Modeling 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): Andrea C. Lamas*+ and Denise Alexandra Abreu 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: June Area Survey ; Misclassification ; Generalized Linear Models

Abstract

Each year, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts the June Area Survey (JAS), which is based on an area frame. The JAS provides information on U.S. agriculture, including an estimate of the number of farms in the U.S. NASS also conducts the Census of Agriculture every five years in years ending in 2 and 7. The census uses a list frame, and also produces an estimate of the number of farms. In 2007, the two estimates were further apart than could be attributed to sampling error alone. Using data from the 2007 JAS and the 2007 Census, misclassification of tracts as agricultural or non-agricultural can be identified. A model estimating the JAS undercount of the number of farms was developed and used to provide a revised estimate. The development of the model and its potential use for adjusting the JAS estimate for misclassification in non-census years are discussed.