Using the Census of Agriculture List Frame to Assess Misclassification in the June Area Survey

• Activity Number: 116
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Monday, August 2, 2010 : 8:30 AM to 10:20 AM
• Sponsor: Section on Survey Research Methods
• Author(s): Denise Alexandra Abreu*+ and Andrea C. Lamas and Kenneth K. Lopiano and Pam Arroway and Linda J. Young
• Companies: National Agricultural Statistics Service and National Agricultural Statistics Service and University of Florida and North Carolina State University and University of Florida
• Keywords: Classification Error ; Area Frame ; List Frame ; Record Linkage

Abstract

The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts an annual area frame based survey, the June Area Survey (JAS). Also, the quinquennial Census of Agriculture is conducted in years ending in 2 and 7. The census has a dual frame: an independent list frame and the area frame from the JAS. Both surveys produce an indication of the number of farms, and it is expected that the farm/non-farm classification for operations should generally agree between the two sources. In 2007, an evaluation of differences in classification for specific farms across the two surveys revealed that most classification errors occurred within the JAS, not the census. The study was later expanded to evaluate all operations which were misclassified on either frame. The characteristics of the farms that were misclassified by either the JAS or the census are discussed.