USDA to Gather Data About Farm Labor

Northeastern U.S. farmers and ranchers will be asked to participate in the survey this October.

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct its biannual Agricultural Labor Survey in October. More than 2,000 Northeastern U.S. farmers and ranchers will be asked to participate in the survey online here or by mail. The survey is an opportunity for producers to provide accurate information about hired farm labor, including total number of hired farm workers, total hours worked, and total wages paid for the weeks of July 9-15 and Oct. 8-14, 2024.

Survey recipients who do not respond by Oct. 18 may be contacted by NASS to arrange an interview or sent a reminder email. NASS will publish the data Nov. 20 in the Farm Labor report available here.

“We ask about two separate time periods each time we collect these data in order to publish biannual data and capture seasonal variation,” said Kevin Pautler, acting Director of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Northeastern Regional Field Office. “This method reduces the number of times we survey farms, while ensuring useful data are available.”

USDA and the U.S. Department of Labor use the survey data to estimate the demand for and availability of seasonal agricultural workers, establish minimum wage rates for agricultural workers, and administer farm labor recruitment and placement service programs.

“When hiring workers and estimating expenses, timely and accurate agricultural labor data are vital,” said Pautler. “By participating in NASS’s Agricultural Labor Survey, farmers and ranchers help ensure accurate information for farm programs.”

For more information about the Farm Labor survey program, visit their website or call the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office at 1-800-498-1518.