Ag Labor Survey To Start In October

NASS will kick off its biannual Agricultural Labor Survey in October.  More than 1,000 Northwest farmers and ranchers will be asked to participate in the survey On-line or by mail.  The survey allows 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 7-13 and October 6-12.

“We ask about two separate time periods each time we collect these data in order to publish biannual data and capture seasonal variation,” said Dennis Koong, director of the NASS Northwest 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.  Survey recipients who do not respond by October 15th may be contacted by NASS representatives to arrange an interview or sent a reminder email.  The data will be published in November in the Farm Labor report.

“When hiring workers and estimating expenses, timely and accurate agricultural labor data are vital,” Koong said. “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 the USDA's Website, or call the NASS Northwest Regional Field Office at (800) 435-5883.

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