Questions & Answers
Q: Does the Food Availability (Per Capita) Data System measure actual
consumption?
A: No, the system comprises three data series, none of which measures
actual consumption or the quantities ingested. The data are not
based on direct observations of consumption. However,
the ERS per capita food availability data are useful for economic
analysis because they serve as indirect measures of trends in
food use. In other words, the per capita food availability system
provides an indication of whether Americans, on average, are
consuming more or less of various foods over time.
Q: Does the data system provide estimates by State or region?
A: No, the data are available only at the national level.
See documentation for more detail on how the data are constructed.
Q: Are the per capita food availability data adjusted for food losses?
A: No, the per capita food availability data
are not adjusted for food losses. However, ERS has developed
methods to adjust the food availability data for losses and express
the data in terms
of daily per capita Food Guide Pyramid servings.
This allows researchers to gain a more complete understanding
of U.S. dietary patterns by comparing food availability servings
measured at the national
level with the estimates generated at the individual level of
food intake surveys.
Q: What is the difference between farm weight and retail weight?
A: Farm weight is the weight of a commodity as measured on the farm before further conditioning and
processing. Retail weight (also called product weight) is the weight of a product as it is
sold at the retail level. In the meat trade, retail weight is differentiated from carcass-weight
equivalent, and may or may not include the weight of bone, fat, or additional water. Additional
definitions can be found in the glossary.
Q: Who do I contact if my question is not answered here?
A: Please contact Jean Buzby or
Hodan Farah Wells if your question
is not answered here.
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