Overview This report is the second part of the Agricultural Chemical Usage, 1990 Vegetables Summary issued by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) in June 1991. This issue contains fertilizer usage on vegetable, melon, and strawberry crops in California for the 1990 crop year. The June 1991 report contained fertilizer and pesticide usage data on these same crops in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, and Texas. Pesticides used on these crops in 1990 were collected through the California mandatory pesticide reporting program. Those data are not issued in this report but may be obtained through the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. In the back of this publication is information on how to receive their reports. Survey Procedures The survey collected fertilizer information on all vegetables, melons, and strawberry crops grown in California. Data collection began in February, 1991 and continued through March, 1991. The population for the survey consisted of all vegetable growers contained on the NASS list of all farming operations in the State. The vegetable farms were arrayed by type of crop grown and size of farm. Each group, or stratum, was given a separate priority of selection based upon the specific characteristics of the group. Any one farm could only be associated with one stratum. Every farm in the population had a chance of being selected in the sample; however, strata containing the fewest growers had a higher priority in the sample selection process. The primary criteria used to project final sample size was the ability to provide accurate estimates of fertilizer usage on crops at the State level. The primary estimates presented in this publication are area planted to a specific crop, area receiving fertilizers, fertilizer application rates, and total pounds of fertilizers applied. The survey instrument in California only collected fertilizer information for the three major plant nutrients: nitrogen, phosphate, and potash. The published percentages of area receiving fertilizer and the application rates are survey indications. The area planted estimates are independent estimates of acres devoted to each crop using indications from this survey and other sources. For this survey, the rate per application refers to the average number of pounds of a fertilizer ingredient applied to an acre of land in one application. Rate per crop year is the average number of pounds applied to one acre of land over the entire crop year, counting multiple applications. Number of applications is the average number of times a treated acre receives a specific nutrient. Area applied represents the percent of crop acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Highlights Well over one-half of the vegetable acres in California received applications of the three primary fertilizers - nitrogen, phosphate, and potash. Those three ingredients combined for nearly 400 million pounds of material applied to the 1.22 million acres of California vegetables. Nitrogen usage was the most prevalent as 98 percent of all vegetable acres received an average of 191 pounds per acre applied during the entire crop year. Phosphate was put on 84 percent of all vegetables with the rate per crop year totaling 117 pounds per acre. Potash applications were smaller and less widespread as only 55 percent of vegetable acres received any, and the average per crop year totaled 71 pounds. Nitrogen was applied to all vegetable crops in California in 1990 an average of 2.9 times per year. The rate for each application averaged 66 pounds giving a total of 191 pounds being applied over the entire crop year. Almost 28 percent of the total nitrogen fertilizer used in the State, 62.5 million pounds, went on fresh and processing tomatoes. Tomatoes; however, accounted for 29 percent of the total area planted to vegetables. The highest rate for an entire crop year was put on celery. That crop received 4.0 applications and had 336 pounds per acre applied. Sweet corn received the second largest amount of nitrogen per year, at 314 pounds per acre, with an average of 3.1 applications. Strawberries had the highest number of applications, at 10.5 times, but only 22 pounds of nitrogen were applied per application. Phosphate applications placed a total of 118 million pounds of material on all vegetable crops. The rate per application averaged 70 pounds and the number of applications averaged 1.7 times per crop year. Tomatoes for processing also received the most total amount of phosphate at 26.3 million pounds. However, the largest amount per acre went on carrots as 228 pounds of phosphate were applied during the crop year by an average of 2.0 applications. Strawberries, again, received the highest number of applications, 8.1, but at the small rate of 13 pounds per acre per treatment. Potash usage totaled 47.7 million pounds in 1990 for the State. That material was applied at the rate per application of 41 pounds per acre and each acre saw an average of 1.7 applications. Because of the large acreage planted to tomatoes, that crop received the largest total amount of potash, 10.3 million pounds. Tomatoes for fresh market received the greatest amount per acre for the entire crop year at 201 pounds. Strawberries had the highest number of applications, 8.2, but at low rates. The highest rate per application was 87 pounds per acre put on sweet corn. Vegetables: Fertilizer Applications, Total Acreage and Percentage Receiving Applications, California, 1990 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Area Receiving 2/ Crop 1/ : Area :---------------------------------------------- : Planted : Nitrogen : Phosphate : Potash ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Acres ------------ Percent ------------ : Artichokes : 10,000 100 92 92 Asparagus : 38,600 87 27 6 Broccoli : 97,500 100 81 67 Cabbage : 11,200 100 92 51 Carrots : 56,100 98 87 33 Cauliflower : 51,300 100 91 83 Celery : 24,900 100 89 85 Corn, Sweet, Fresh : 20,000 100 91 15 Garlic : 19,300 100 83 27 Lettuce, Head : 162,200 100 97 69 Lettuce, Romaine : 12,800 100 77 62 Lettuce, Other : 30,600 98 78 65 Lima Beans : 21,000 51 11 * Melons, Cantaloupes : 90,200 100 87 36 Melons, Honeydew : 19,000 100 100 52 Melons, Watermelons : 14,600 95 84 38 Onions, Dry : 39,000 99 92 26 Peppers, Bell : 18,500 100 92 57 Strawberries : 21,000 98 78 84 Tomatoes, Fresh : 38,000 98 92 34 Tomatoes, Proc. : 320,000 100 83 50 : All Veg. Crops 3/ : 1,218,000 98 84 55 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Applied on less than one percent of acres. 