We are the USDA-NASS, California Field Office (NASS-CA) in Sacramento, one of 45 Field Offices of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). NASS is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). NASS has Field Offices in each state, with the exception that all New England states are serviced by New Hampshire. The agency's primary responsibility is to prepare official estimates of agriculture for each state and the nation.

NASS Field Offices collect, verify, and analyze data used to prepare statistical estimates. The data, which is gathered voluntarily from farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses, are collected throughout the year. Survey data are collected and summarized at the state level to provide statistical indications. These indications are analyzed by statisticians in each Field Office, who then make recommendations to the national headquarters in Washington, D.C. Statisticians in headquarters review all the recommendations and issue state and national estimates to the public on scheduled dates throughout the year. Approximately 300 national and 9,000 state reports are issued annually.

NASS-CA works cooperatively with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, County Agricultural Commissioners' Field Offices, and Ag-Industry representatives to provide the best possible statistical data for California agriculture. This cooperation permits the preparation and publication of county level estimates of crops, livestock, fruits, nuts, and many others commodities unique to California. In addition, NASS-CA conducts surveys for other government agencies and private organizations.

The NASS-CA publishes numerous reports throughout the year. All of our publications have been available on the Internet free-of-charge since 1999. Our publications are also available by subscription. The following is a brief listing of some of our publications:

Weekly Crop Weather:
         Covers crop condition, progress, growth, and development, and temperature and rainfall information.

Field Crop Reports:
         Summary of reports including acreage, crop production, grain and hay stocks, wheat, rice, field crop prices, cotton, and potatoes.

Fruit and Nut Reports:
        Summary of reports including almonds, walnuts, pistachios, apples, berries, grapes, peaches, pears, prunes, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, and tangerines.

Livestock Reports:
        Summary of reports including cattle on feed, cattle inventory, slaughter, poultry, sheep, milk and dairy products, and hogs.

Poultry Reports:
        Summary of reports including turkeys, chickens, broilers, and egg production.

Vegetable Reports:
        Summary of reports including tomato processing.

All reports issued by NASS-CA are free to California farmers and Agribusiness firms, who provide the basic data for the reports, and to cooperating USDA and California State agencies. Others are required to pay a fee as shown on the subscription form in order to recover the printing and mailing costs. You may order our annual bulletin publications by using our on-line publication order form or by contacting our Field Office directly at (916) 498-5161, nass-ca@nass.usda.gov, P.O. Box 1258, Sacramento, CA 95812.