Interviewers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will interview more than 680 vegetable growers in the Northeastern Region to gather information for the 2022 Vegetable Chemical Use Survey this fall.
The survey will collect information on bearing acreage, pest management practices, fertilizer and pesticide application, acres treated, and rates applied to more than 20 vegetable crops. In addition to Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey, vegetable growers in 14 other states will be contacted by NASS as the agency collects comprehensive U.S. vegetable production practices information.
"Growers benefit from providing their information because the resultant data will illustrate the industry's environmental practices and assure the quality of U.S. food to consumers here and around the world," said King Whetstone, director of the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office. "I encourage every grower to take the time to respond if they receive this survey."
The data will paint a detailed picture of fertilizer, pesticide use, and other pest management practices used by vegetable growers across the nation. To conduct the survey, NASS representatives will call growers to arrange phone or in-person interviews. Growers are encouraged to have their spray records available for reference. If these services were contracted, growers should be prepared to give consent to access these records.
NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents and publishes only aggregate data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified.
The data will be published in NASS's Quick Stats database next year.
For more information, call the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office at (800) 498-1518.
Categories: New York, Crops, Fruits and Vegetables, Pennsylvania, Crops, Fruits and Vegetables, Government & Policy