USDA Announces Request for Information on Agricultural Data Improvement

Washington, D.C., February 20, 2026 – During the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Outlook Forum today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins declared a Request for Information (RFI) focused on identifying opportunities, challenges, and emerging areas in statistical data, analysis, and research within the USDA.

Multiple USDA entities, including the Economic Research Service, the National Agricultural Statistics Service, and the Office of the Chief Economist, play crucial roles in generating statistical data, analyses, and research aimed at providing the agricultural community with timely, accurate, and useful insights. The statistics that inform key reports, such as the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates and crop production data, are seen as benchmarks for agricultural forecasting. However, the USDA recognizes the ongoing potential for enhancements in accuracy and utility.

“It is vital for farmers, ranchers, and other users of USDA data to comprehend the processes and methodologies employed in producing these statistics,” stated Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics Dr. Scott H. Hutchins. “Today’s RFI exemplifies USDA’s commitment to a ‘Farmers First’ policy approach and aims to gather input that will help us improve the data we provide to our stakeholders. We rely on farmers to contribute to our surveys, and we intend to demonstrate our dedication to using their insights transparently and objectively.”

USDA Chief Economist Dr. Justin Benavidez added, “USDA’s data products have traditionally set the standard for market reporting. However, this does not mean there isn’t room for improvement. We are seeking producer-driven feedback to introduce greater transparency and ease of access across our data outputs. Additionally, we are committed to reassessing our accuracy and actively addressing areas for improvement. If producers do not have confidence in our products, we have work to accomplish.”

The RFI will remain open for public comment for 45 days, with preliminary analyses of the feedback scheduled for discussion during the 2026 Spring Data Users Meeting on April 22, 2026.

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