AgrotechA memorandum signed on 24 October commits USDA and NASA to work together on Earth observation, geospatial analytics and statistical methods for agricultural statistics, with acreage and yield estimates named as a goal.
OrganicAn analysis of USDA Certified Organic Survey data by Escoffier Global ranks Vermont first on an organic 'footprint intensity' score, with nearly 17% of its farmland certified organic against about 1% nationally, while California leads with about $3.55 billion in organic sales.
AgribusinessSmall family farms were 86% of all farms but produced 17% of output, while large family farms, 5% of farms, produced half; nonfamily farms' share of production fell to 14% from 17%.
NASS administrator Joe Parsons says farmers will soon be able to type or speak a question to get official data, as most reports move to the interactive Ag Insights platform.
AgrotechThe National Agricultural Statistics Service has launched AgInsights, an interactive application meant to make survey and commodity data easier for growers to find and use.
AgrotechA USDA data modernisation plan announced at the Farm Progress Show promises fewer survey burdens on producers and faster, more usable crop and livestock estimates.
CropsNASS has closed the Agricultural Yield Survey behind the August Crop Production report, and says it made greater use of acreage already filed with the Farm Service Agency to cut what it asks of growers.
CropsNASS has begun its County Agricultural Production Survey, the questionnaire behind the only official yearly crop estimates the United States publishes at county level.
LivestockThere were 94.2 million cattle and calves on US farms on 1 July 2026, slightly above 94.0 million a year earlier, according to the USDA Cattle report of 24 July; beef cows fell 1%.
LivestockThere were 73.7 million hogs and pigs on US farms on 1 June 2026, slightly fewer than a year earlier and than on 1 March, USDA's statistics service reported on 25 June.
CropsThe June Agricultural Survey, which sets the acreage and grain stocks figures published on 30 June, went out to more than 90,000 American producers.
LivestockAmerican farms held 74.3 million hogs and pigs on 1 March 2026, up slightly on the year but 1% below December, with Iowa accounting for 24.7 million head.
AgribusinessMore than two million American landowners rent out 348 million acres of farmland, and 79% of it belongs to landlords who do not farm, a USDA survey has found.
