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As families sit down to enjoy their holiday feasts this year, it’s important to remember the people who make those meals possible – the nation's farmers and ranchers. NASS thanks these producers for their efforts and urges them to help ensure the future success of their operations – and their industry – by participating in the 2007 Census of Agriculture. NASS Deputy Administrator Carol House discusses the importance of the upcoming Census.

USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service released the October Crop Production report providing the latest look at U.S. crops, including corn, soybeans, cotton and citrus. The corn crop is expected to yield an average 154.7 bushels per acre – the second highest on record. Steve Wiyatt, director of the NASS Statistics Division, says the surprise however is in sunflower production which is forecasted at 2.9-billion pounds, 35 percent higher than last year.

USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service is still expecting a record corn crop. After forecasting a whopping 13.1-billion bushel crop in August - the much anticipated September Crop Production report shows a two-percent increase to 13.3-billion bushels. Jeff Geuder, chief of the NASS Crops Branch, says the September report provides the best look so far at the season's crops, including corn, soybeans and cotton.

NASS's Crop Production report, released today, contains the first official estimates for 2007 production of major crops, including corn, soybeans and cotton. Corn production is forecast at a record 13.1 billion bushels, eclipsing the previous record, set in 2004, by 10.6 percent. Jeff Geuder, chief of the NASS Crops Branch, reviews the highlights of the report.

With the support of the Nebraska Corn Board, NASS has released its most comprehensive report to date on use of ethanol co-products for livestock feed. Dan Kerestes, chief of the NASS Livestock Branch, reviews the highlights.

NASS's much-anticipated Acreage report shows that U.S. farmers planted a whopping 92.9 million acres of corn this year, exceeding expectations and topping last year's acreage by 19 percent. Steve Wiyatt, director of the NASS Statistics Division, looks at what's behind the numbers.

The July Crop Production report provides the first look at spring wheat production for 2007. Steve Wiyatt, director of the NASS Statistics Division, provides a look at the wheat numbers and also discusses the forecasts for citrus and small grains.

Driven by growing ethanol and export demand, U.S. farmers intend to plant 15 percent more corn acres in 2007, according to widely anticipated Prospective Plantings report released today by NASS. Steve Wiyatt, director of NASS Statistics Division, offers a look at the numbers.

There's a great deal of anticipation surrounding the release of NASS's annual Prospective Plantings report March 30. The report provides the first official estimate of the number and type of crop acres U.S. producers plan to plant in 2007. Jeff Geuder, chief of the NASS Crops Branch, discusses the importance of the report and what it will cover.

As a result of freezing temperatures that hit California in mid-January, NASS has reduced its forecasts for 2006-07 orange, grapefruit, tangerine and lemon production in the state. Jeff Geuder, chief of the NASS Crops Branch, tells the story.

The biannual Cattle Report, released today by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, shows the latest trends in beef and dairy cattle inventories, calf crop and cattle operations. The data come from a survey of more than 50,000 producers. NASS Livestock Branch Chief Dan Kerestes shares the highlights.

The biannual Cattle Report, released today by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, shows the latest trends in beef and dairy cattle inventories, calf crop and cattle operations. The data come from a survey of more than 50,000 producers. NASS Livestock Branch Chief Dan Kerestes shares the highlights.

USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service today released the Crop Production 2006 Summary, providing final production, yield and acreage data for many of the nation's crops. Jeff Geuder, chief of the NASS Crops Branch, looks at the report's highlights.

The January Cattle Survey, NASS's largest livestock survey of the year, is underway. Over the next two weeks, the agency will contact some 50,000 cattle operations in 48 states as part of its effort to measure and track trends in the industry. Dan Kerestes, chief of the NASS Livestock Branch, discusses the importance of producer participation in the Cattle Survey.

During the first two weeks of January, NASS is asking selected producers in 48 states to provide information on their sheep and goat inventory, production and prices. Dan Kerestes, chief of the NASS Livestock Branch, talks about the annual Sheep and Goat Inventory Survey now underway.

USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service released the quarterly Hogs and Pigs report December 27. Dan Kerestes, chief of the NASS Livestock Branch, reviews the highlights.

The latest Crop Production report shows cotton virtually unchanged from the November forecast but down 11 percent from last year's record production. The U.S. all orange forecast for the 2006-07 season is up 3 percent from the October forecast but down 9 percent from last season's final utilization. Jeff Geuder, chief of the NASS Crops Branch, looks at the numbers.

In the latest Crop Production report, NASS reduced its estimate of U.S. corn harvest by one percent – to just over 10.7 billion bushels. Meanwhile, the soybean and cotton crops are coming in slightly above last month's estimates. Greg Thessen, head of the NASS Field Crops Section, discusses highlights of the report.

Production estimates for soybeans and cotton are up from September while the production forecast for corn is down, according to NASS's October Crop Production report. Steve Wiyatt, director of the NASS Statistics Division, says that early harvest results for corn have revealed that the hot, dry conditions of the summer had more of an impact on yield potential than anticipated.

The 2005 Census of Aquaculture provides the second nationwide count of the aquaculture industry. Dan Kerestes, chief of the NASS Livestock Branch, says that sales of aquaculture products have grown to nearly $1.1 billion since 1998, an increase of 11.7 percent. Accounting for more than half of all aquaculture sales was food fish, including catfish, perch, salmon, tilapia and trout.