How USDA generates dairy reports and its impact on dairy markets

We are fortunate to have a cutting-edge dairy reporting system in the United States through the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).  Statistician Greg Bussler and Associate Professor Chuck Nicholson dissect the NASS dairy reports and the role it plays with understanding dairy markets. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Greg and Chuck:

• 1:23: Overview of the National Agricultural Statistics Service and how it generates dairy reports
• 3:48: How dairy farmers are randomly selected   
• 4:08: Handling NASS surveys in other states and regions
• 6:20: Reviewing and analyzing NASS reports
• 8:13: How the reports are used to determine dairy markets
• 11:02: How other countries do dairy reporting
• 13:10: Overcoming the challenge of poor dairy reporting in other countries
• 16:38: How policymakers utilize NASS dairy reports
• 17:29: Role of the U.S. Ag Census, response rate
• 20:52: NASS data helps understand the dairy supply chain, keeping up with innovation
• 24:17: How NASS stays up-to-date with the industry
• 26:25: Data from NASS to keep an eye on
• 26:35: What trends should dairy be tracking outside of agriculture

Special thanks to BMO Harris Bank for sponsoring this episode.

About the guests

• Greg Bussler is the Wisconsin Statistician for the National Agricultural Statistics Service. He grew up on a hog and crop farm in Minnesota. Greg enjoys working with numbers and has been with NASS for over 33 years.  
• Chuck Nicholson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at the University of Wisconsin—Madison. His position is funded by the Dairy Innovation Hub and focuses on the analysis of dairy markets, policy and supply chains. Chuck teaches undergraduate courses on food systems and supply chains. 

This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. 

Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.