Estimating the USDA, Economic Research Service Commodity Costs and Returns and the Milk Cost of Production Estimates Data Series

USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) publishes annual costs and returns estimates for 12 major agricultural commodities (field crops, livestock, and milk) as part of the agency’s Commodity Costs and Returns data series and Milk Cost of Production Estimates data series. Since 1975, commodity costs and returns estimates have been made for these commodities because legislation has mandated their estimation, the estimates help inform policy development, and/or the commodities account for a sizeable share of U.S. agricultural production. The estimates are published biannually at national and regional levels for all commodities and at the State level for milk. Methods used to produce cost and returns estimates are consistent with recommendations made by the American Agricultural Economics Association Task Force on Commodity Costs and Returns in 2000. Special commodity versions of USDA’s Agricultural Resource Management Survey and other USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service data are the primary sources of information for developing cost and returns estimates. Commodity costs and returns data are used for policy and production decisions by a variety of stakeholders including policymakers, consultants, agricultural producers and agribusinesses, university extension personnel, and researchers. This report provides information on the methods and data sources used by USDA to develop its Commodity Costs and Returns estimates.