In recognition of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 150th Anniversary, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) launched an online historical timeline at www.nass.usda.gov. The history provides important information about the advancement of agricultural statistics as well as the background of NASS itself. Agricultural statistics in the United States is documented in NASS's timeline as far back as President George Washington. As an early compiler of U.S. agricultural information, Washington corresponded with land holders asking for information on farmland prices, commodity prices and crop yields.
In early July, the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) simplified access to historic data by putting 77 years worth of agricultural statistics online. In the past, this information, published in the annual bulletin Agricultural Statistics, was available in print form only.
