What is on the horizon for U.S. farmers in 2015 as they finalize plans for planting this spring? The March Agricultural Survey conducted by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will survey approximately 82,000 of the nation’s farmers to determine their plans for the upcoming growing season.

“Each year, the agriculture industry eagerly awaits USDA’s Prospective Plantings report, which provides USDA’s first survey-based estimates of farmers’ planting intentions for the year,” said NASS’ Minnesota State Statistician Dan Lofthus. “The March Agricultural Survey provides the factual data that underpins these projections, making it one of the most important surveys we conduct each year.”

NASS will mail the survey in late February, asking producers to provide information about the types of crops they intend to plant in 2015, how many acres they intend to plant, and the amounts of grain and oilseed they store on their farms. NASS encourages producers to respond online or by mail. Those producers who do not respond by the deadline may be contacted for a telephone or personal interview.

NASS will compile and analyze the survey information and publish the results in the annual Prospective Plantings report and quarterly Grain Stocks report, both to be released on March 31, 2015.

As with all NASS surveys, information provided by respondents is confidential, as required by federal law. NASS safeguards the privacy of all responses and publishes only aggregate data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified. These and all NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov. For more information call the NASS Minnesota Field Office at (651) 728-3113.