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Welcome to the ARMS Update, a part of
ERS' commitment to improve knowledge of the Agricultural Resource
Management Survey (ARMS) process and increase access to the aggregate
data products. To receive information/updates via e-mail about the
ARMS process, status, schedule, and data availability, please subscribe
to the ARMS Update notification service. We
anticipate issuing ARMS Updates several times a year.
Updates Issued:
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November 30, 2006: Data-delivery tool updated with estimates on 2005 finances, structure, and characteristics of the Nation’s
farm businesses and farm households and with new information
on farming practices.
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May 1, 2006: Update of
the Customized Data Summaries from ARMS web tool
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February 1, 2006: Collection process
update for the 2005 farm financial survey
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January 31, 2006: Questions
for the 2006 Phase II survey covering soybeans and
rice
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November 4, 2005: 2004 farm financial
and household estimates are now available
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November 5, 2004: More,
faster, and easier access to a wealth of data—from
your PC
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Aug. 23, 2004: New resource; status of 2003 ARMS data
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Jan. 15, 2004: Questionnaire
design opportunities for 2004 ARMS
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Jan. 7, 2004: New crop production
practices and 2002 soybeans data
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Dec. 1, 2003: New aggregate
2001 corn data, plus updates on 2002, 2003, and 2004 ARMS surveys
About ARMS
Co-sponsored by ERS and the National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS), the Agricultural Resource Management Survey is USDA's primary
source of information on the financial condition, production practices
and costs, resource use, and economic well-being of America's farm
households.
Your Feedback Encouraged
To recommend questions for inclusion in the ARMS survey, contact
Bob Dubman, Data Coordinator, Office of
the Director, Resource and Economics Division, ERS:
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Write: Room 4193-S, 1800 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036-5831
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Phone: (202) 694-5506
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E-mail: bdubman@ers.usda.gov
November 30, 2006 issue
Data-delivery tool updated with estimates on 2005 finances, structure,
and characteristics of the Nation's farm businesses and farm households
and with new information on farming practices.
In the Crop Production Practices section, the corn tables were updated with 2005 data while oats was added as a commodity, using 2005 data.
The Crop Production practices data for soybeans, organic soybeans, and rice is being collected now and is tentatively scheduled to be available to researchers in late summer, 2007.
May 1, 2006 issue
Update of the Customized Data Summaries from ARMS web tool.
A revised version of the ARMS
web tool was
released on April 28, 2006. The major changes were in the Crop
Production Practices where information
was added for 2004 winter, spring, and durum wheat, 2004 and
prior year’s data for peanuts, and a table option for information collected on farms’ manure management. Statistics presented on manure management include acres treated; application rates; fall and spring applications; type of manure (slurry, lagoon, dry or semi-dry); application methods; the livestock source; and whether the manure was purchased, produced, or obtained with or without compensation. Estimates are available for select categorical variables.
The Featured States page now has multi-year graphics. Florida
now has a more detailed production specialty breakout, comparable
to California.
Farm Structure & Finance includes some minor data
revisions.
ARMS phase III data for 2005 is now being compiled and edited
in NASS State Offices. A completed data set will be available in
June for estimates of Nation’s
farm business and household income.
February 1, 2006 issue
Update of the Farm Financial (Phase III) Collection
Process for 2005.
ARMS phase III collection is in progress for the 2005 calendar
year. A national survey workshop for NASS enumerators in early January
2006 was followed by individual State's workshops. Data collection
in the field takes several weeks. Most data are personally enumerated
with a visit to the farm operation. However, roughly half of the
core version of the survey in the top 15 agricultural States is
completed through self-enumerated mail surveys. This is followed
by several weeks of reviewing and editing the responses. Initial
national data sets are created in June. Summarized results will
be available in the beginning of November in the ARMS
web tool and the Agricultural
Income and Finance Outlook Report. See the report for 2005 using
2004 data.
A core version of ARMS phase III was introduced in 2003. This version
collects essential data to allow detailed financial analysis of
15 States. One of the benefits of adding a core version to ARMS
starting in 2003 is that the usable sample size has greatly increased.
Phase III samples: 2001=7,699 2002=12,391 2003=18,459 and 2004=20,579.
Almost half the sample in 2004 was from the core version.
January 31, 2006 issue
Questionnaire Design for 2006 Phase II Survey
Planning for questionnaire design for the 2006 ARMS Production
Practices and Cost of Production survey is underway. The target
commodities for 2006 are soybeans (including organic) and rice.
