Senators Amy Klobuchar and Jeanne Shaheen, along with all ten Democratic members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, sent a letter on Mar. 30 to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) expressing concerns about the reliability of USDA data reports. The senators referenced a recent Farm Journal survey indicating that 73 percent of agricultural producers and 78 percent of retailers have less confidence in USDA reports than in previous years.
The issue is significant because farmers rely on accurate USDA data for decisions regarding planting, risk management, and marketing their products. In their letter, the senators said: "We write to express our concerns regarding the reliability of data reports from the U.S Department of Agriculture. Farmers need reliable USDA data to make critical decisions on what to plant, how to manage risks, and when to market their agricultural products. Given the importance of reliable USDA data to farmers, ranchers, and rural communities, it is critical that USDA maintain the quality and integrity of its data."
The senators highlighted a major revision made by USDA in January 2026 when it increased its harvested corn acreage estimate for the 2025 crop year from an initial June estimate of 86.8 million acres to 91.3 million acres. This adjustment resulted in grain prices dropping more than five percent during a period when farm incomes were already under pressure.
The letter also addressed staffing reductions at key agencies responsible for collecting agricultural statistics: "This erosion of trust in USDA data comes after a loss of over 30 percent of National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS) employees and nearly 25 percent of Farm Service Agency (FSA) employees...in the first half of 2025 alone." The senators warned that proposed departmental reorganizations could further reduce institutional knowledge.
The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee operates as a standing committee affiliated with the U.S. Senate according to its official website. The committee manages legislation related to farming practices, nutrition programs, food security issues both domestically and internationally according to its official website. It consists of twenty-three members—twelve Republicans and eleven Democrats—and was established after Pennsylvania Republican Senator William Findlay proposed elevating agriculture's status according to its official website.
Klobuchar said: "Issues like this have led to an erosion of trust in USDA data in the agricultural community...A January 2026 Farm Journal survey...indicates that seventy-three percent of farmers and seventy-eight percent...are less confident in USDA data now than they were in the past." The senators requested information about steps being taken within relevant agencies "to ensure that farmers...can rely on the data issued by USDA" as well as details about efforts underway for improving producer survey response rates.
