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HARRISBURG -- USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) sent the 2023 Maple Syrup Inquiry to approximately 1,600 Northeastern producers on April 28. Maple syrup producers, processors and commodity markets rely on the data from this survey to make informed business decisions and help promote the industry. Survey recipients are encouraged to respond securely online at agcounts.usda.gov, by mail or fax by May 8. Producers who do not respond by the deadline may be contacted to arrange an interview to complete the survey.
There are changes to this 2023 survey. Last year, the International Maple Syrup Institute created a working group from their membership and brought the industry's concerns to NASS's attention with suggestions to improve the maple data series and questionnaire. As a result, this year's survey is shorter with new questions on acreage, sales,
and unprocessed sap.
"The Northeastern Region produced 4.40 million gallons of maple syrup in 2022. Vermont was the top Maple Syrup state with 51% of the United States' maple syrup," according to King Whetstone, director of the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office. In 2022, NASS estimated the total number of taps across the nation at 14.3 million and total production was 5.03 million gallons of maple syrup.
All information from respondents is kept confidential, as required by federal law, and published so that no operation or producer can be identified. NASS will publish this data in the Crop Production report on June 9 and the Quick Stats database at quickstats.nass.usda.gov. This report and all other NASS reports are available at nass.usda.gov/Publications. For more information or assistance with the survey, producers can call the NASS Northeastern Field Office at (800) 498-1518.
USDA to gather data about farm labor
HARRISBURG -- Currently the biannual Agricultural Labor Survey is underway. The survey collects information about hired labor from more than 2,000 farmers and ranchers. The survey results will be published on May 24 in the Farm Labor report available on the NASS website.
In the survey, producers are asked to answer a variety of questions about hired farm labor on their operations, including total number of hired farm workers, the total hours worked, and total wages paid for the weeks of Jan. 8-14 and April 9-15. Survey participants can respond online at agcounts.usda.gov or by mail.
Agricultural labor data are critical in helping producers when hiring workers and estimating expenses. The data that farm operators provide through NASS's Agricultural Labor Survey also allow federal policymakers to base farm labor policies on accurate information.
USDA and the U.S. Department of Labor use the results of this survey to estimate the demand for and availability of seasonal agricultural workers, establish minimum wage rates for agricultural workers, administer farm labor recruitment and placement service programs, and assist legislators in determining labor policies.
All previous Farm Labor publications are available on the NASS website at www.nass.usda.gov.
USDA continues
partner engagement
to mitigate Avian Flu
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues efforts on many fronts to mitigate the latest outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the United States. This pervasive virus is carried in wild, migratory birds and typically peaks in the spring and summer months in the United States.
As part of USDA's commitment to leave no stone unturned in this fight, on April 13, 2023, the department held a stakeholder roundtable with poultry industry leaders and state government officials to discuss the current and future HPAI strategy and opportunities for continued collaboration.
Participants had the opportunity to hear from USDA leaders including Acting Deputy Secretary Kevin Shea, Marketing and Regulatory Programs Under Secretary Jenny Moffitt and other experts from USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which is leading on biosecurity measures, and the Agricultural Research Service, which is testing a number of potential vaccines.
"Since the first case of HPAI was confirmed in a commercial flock in the U.S. in Feb. 2022, USDA has followed Secretary Vilsack's clear direction to quickly identify cases and respond immediately to stop the virus from spreading," Shea said. "Thanks to collaborative state and industry partnerships and enhanced national animal disease preparedness and response capabilities, we are successfully controlling this outbreak and mitigating its impact on U.S. poultry production and trade."