The procedure starts with the most recent questionnaire for that
commodity. This questionnaire is then modified to reflect changes
in technology and research priorities.
If you would like to suggest questions for inclusion in the 2006
survey, now is your opportunity. Remember, farm financial information
is gathered at a different time and questions in this area can not
be accepted. Also, there is no opportunity to add commodities. All
submitted questions will go through a review process to balance
the need for the information, scope of the problem addressed, and
the respondent's ability to provide the information with the cost
of data collection.
Suggested questions for inclusion can be sent by e-mail to Tim
Payne or by fax at (202) 694-5775. New questions must have a short
paragraph explaining the need for the information as well as contact
information for the person suggesting the question for inclusion.
For consideration, questions and justifications must be received
by February 13th, 2005.
To see the most recent questionnaires, select either 2002
soybean or 2000 rice.
November 4, 2005 issue
2004 Farm Financial and Household Estimates Are Now Available
With 2003 Crop Production Practices
The 2004 farm financial and farm household estimates are now available
at: http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/ARMS/.
These estimates provide insight into the financial and structural
characteristics of the Nation's farm businesses and
farm households.
Detailed 2003 Crop Production Practices and Cost of Production
tables for cotton, sorghum, and barley for grain are also offered.
The data can be summarized by crop, year, ERS Farm Resource Region,
irrigation system, previous crop, highly erodible land, and tillage
system. Crop Production Practices estimates for 2004 are scheduled
for release in early May 2006. The 2004 crops are winter wheat,
durum wheat, other spring wheat, and peanuts.
Survey and sample design for 2005 ARMS Phase II has begun. The
2005 commodities are corn and oats for grain. In addition, dairy
farms will be surveyed in the 2005 ARMS Phase III with an emphasis
on organic dairy costs of production.
November 5, 2004 issue
ARMS Update: More, Faster, and Easier Access to a Wealth of Data—From
Your PC
Over the last several years, every time ERS would ask
ARMS data users how we could make ARMS better, people responded "More, faster,
and easier access to the data!" ERS has listened and
responded.
ERS and NASS present "Farm Business and Household Survey Data:
Customized Data Summaries from ARMS"—a dynamic, technologically
advanced, and easy to use web-based data delivery tool for data
users to experiment with remote access and learn about agricultural
production technology, farm business viability, and the structure
of U.S. agriculture from information gleaned from ARMS (USDA's annual
Agricultural Resource Management Survey).
All of the information previously threaded throughout the ERS website—on
farming practices, the economics of the farm business, the structure
of American farming, and the characteristics of the American farm
household—has been gathered in one place.
And, for the first time, this year's release of ARMS survey information
includes data for 15 selected States, as well as for the nation
as a whole—providing a new level of specificity and usefulness.
Now States can assess, as ERS does for the nation, such things as
which characteristics elevate the top performing farms and how farm
households divide their time among farm and nonfarm endeavors. This
expansion doubles the sample size, thereby improving the statistical
confidence of all ARMS information.
Go to http://arms.ers.usda.gov/
to see what the farming community tells us about farm businesses,
farming practices, and households. Explore the system, select what
you need, customize the information you receive, and quickly respond
to customers with tailor-made information and data. Use our tools
for tailored reporting or for advanced statistical analysis:
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Tailored Reports enables custom queries
Select among survey data sets to build custom reports, refine
queries with specific samples/populations, group summary statistics
for comparisons, and choose among output options for results (tables,
charts, etc)
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Advanced Statistical Analysis provides tools for additional
statistical analysis and economic modeling
Get the fullest detail/range of variables, enhanced flexibility,
and built-in regression (and soon multivariate analysis) tool.
Use our classifications or create your own!
Full remote access is currently limited; just follow the procedures
outlined on the site to sign up. We've put in place a host of technical
safeguards in order to expand accessibility to and usefulness of
ARMS information while maintaining survey respondents' confidentiality.
We are promoting statistical efficiency by authorizing limited data
sharing with researchers in cooperative relationships with ERS.
This relationship establishes widespread and uniform confidentiality
protections that cooperators must adhere to and provides criminal
& civil penalties for misuse. Another option is to go to http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/arms
to receive unlimited remote access to ARMS data, albeit with some
restrictions in the custom queries and without the advanced statistical
analysis tools that are available in the restricted access version.
