Summary of 1989 USDA Data Users Meetings

Report Foreword: This report summarizes discussion at six Data Users Meetings held in March 1989 to discuss USDA economic and Statistical reports. Also included are written statements which were provided by meeting participants or by individuals who were unable to attend. Listening meetings have been held nearly every year since 1978 by agencies under the Assistant Secretary for Economics. These meetings have identified a number of improvements which have been incorporated into the ongoing reports and research program. The 1989 meetings focused on fruits, vegetables, other specialty commodities, and farm labor reports. The Agricultural Marketing Service joined the Economic Agencies in this year’s meetings. The material presented in this report is a summary of the major points presented at each session. No attempt was made to capture verbatim comments. All answers and subsequent discussion based on remarks by a particular speaker are shown by indentations.