By Jason Vance
CherryRoad Media
Contributing writer

On February 5 the annual survey of cash rents and leases began. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has sent more than 241,000 surveys to farmers across the United States. Cash rents for irrigated and non-irrigated cropland and permanent pasture will be collected in the survey and will be used to find estimates of the current year’s rental rates.

“Survey response from as many farm operators as possible ensures that cash rental rates accurately represent their locality,” said Brad Summa, director of the Heartland Regional Field Office. “The data from the Cash Rents and Leases survey will also give landowners a useful tool in negotiating rental agreements and making other business decisions for their agricultural operations.”

The Farm Service Agency also uses the data collected as another resource to determining new rates each year for the Conservation Reserve Program.

All information provided in the survey will be kept confidential and compiled in such a way that no one can be identified. The state-level data will be published on Aug. 1 and county-level data on Aug. 22. Contact the NASS Heartland Regional Field Office at (800) 551-1014 for more information or assistance with the survey.