Please note the process will get easier soon! Come
November 9, access to the "Tailored Reports" feature of
the tool (data summaries) can be accomplished much more simply by
going directly to the ERS website—no forms needed! (But, the
same steps now required for full access to the tool will still be
needed after Nov. 9 for access to the "Advanced Statistical
Analysis" feature.)
August 23, 2004 issue
ARMS Update: Status, Schedule, and New Product
New Resource
A CD detailing ARMS history, survey procedures, data availability,
and examples of research is now available. For a free copy, contact
Tim Payne by e-mail. Or:
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phone (202) 694-5603
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write: Tim Payne, USDA/ERS, Room 4057-N, 1800 M Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20036
2003 ARMS (Cotton, Sorghum, Barley for Grain)
The 2003 ARMS data (cotton, sorghum, barley for grain) are being
processed and should be available for use by researchers at the
end of September. Contact Bob Dubman, ERS'
ARMS Data Coordinator, for access to the micro data (confidentiality
rules restrict access to detailed data).
The information above refers to the ARMS data only. It does not
refer to any USDA report, publication, or product that has been
or is being developed using ARMS data. Go to the ARMS
Briefing Room for more product-related information.
January 15, 2004 issue
ARMS Update: Questionnaire Design for
Upcoming Surveys
Planning for questionnaire design for the 2004 ARMS Production
Practices and Cost of Production survey is underway. The target
commodities for 2004 are peanuts and all wheat (classified as durum,
other spring, and winter). The procedure is to begin with the questionnaire
from the most recent survey period for that commodity and then modify
the questionnaire to reflect new technologies and research priorities.
If you would like to suggest questions for inclusion in the 2004
survey (understanding that farm financial information is gathered
at a different time and there is no opportunity to add other commodities),
now is your opportunity. All submitted questions will go through
a review process to balance the need for the information, scope
of the problem addressed, and the respondent's ability to provide
the information with the cost of data collection.
Suggested questions for inclusion can be sent by e-mail to Tim
Payne or by fax at (202) 694-5775. New questions must have a
short paragraph explaining the need for the information as well
as contact information for the person suggesting the question for
inclusion. For consideration, questions and justifications must
be received by February 17th, 2004.
See the most recent questionnaires:
January 7, 2004 issue
ARMS Update: Status, Schedule, and Data Availability
General
Crop production
practices tables are available on the ERS website. These tables
include summarized information on pest management, pesticide use,
seed variety, tillage systems, residue management, nutrient use,
and irrigation technology. Information is available for the years
1996-2001.
2002 ARMS (Soybeans)
The 2002
ARMS data (soybeans) are now available for use by researchers.
Contact Bob Dubman, ERS' ARMS Data Coordinator,
for access to the micro data (confidentiality rules restrict access
to detailed data).
The information above refers to the ARMS data only. It does not
refer to any USDA report, publication, or product that has been
or is being developed using ARMS data. Go to the ARMS
Briefing Room for more product-related information.
December 1, 2003 issue
ARMS Update: Status, Schedule, and Data Availability
2001 ARMS (Corn)
The aggregate data
are now available. Contact Bob Dubman,
ERS' ARMS Data Coordinator, for access to
the micro data (confidentiality rules restrict access to detailed
data).
2002 ARMS (Soybeans)
Data collection has been completed. These data are in the final
processing phase and are expected to be available by the end
of
2003. Notification will be sent to ARMS Update subscribers when
the complete data set (Phases II and III) is available.
2003 ARMS (Cotton, Sorghum, and Barley for Grain)
Data collection for the Phase II (production practices
and costs) has begun. The projected NASS "clean date" (the
date when all data have been collected and apparent
errors have been
reviewed
by enumerators, survey statisticians, and respondents) is the
end of January 2004. ARMS Phase III (costs and returns) questionnaire
design is complete and data collection will begin in early 2004.
The projected clean date for Phase III is mid-April 2004, with
the
data files available by the end of 2004.
2004 ARMS
Tentatively, the target commodities are wheat (durum, winter,
and other spring), peanuts, and hogs. Actual commodities surveyed
are
dependent on congressional funding. The reference period for
crops is the crop year. The reference period for livestock is
the calendar
year. The survey design process will begin after the FY 2004
USDA budget is passed. Phase I (presence of the target commodity)
is scheduled to be conducted in May and June 2004.
The information above refers to the ARMS data only. It does not
refer to any USDA report, publication, or product that has been
or is being developed using ARMS data. Go to the ARMS
Briefing Room for more product-related information.
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