Agricultural Statistics Related to Marketing

Excerpts: What is the market for Agricultural Statistics? First, there are 5.4 million farm operators. They must have statistics if they are to decide intelligently what to produce, and when and where to sell it. Second, there are almost 5 million persons engaged in processing and distributing farm products and the foods and fibers made from farm products. They must have statistics if they are to operate efficiently. Third, there are in the United States 158 million consumers of foods, fibers, and other goods made from farm products. Many of them use statistics sparingly if at all. But a substantial number of consumers make at least some use of statistics as a guide to buying. Thus, the market for agricultural statistics is big. Or looked at in another way, it is also a series of specialized markets. The dairy farmer, the railroad freight agent, the hog packer, the chain store manager, and the housewife each has a special interest. Each needs a particular kind of statistics, designed to answer special problems. We shall look briefly at two kinds of market information made available by the Department and cooperating agencies: First, the periodic reporting of statistical material on such subjects as farm production and market prices; second, the publication of information growing out of marketing research.