USDA NASS to Livestream Agricultural Data Briefings, Enhances Public Access to Valuable Information

On March 30, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will livestream the Secretary of Agriculture’s data report briefing for the first time. This and future Secretary data briefings will stream on NASS’s YouTube channel five minutes after NASS reports are released to the public. This Hogs and Pigs briefing will be live at 3:05 p.m. ET.

The next livestream, on March 31, is the Prospective Plantings and Grain Stocks briefing at 12:05 p.m. ET. In April, NASS will livestream the Crop Production briefing. Crop Production briefings will also include presentations of data from the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report released by the Office of the Chief Economist’s World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB). NASS recently recorded several Secretary briefings to give data users an idea of what to expect from livestreams, they are available on YouTube.

“NASS and WAOB are committed to providing key agricultural information to the broadest possible audience and helping users understand the context of the data serving the agricultural community and our country,” said Joe Parsons, chair of the Agricultural Statistics Board (ASB). “Now, by livestreaming our briefings when major reports are released, we can provide information to a wider and more diverse audience than ever before. Our work is made possible by our agricultural producers who take valuable time to respond to surveys to ensure we have the best data available. To them, we say thank you.”

Livestreaming will improve access for the public, increasing transparency and understanding of NASS’s and WAOB’s data and processes. For anyone unable to attend a livestream, a recording will be posted to YouTube later the same day.

The quarterly Hogs and Pigs report presents data on the U.S. pig crop for 16 major states and the United States, including inventory number by class, weight group, farrowings, and farrowing intentions. Pigs per litter and pig crop by quarter are also covered in the report. The data are gathered from a random sample of approximately 7,500 U.S. producers of varying sizes.

Questions from viewers will not be taken during these official briefings. Viewers with questions are encouraged to contact NASS and WAOB staff directly; they may also get NASS questions answered during NASS’s live Twitter Stat Chat @USDA_NASS that is offered one hour after data release.

The ASB prepares and disseminates hundreds of reports every year, providing the official USDA estimates on crops, livestock, and economic indicators for the agricultural industry. The WAOB serves as USDA’s focal point for economic intelligence and the commodity outlook for U.S. and world agriculture. Market-sensitive ASB and WAOB reports are compiled and issued under special security conditions known as Lockup.