1/ "Fresh" = intended for fresh market; "Proc." = intended for processing; if not indicated, crop includes both fresh market and processing. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. 3/ Excludes potatoes and sweetpotatoes; includes strawberries, melons and other vegetables not listed individually. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Artichokes: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 100 3.1 64 197 1,970 Phosphate : 92 2.0 62 123 1,126 Potash : 92 1.9 65 123 1,129 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 10,000 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Asparagus: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 87 4.6 52 240 8,075 Phosphate : 27 1.5 101 148 1,566 Potash : 6 1.0 42 42 96 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 38,600 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Broccoli: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 100 3.0 69 206 20,047 Phosphate : 81 1.5 69 104 8,251 Potash : 67 1.6 48 75 4,945 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 97,500 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Cabbage: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 100 3.1 66 203 2,262 Phosphate : 92 1.2 72 86 891 Potash : 51 1.2 63 78 445 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 11,200 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Carrots: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 98 3.4 74 249 13,716 Phosphate : 87 2.0 116 228 11,189 Potash : 33 2.2 31 67 1,228 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 56,100 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Cauliflower: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 100 3.0 73 215 11,025 Phosphate : 91 1.8 55 98 4,591 Potash : 83 1.5 45 69 2,947 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 51,300 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Celery: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 100 4.0 85 336 8,374 Phosphate : 89 2.3 74 171 3,783 Potash : 85 2.2 66 147 3,126 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 24,900 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Corn, Sweet, Fresh: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 100 3.1 102 314 6,275 Phosphate : 91 1.2 112 129 2,339 Potash : 15 1.3 87 114 340 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 20,000 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Garlic: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 100 2.0 135 264 5,087 Phosphate : 83 1.7 117 196 3,127 Potash : 27 3.2 60 196 1,022 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 19,300 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Lettuce, Head: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 100 2.9 59 173 28,000 Phosphate : 97 1.8 70 122 19,225 Potash : 69 1.8 43 76 8,522 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 162,200 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Lettuce, Romaine: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 100 2.6 71 184 2,360 Phosphate : 77 1.5 67 103 1,021 Potash : 62 1.6 51 83 660 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 12,800 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Lettuce, Other: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 98 2.8 64 176 5,307 Phosphate : 78 1.6 60 97 2,311 Potash : 65 1.8 44 77 1,545 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 30,600 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Lima Beans: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 51 1.1 74 82 868 Phosphate : 11 1.0 58 58 134 Potash : * ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Applied on less than one percent of acres. 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 21,000 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Melons, Cantaloupes: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 100 2.4 72 175 15,765 Phosphate : 87 1.6 99 161 12,725 Potash : 36 1.8 21 39 1,267 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 90,200 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Melons, Honeydew: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 100 1.4 95 130 2,471 Phosphate : 100 1.1 85 96 1,821 Potash : 52 1.0 17 18 174 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 19,000 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Melons, Watermelons: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 95 3.0 71 210 2,905 Phosphate : 84 1.2 112 136 1,666 Potash : 38 1.0 44 46 252 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 14,600 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Onions, Dry: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 99 3.1 87 269 10,325 Phosphate : 92 1.6 105 172 6,126 Potash : 26 2.4 60 144 1,479 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 39,000 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Peppers, Bell: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 100 3.7 57 212 3,917 Phosphate : 92 1.6 66 108 1,829 Potash : 57 1.7 42 72 760 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 18,500 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Strawberries: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 98 10.5 22 236 4,855 Phosphate : 78 8.1 13 103 1,684 Potash : 84 8.2 15 120 2,123 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 21,000 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Tomatoes, Fresh: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 98 3.2 65 209 7,784 Phosphate : 92 1.8 104 189 6,636 Potash : 34 3.0 66 201 2,624 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 38,000 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Tomatoes, Processing: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 100 2.5 69 171 54,721 Phosphate : 83 1.4 72 99 26,315 Potash : 50 1.2 41 48 7,714 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 320,000 acres. