(NAFB.com) – USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service announced Tuesday that it is canceling the July Cattle report and discontinuing the Cotton Objective Yield Survey and all County Estimates for Crops and Livestock beginning with the 2024 production year. The decision to discontinue these surveys and reports was not made lightly but was necessary, given the appropriated budget levels, according to the announcement. In response, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association urged the agency to reconsider. NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane says, “It is disingenuous for the same agency which touts its commitment to transparency in livestock markets to arbitrarily cease publication of reports which provide just that.” NCBA contends that the July Cattle Report and discontinuing the County Estimates for Crops and Livestock provide critical data to the industry. USDA NASS says it has and will continue to review its estimating programs using criteria focused on the needs of its mission and customers to prioritize budget decisions.