PIERRE, S.D. — When farmers need to check honey prices so they can decide whether to sell, there's been a report for that. And when catfish and sheep farmers want to check production in their industries, there've been reports for that, too.
The U.S. Agriculture Department has kept tabs for decades on a wide range of agricultural industries that generate billions of dollars for the U.S. economy. But that's about to change.
The agency is eliminating or reducing the frequency of 14 crop and livestock reports to save about $10 million in its $156 million budget.
Farmers in those industries say they understand the need to save money, but the cuts will leave them guessing how much to produce and when to sell.
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