Iowa Farm Bureau’s annual USDA Crop Report Trip to Washington, D.C. will be September 9-11, 2019. The trip is organized by the Iowa Farm Bureau in cooperation with Iowa’s Agricultural Statistical Reporting Service (USDA). As a part of this exclusive opportunity, members selected will participate in the USDA’s lock-up for the announcement of the September crop production report, which will be on Friday, September 11.

Hotel and air travel expenses (from Des Moines) are included for accepted applicants. The deadline for applications is July 20, 2020.

The purpose of this educational trip is to become informed and knowledgeable of the USDA procedures used for assembling and analyzing national crop production data as well as meet with government agencies and other officials that regulate, oversee or influence agricultural markets.

Trip participants are asked to share what they learned from this experience with other Farm Bureau members, as well as the public.

To apply for consideration, please click here. If you have any questions regarding this opportunity, feel free to contact Ed Kordick at ekordick@ifbf.org.

Background: This trip (8 to 12 members) helps member participants become informed about USDA procedures for assembling, analyzing, interpreting and distributing national crop production data.  Members participate in USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) September crop report release, briefing and lock-up activities.  Members also meet with governmental agencies and officials in our nation’s capital that regulate or influence markets for ag products.

2019 participants’ trip rating = 4.6 (1 to 5 scale, 5 = very valuable)

Member Comments from past trips:

  • My favorite part of the trip (USDA Crop Report)! A look behind the curtain helped give me confidence in USDA’s and NASS’ processes.
  • (Embassy visit) is also one of my favorite parts of the trip. Getting to see another countries embassy was quite the experience.
  • Highlight was the release of the crop report and the work and the security that went into it
  • Getting to see the extensive processes USDA and NASS go through for these reports was extremely valuable. It helped to better educate myself and shore up my confidence in reports that effect me so much. The Embassy trip was great because it was such a unique opportunity.
  • Great trip all around. Thank you Farm Bureau for the opportunity!
  • This was a well-organized, well executed trip. I can honestly say that this has been one of the most valuable experiences I have had the privilege of participating in with Farm Bureau. 
  • Actually seeing the lock-up procedures was the key highlight of the trip, but meetings with USTR and USDA were close behind. 
  • The report lockup showed me how important filling out my survey is and it was very interesting.
  • This was a great trip all around. I would recommend this trip to anyone considering it in the future. It's a great learning experience & an opportunity to meet and network with other Farm Bureau members. 
  • I have a lot of respect for what the USDA and NASS do for the crop report.