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. All Vegetable Crops: Fertilizer Applications, California, 1990 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Appli- : Rate per : Rate per : Total Fertilizer : Applied 2/: cations : Application : Crop Year: Applied ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent Number Pounds per Acre 1,000 Lbs : Nitrogen : 98 2.9 66 191 227,072 Phosphate : 84 1.7 70 117 118,484 Potash : 55 1.7 41 71 47,708 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Area planted in 1990 was 1,218,000 acres. Excludes potatoes and sweetpotatoes; includes strawberries and melons. 2/ Refers to acres receiving one or more applications of a specific fertilizer ingredient. Note: Data may not multiply across due to rounding. Source: "Vegetables" 1990 Summary and Agricultural Chemical Usage Survey. National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Reliability Statement The probability nature of the survey allows expansion of data so that the estimates are statistically representative of fertilizer use on the targeted vegetable crops in the surveyed State. However, a complete census may have yielded different results. The reliability of these survey results are affected by sampling variability and non-sampling errors. The variability due to sampling was computed for all the fertilizer and acreage variables in the survey, and is expressed as a percentage. To interpret its meaning, imagine that the survey is repeated many times using the same sample size. For every two out of three times the survey is repeated, the results would not differ from those published here by more than the stated sampling variability. Sampling variability of the estimates differed considerably by nutrient and crop. In general, the more often the nutrient was applied, the smaller the sampling variability. The following table shows the range of sampling variability for percent of acres treated and for application rate. The variability ranges in the table can be used to calculate approximate confidence bands for figures in the data tables of the report. For example, if a figure in the report is 30 percent of acres treated by a fertilizer, the confidence band for acres treated for a State with a small sample size would be 30 - .35*30 to 30 + .35*30 or 19.5 to 40.5 percent. For a State with a large sample size the confidence band would be 30 - .1*30 + .1*30 or 27 to 33 percent. Sampling Variability Percent of Sampling Variability Acres Treated % Acres Treated Application Rate Fertilizer Fertilizer ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Less Than 10 35-60% 1-20% 10 - 24 30-45% 5-15% 25 - 49 10-35% 5-15% 50 - 75 10-20% 1-15% 75 or More 1-10% 1-15% ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Non-sampling errors are errors that occur during a survey process, and unlike sampling variability, are difficult to measure. They may be caused by interviewers failing to follow instructions, poorly worded questions, non-response, problematic survey procedures, or data handling between the collection and publication. In these surveys, all survey procedures and analysis were carried out in a consistent and orderly manner to minimize the occurrence of these types of errors. Narrative Index Page Highlights ............................................................. 2 Overview ............................................................... 1 Reliability Statement .................................................. 15 Survey Procedures ...................................................... 1 Table Index All Vegetable Crops .................................................... 14 Artichokes ............................................................. 4 Asparagus .............................................................. 4 Broccoli ............................................................... 5 Cabbage ................................................................ 5 Carrots ................................................................ 6 Cauliflower ............................................................ 6 Celery ................................................................. 7 Corn, Sweet, Fresh ..................................................... 7 Garlic ................................................................. 8 Lettuce, Other ......................................................... 9 Lettuce, Romaine ....................................................... 9 Lettuce, Head .......................................................... 8 Lima Beans ............................................................. 10 Melons, Watermelons .................................................... 11 Melons, Cantaloupes .................................................... 10 Melons, Honeydew ....................................................... 11 Onions, Dry ............................................................ 12 Peppers, Bell .......................................................... 12 Strawberries ........................................................... 13 Tomatoes, Processing ................................................... 14 Tomatoes, Fresh ........................................................ 13 Vegetables ............................................................. 3 Report Features Listed below are persons within the National Agricultural Statistics Service to contact for additional information. Sam Rives, Head, Environmental Data Staff (202) 720-5744 Ron Tauchen, Environmental Data Staff (202) 720-5744 John D. Witzig, Chief, Crops Branch (202) 720-2127 Steve Ropel, Head, Fruits, Vegetables & Special Section (202) 720-3843 Listed below is the contact within the Economic Research Service for additional information. Merritt Padgitt, Leader, Survey and Data Section, RTD (202) 720-0433 Data collected by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation can be obtained directly from that Agency. Several reports are issued on an annual and quarterly schedule. Those reports are available for a $25.00 fee at the following address: California Department of Pesticide Regulation, 1220 N. Street, P.O. Box 942871, Sacramento, California 94271-0001.