USDA’s Cost of Pollination Survey Mails to Louisiana Crop Producers this Fall

On October 28, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will mail the Cost of Pollination Inquiry – November 2024 to nearly 16,000 producers nationwide, including 80 Louisiana crop producers. The survey results will help producers and beekeepers monitor and react to changes in production costs. Pollination expenditures are a necessary part of agriculture and are directly tied to the health of the honey bee industry. 

“To help accurately depict the health of the pollination industry in the United States, NASS will ask crop producers about their use of honey bees, the fees they paid for honey bee pollination, and any other expenses related to pollinating their crops,” said Kathy Broussard, Louisiana State Statistician. 

Survey recipients are asked to respond securely online at agcounts.usda.gov, by mail, or by fax. Those who do not respond by November 4 may be contacted by a NASS representative from the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) to arrange an interview to complete the survey. 

All information reported by producers will be used for statistical purposes only and kept confidential, as required by federal law. NASS will publish the survey data December 13, 2024, in the Cost of Pollination report, at nass.usda.gov. 

For more information about the Cost of Pollination survey and the NASS bee and honey program, visit nass.usda.gov/go/bees/. NASS’ other honey bee reports include the Honey report, published every March, and the Honey Bee Colonies report, published every August. 

For assistance with the survey, producers are encouraged to call the NASS Delta Regional Field Office at (800) 327-2970.