USDA measures vegetable chemical use

Interviewers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will interview 150 vegetable growers in Illinois to gather information for the 2024 Vegetable Chemical Use Survey this fall.

The survey will collect information on planted acreage, acres treated, and application rates, for pumpkins and snap beans. In addition to Illinois, vegetable growers in 17 other states will also hear from NASS as the agency collects comprehensive U.S. vegetable production practices information.

“Growers benefit from providing their information because the NASS report will illustrate the industry’s environmental practices and assure the quality of U.S. food to consumers here and around the world,” said Mark Schleusener, Illinois State Statistician. “I encourage every grower to take the time to respond if they receive this survey.”

The data will paint a detailed picture of pesticide use and other pest management practices used by the vegetable growers across the nation. To conduct the survey, NASS representatives will call growers to arrange phone or in-person interviews. Growers are encouraged to have their spray records available for reference. If these services were contracted to commercial applicators, growers should be prepared to give consent to access these records. NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents.

The information growers provide will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with federal law, responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form. The data will be published online on July 19, 2025, in NASS’s Quick Stats database at quickstats.nass.usda.gov. This database and all NASS reports are available at nass.usda.gov. For assistance with the survey, or for more information, contact the NASS Heartland Regional Field Office at (800) 551-1014 or nassrfohlr@usda.gov.