Economic Research Service (ERS)

The Economic Research Service (ERS) is an essential division of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), primarily engaged in delivering crucial data and insights concerning various agricultural domains, including the dairy sector. As part of its mandate, ERS works closely with other entities such as the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS). This collaboration ensures the production of comprehensive state and regional reports that focus on key metrics vital for understanding and managing agricultural outputs.

Key Responsibilities

ERS is responsible for generating data that is essential for the agricultural economy. It provides detailed production-cost data, which is utilized in standardized loss models for payments. This information is critical for farmers, policymakers, and stakeholders within the dairy industry as it aids in making informed decisions based on cost-of-production metrics, regional milk volumes, and input expenditure trends.