Overview
The ERS farm income and costs program measures, forecasts,
and explains indicators of economic performance for the
U.S. farm sector and major crop and livestock farm groups.
The program's analyses and data are used by USDA and other
clients in both the public and private sector to form
a perspective about the financial health of the U.S. agricultural
economy. Distributional analyses identify subsectors and
business types that are performing well relative to past
trends and to other groups and types of farms. Identification
of these businesses enables analysts to examine more closely
factors contributing to differing levels of financial
performance, such as assessment of debt repayment difficulties
for specific farm types, industry subsectors, and regions
of the country.
Income forecasts and estimates provide perspective regarding
not only the sector’s financial status but also its contribution
as a key sector of the national economy. ERS analysts
support estimation of the national income and product
accounts by contributing estimates for farm earnings,
expenditures, and value-added to be incorporated into
these vital national statistics. Economic trends can be
determined and analyzed using data related to the production
and marketing of commodities, expenditures for types of
inputs, income by State, income by size of farm, and the
role of government in supporting the sector.
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