Alabama June Area Survey Training Workshop (Montgomery, Alabama) May 19-21, 2010

The Alabama NASS Field Office held a successful and productive workshop in Montogmery, Alabama on May 19-21, 2010 to prepare for the 2010 June Area Survey. There were 5 Field Supervisors and 24 Enumerators who participated in the workshop. One of the highlights of the workshop was an Awards Banquet held the evening of May 20 to recognize the excellent work of the supervisors and enumerators. 

NASDA’s NASS Program Director Charlie Ingram participated in the workshop and was especially pleased to be in his home state! After the workshop, Charlie joined Field Enumerator George White on May 24 to conduct some June Survey interviews with producers. Charlie's Changing Hats

The NASS Alabama Field Office team of Bill Weaver (Director), Kathy Broussard (Deputy Director), Rick Geesey (NASDA Coordinator), Stephanie Jackson (Ag Statistician), Darien Lee (Ag Statistician), Jamila Scott (Ag Statistician), and Greg Herbek (Ag Statistician), did an outstanding job of coordinating the workshop activities and presenting the survey materials.  

The June Area survey is one of the largest annual NASS survey projects. It is designed to account for every acre of land, all agricultural activities, and land uses within segment boundaries. Data collected by NASDA enumerators on behalf of NASS include: crop acreage, grain stocks, livestock inventory (including cattle, hogs, sheep and poultry), land values, cash rents, farm numbers, and value of sales. 

One of the highlights of the workshop was an Awards Banquet held the evening of May 20 to recognize the excellent work of the supervisors and enumerators during the 2009 Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS). Alabama had an 80% survey response rate—which is higher than the national average and quite an accomplishment for such a complex survey!