplace fundamental information for the agricultural sector. The NASS county crop estimates are critical to the operation of agricultural businesses. They are used to build supply and demand estimates, which help determine commodity sourcing plans to keep agribusiness facilities operational. NGFA members, including agricultural exporters, processors, and livestock feeders rely on these reports to participate in the export sales market and to make appropriate purchase decisions.”

NGFA will continue working with lawmakers and USDA toward reinstating county crop estimates.

The NGFA, established in 1896, consists of grain, feed, processing, exporting and other grain-related companies that operate facilities handling U.S. grains and oilseeds. Its membership includes grain elevators; feed and feed ingredient manufacturers; biofuels companies; grain and oilseed processors and millers; exporters; livestock and poultry integrators; and associated firms that provide goods and services to the nation’s grain, feed and processing industry. The NGFA consists of 27 affiliated State and Regional Grain and Feed Associations, is co-located and has a strategic alliance with North American Export Grain Association, and a strategic alliance with Pet Food Institute.