SIKESTON — Southeast Missouri farmers can expect to receive a survey about their agricultural land later this month.
In late May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will begin surveying famers in Missouri and across the U.S. to estimate the value of agricultural land. The survey will be used to determine the average value per acre of all farmland, cropland and pastureland.
“The survey will be mailed to farmers near the end of May. Farmers may return the survey by mail or online,” said Bob Garino, Missouri State Statistician in Columbia, Mo.
The USDA encourages farmers to respond online at the website www.agcounts.usda.gov, as it is secure, efficient and saves costs, he said.
“This annual survey provides valuable information about land values to farmers and rural communities,” added Garino.
Farmers may be contacted by phone during June if they have not returned their survey by mail or online.
“This survey shows that cropland values in Missouri peaked in 2014 and have declined very modestly since then,” Garino explained. “Pastureland values peaked in 2019.”
NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents and publishes only aggregate data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified, as required by federal law. Results will be published in the Agricultural Land Values report, to be released Aug. 6, available online at www.nass.usda.gov/Publications.
For more information, call the NASS Heartland Regional Field Office at 800-551-1014.