ARMS data are collected at both the individual field or production unit level (phase II), and for the whole farm (phase III). (See How ARMS is conducted.) The exact questions asked vary with the crop or livestock enterprise being sampled. The questions asked for phases II and III for specific crops and livestock in specific years can be accessed from the documentation available online.

field-level cropping practice data

Part of the data collected in ARMS phase II is information about the practices used to grow the crop at the field level.



Phase II data include information on the field itself (such as the soil, management practices, previous crops, and yield characteristics), size of the field, and the operator's tenure, including rental arrangements. Seed type, sowing rate, and cost are collected, as well as the field equipment used to work the field. Amounts of fertilizer and methods of application for the crop are recorded, including information on how the nutrient management decisions are made. Pesticide management variables include the amount and number of applications of each pesticide ingredient, and the management information used to make that determination. Additional information includes irrigation water applications and timing, drying costs and methods, and the use of crop insurance.

Chemical use and production practice data were collected for fruit and vegetable crops until 1999, when they were discontinued due to inadequate funding. For livestock production, the detailed production practice information is collected as part of the farm cost-of-production surveys.

Field-level questions asked are available at the Crop Production Practices information server.

farm-level organization and business data

Phase III of ARMS is collected for the whole farm, beginning with the legal organization and business arrangements governing the farm's operation. Organizations range from simple sole proprietorships to corporations. Business arrangements, such as contracts, joint ventures, and other cooperative production forms, are also recorded. For questions posed at the whole-farm level, see the Farm Business and Farm Operator Household information server.

farm-level land use and tenure data

farm business income data

Also recorded at the whole-farm level are data needed to capture sources of income coming to the farm. These include obvious items like receipts from crop and livestock sales, production contracts, and government payments, but also unusual or episodic receipts, such as machine hire or custom work, sale of machinery or equipment, and income from activities in the previous year. Home consumption of goods produced on the farm allows adjustments to income to be made. In addition to the total amount of receipts, their distribution to all those with an interest in the farm business is also recorded.

farm business expense data

For questions regarding cost of production at the enterprise level, see the Enterprise Cost of Production information server.

farm business financial data

Financial attributes of the farm are collected in ARMS phase III. These include three general categories of data: information on assets used in the farm operation (including those assets that are owned and those not wholly owned but operated by the farm), liabilities incurred in operating the farm, and information on the owners of all types of assets. The distributions of ownership are needed to match the distributions of income flowing from the operation.

farm household data

While the primary accounting model guiding ARMS phase III is the farm business, farms are also important as households. To reconcile the farm business with the various activities of family members in the farm household, the details of all nonfarm and farm income and assets are carefully recorded. By collecting information on all owners in the farm business, the relationships between household income and net worth, as well as farm income and net worth are made clear.

Detailed documentation on each ARMS component in each year, including survey instruments and field data collection manuals, is available.

for more information, contact: Mitch Morehart
web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov
page updated: November 21, 2003