crop production practices—Phase II of the Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) is USDA's primary source of information about the current status and trends in crop production practices for major crops (corn, soybeans, wheat, and cotton). This survey also obtains data on U.S. farmers' agricultural resource use, as well as data to assess potential environmental impacts associated with crop production practices. The ARMS survey yields annual data summaries for field-level data by crop, including: irrigation technology and water use, nutrient use and nutrient management practices, crop residue management practices, pest management practices and pesticide use, and crop seed variety. Data summaries are available for production years 1996-2001 (years available differ by commodity).

farm financial management data—Standard financial statements (income statement, balance sheet) and financial ratios are summarized for various classifications of farms such as farm type, economic class, region, and operator age. This financial information was prepared based on the accounting methods recommended by the Farm Financial Standards Council.

farm financial management data by farm typology—Farm businesses are defined using both intermediate and commercial farm typology groups (see Food and Agricultural Policy: Taking Stock for the New Century). The typology tables include standard financial statements as well as structural characteristics for all farms in both the three category typology (rural residence, intermediate and commercial farms) and the full eight category typology (see America's Diverse Family Farms: Assorted Sizes, Types, and Situations) In addition, selected financial information is provided for farm operator households and family farms.

farm income data—There are well over a thousand tables provided here, but the major categories are value-added (farm income), cash receipts, rankings for commodities and States, production expenses, cash income, government payments, and income statements by size of farm.

commodity costs and returns—The files for each commodity are divided into 4 categories:

• U.S. and regional estimates for the most recent 2 years.
  
  
• A time-series of U.S. and regional estimates made using the format and methods. endorsed by the AAEA task force on commodity costs and returns and ERS farm resource regions.
  
  
• A time-series of U.S and regional estimates from 1975 using the previous format and methods and regional definitions.
  
  
• A time-series of U.S. and regional estimates for major field crop that include the effects of government program participation.

farm balance sheet data—There are hundreds of tables presented here, but the major categories are individual farm sector balance sheets for the United States and States by decade, and financial ratio tables for solvency and profitability ratios and liquidity and efficiency ratios.

cropping practices data—Presents unsummarized data from the 1990-95 USDA Cropping Practices Survey, a predecessor of the ARMS survey. Included are data on nutrient and pesticide use, tillage practices, and related data for major field crops.

• Cropping Practices 1995 data
• Cropping Practices 1994 data
• Cropping Practices 1993 data
• Cropping Practices 1992 data
• Cropping Practices 1991 data
• Cropping Practices 1990 data

agricultural chemical use on fruit/nuts and vegetables—Presents state and U.S. fertilizer and pesticide use data for fruit, nut, berry, and vegetable crops. Also, fertilizer use data for California vegetable crops.

• Fruits & Nuts and Vegetables Summaries. 1996 Vegetable ...
• Fruit & Nuts and Vegetables Summaries. 1995 Fruit ...
• Fruit & Nuts and Vegetables Summaries. 1994 ...
• Fruit & Nuts and Vegetables Summaries. 1993 Fruit Summary
• Fruit & Nuts and Vegetables Summaries. 1992 ...
• Fruit & Nuts and Vegetables Summaries. 1991 Fruit & ...

agricultural chemical use on field crops—Presents state and U.S. fertilizer and pesticide use data for corn, cotton, soybeans, wheat, and fall potatoes. Includes pesticide use by active ingredient, application rates, and acres treated. Also includes data on target pest by pesticide active ingredient for fall potatoes beginning with the 1992 data.

• Field Crops 1996 data
• Field Crops 1995 data
• Field Crops 1994 data
• Field Crops 1993 data
• Field Crops 1992 data
• Field Crops 1991 data

briefing rooms with data

Explanations and additional data for farm income and costs are presented in the following briefing rooms:

farm income and costs briefing room

• Multiple well-being measures
• Farm household income
• 2003 farm income estimates
• Farm sector income forecast
• Farm business income
• Assets, debt and wealth
• Farm household well-being
• Commodity costs and returns

agricultural chemicals and production technology briefing room

agricultural biotechnology: adoption of biotechnology and its production impacts

farm and commodity policy briefing room: government payments and the farm sector

for more information, contact: Robert Dubman
web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov
page updated: September 7, 2004