USDA to gather cash rents data in the Northeastern Region

HARRISBURG — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct the annual Cash Rents and Leases survey starting

Feb. 3. The survey provides the basis for estimates of the current year’s cash rents paid for irrigated cropland, non-irrigated cropland, and permanent pasture. Over 241,000 survey recipients across the United States, including more than 15,000 in the Northeastern Region, have been selected to participate in the survey, which can be completed online at agcounts.usda.gov, by mail or phone. If respondents do not complete the survey by Feb. 20, they may be contacted for an interview.

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. NASS will publish the state-level data on Aug. 1 and county-level data on Aug. 22 at quickstats.nass.usda.gov. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office at (717) 787-3904 or visit www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Guide_to_NASS_Surveys/Cash_Rents_by_County/index.php.