The Story of U.S. Agricultural Estimates

Contents: PART I. EARLY EFFORTS TO GATHER AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS, 1781-1861 (Chapter 1. Evolution of Agricultural Data Systems); PART II. THE FOUNDING PERIOD, 1862 to 1905 (Chapter 2. A Beginning Is Made, Chapter 3. Regular Reports Are Established, 1866-81, Chapter 4. An Era of Progress, 1882-93, Chapter 5. A Decade of Confusion 1894-1905); PART III. A PERIOD OF GROWTH, 1905-30 (Chapter 6. Crop Reporting from 1905 Through World War I, Chapter 7. Post World War I—The Decade of the 1920’s; PART IV. AN ERA OF TURBULENT EXPANSION (Chapter 8. A New Era Starts with Henry A. Wallace, Chapter 9. Post World War II, Chapter 10. Inauguration of a Long-Range Plan for Development of the Statistical Reporting Service); PART V. APPENDIX (Chapter 11. A Century of Agriculture in Charts and Pictures, Chapter 12. A Chronology of Development and Progress, Chapter 13. Heads of Agricultural Statistics, Chapter 14. Statutes Establishing and Enlarging the Department of Agriculture; Chapter 15. Laws Governing Crop Reports, Chapter 16. Crop Reporting Regulations, Chapter 17. Commissioners and Secretaries of Agriculture)

A Century of Agriculture in Charts and Tables

Excerpts from the report: This handbook presents, in charts and tables, major statistical series covering a century of American agriculture. It is the product of a crop and livestock estimating system that is based on the voluntary cooperation of farmers and other citizens, and on the close collaboration of the States and the Federal Government. The U. S. Department of Agriculture now has continuous data for major crops and livestock since 1866. In that year the estimating program included monthly progress reports during the growing season, and annual estimates for 10 crops and 4 species of livestock. The charts reveal many significant trends—the decrease in number of farms and people on farms, the increase of cattle numbers and the decrease in sheep, and the virtual disappearance of horses and mules as a source of farm power. But probably the most dramatic development is the increase in crop and livestock yields, particularly since 1950