Combining Survey and Administrative Data to Produce Official Statistics

• Activity Number: 662 - Statistical Challenges in Combining Survey and Administrative Data
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Thursday, August 2, 2018 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Survey Research Methods Section
• Author(s): Andreea Erciulescu* and Nathan Cruze and Habtamu Benecha and Valbona Bejleri and Balgobin Nandram
• Companies: National Institute of Statistical Sciences and USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service and USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service and USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service and Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• Keywords: Administrative Data; End-of-Season Agricultural Quantities; Official Estimates; Small Area Estimation

Abstract

Combining survey and ancillary data to produce official statistics is gaining interest at federal agencies and policy makers due to its efficiency, i.e., an increase in reliable estimates at detailed disaggregation levels, a decrease in allocated budgets and an increase in usability of available data. The United States Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service publishes annually more than 400 reports, including county-level estimates that play an important role in the allocation of funds in some agricultural programs. In this paper, small area estimation modeling approaches are considered that borrow information across areas and from ancillary data, to produce reliable county-level agricultural estimates. Challenges in assessing the quality and the usability of different data sources are discussed.