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Executive Summary
Pages 1-6

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From page 1...
... American agriculture is changing, and the science of statistical measurement is changing as well. As with every major governmental data collection with such far-reaching and important uses, it is critical to periodically 
From page 2...
... This is the element the panel was least able to assess with confidence, because knowledge is inadequate about the true values of many data items that ARMS estimates. Obtaining better information about the accuracy of surveybased information from the survey is a central reason for our call, sounded throughout this report, for a systematic program of methodology research and development, which would focus on questionnaire design, survey management, bias resulting from nonresponse, quality checks on responses, editing and imputation procedures, calibration to data from sources other than ARMS, and statistical procedures for calculating confidence intervals on estimates derived from ARMS data.
From page 3...
... In addition to identifying areas of needed improvement in current methods and practices, our review identifies several emerging challenges. These challenges are associated with the changing structure of farming, overall trends in federal surveys -- such as the growing difficulty of obtaining satisfactory survey response -- and the growing sophistication of survey data users, both inside and outside the federal government.
From page 4...
... Issues that need more attention include the employment of analytical tools to investigate the quality of survey responses, additional control and further automation of the interview process, shift of focus from nonresponse rates to nonresponse bias, introduction of new methods of imputation of missing values and documentation of the results of imputation, improvements to variance estimation that will be more compatible with the types of data analysis that are now employed, and more attention to facilitating access to the data files for research and analysis. The panel did not explicitly prioritize either the issues or our recommendations, although we do draw special attention to the need for an ongoing, joint, and appropriately funded methodology research and development program.
From page 5...
... • nonresponse, imputation, and estimation, including providing a foundation for appropriate response rate calculations, adjustment for response rates in the multiple phases, nonresponse bias, making the survey mandatory, changes to reduce item nonresponse, approaches to imputation, flagging missing data used for analysis, and clarifying the estimation process. • Methods of analysis, including provision of sampling weights, using the design-weighted approach, jackknife replicates, design and nonresponse characteristics, in-house survey statistics expertise at ERS, and developing a guide for researchers.
From page 6...
...  UnDeRStAnDing AMeRiCAn AgRiCUltURe the data to implement USDA program requirements and to formulate and evaluate USDA polices and programs. The analytical program of ERS informs both public- and private-sector decision makers, through research and analysis on a wide variety of farm, farm household, environmental, and other rural issues, shedding light on important national issues like energy usage by supporting analysis of the impact of energy prices on farm production costs and, consequently, on the price of commodities.


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