Texas continues to be among the few states whose farmers respond to national agriculture surveys.
A recent report by Harvest Public Media says that’s important because agencies like the U.S. Department of Agriculture, university extension services, and the Federal Reserve rely on voluntary data from surveys to develop reports and understand markets and pricing. Ultimately, farm policies are built by congress from data received on these surveys.
But Texas farmers are a rarity. A look at this week’s Crop Progress report from the USDA’s National Statistics Service shows key data from several states is underreported or outright missing. The report keeps track of crops planted and soil conditions.
Texas is the only state reporting data in every relevant category.
