Floriculture Crops Methodology and Quality Measures

Floriculture Crops Methodology and
Quality Measures
ISSN: 2166-9848

Released April 26, 2016, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).

Commercial Floriculture Survey Methodology
Scope and Purpose: The Commercial Floriculture Survey (CFS) is conducted annually and is a census of all floriculture
growers that produced and sold $10,000 or more of product during the previous year. Currently there are 15 States
surveyed: California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio,
Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington. For the 2014 crop year, the CFS was included in the
Census of Horticulture Specialties.
All floriculture growers are surveyed to report production, hired labor, and value of sales. Detailed crop information is
collected from operations with $100,000 or more in sales. The main types of crops included are: cut flowers, annual
bedding plants, herbaceous perennials, cut cultivated greens, potted flowering plants and foliage plants for indoor and
patio use. Information is also collected for propagative floriculture materials, including cuttings, liners, plug seedlings,
pre-finished plants, and tissue cultures. Excluded from this survey are Christmas trees and nursery products such as, but
not limited to, deciduous shade trees, fruit and nut trees, evergreen trees, ornamental shrubs and bushes (including roses
and azaleas for outdoor landscaping and ornamental purposes), grapevines, and palms for outdoor landscaping. Aquatic
and pond plants also are excluded.
Data collected for operations with $10,000 or more in sales are published for 15 program States as follows: value of all
production, number of producers, area used for production, and peak hired workers. The data are published for the current
survey year and the previous survey year. Production data for operations with $100,000 or more in sales are reported by
State as relevant. For operations with $100,000 or more in sales, items published include number of producers, quantity
sold, price and wholesale value for annual bedding/garden plants, potted herbaceous plants, potted flowering plants,
foliage plants potted, cut flowers, cut cultivated greens, and propagative floriculture materials. The area and labor
statistics will not be comparable between the two published years as they will include nursery production area and labor
for 2014 due to combined data collection efforts with the 2014 Census of Horticultural Specialties.
Commercial floriculture data are used by the government to measure the economic impact of the industry and by all
segments of the industry to plan future production and marketing strategies.
Survey Timeline: Data are collected for the previous year’s production beginning in January with a survey mailing. A
telephone follow-up is conducted for non-response records approximately one month after the mailing. Data collection
takes place over a period of approximately eight weeks. Regional field office staff complete analysis, summarization, and
submission of estimates over a period of approximately three weeks. Estimates are released to the public on the date
specified by the Agricultural Statistics Board.
Sampling: The target population for the CFS is all commercial floriculture operations which produce and sell, or have the
potential to produce and sell, $10,000 or more of the floriculture crops in one year. Both retail and wholesale sales are
considered in determining the dollar value of sales for establishing the population. Floriculture crops do not have to be the
primary source of income for a grower to qualify. A greenhouse or nursery with production and sales of floriculture
products that meets the $10,000 lower limit qualifies, even though this may represent only a small portion of the
operation's total sales.
The survey population is identified from the NASS list frame population. The CFS is a census; therefore, all operations
that qualified are included in the survey.

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Floriculture Crops Methodology and Quality Measures (April 2016)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Data Collection: Sampled floriculture producers receive a pre-survey letter explaining the survey along with a
questionnaire to complete and return by mail. If a response is not received by mail, respondents are contacted by phone to
obtain the survey data. Personal interviews are limited to large operations or those with special handling arrangements.
Survey Edit: As survey data are collected and captured, they are edited for consistency and reasonableness using
automated systems. Reported data are edited as a batch of data when first captured. The edit logic ensures administrative
coding follows the methodological rules associated with the survey design.
Relationships between data items (i.e. responses to individual questions) on the current survey are verified. Some data
items in the current survey are compared to data items from earlier surveys to ensure certain relationships are logical. The
edit will determine the status of each record to be either “dirty” or “clean” (i.e. failing or passing the edit requirements for
consistency and reasonableness).
Records that fail edit requirements must be updated. Only records that pass edit requirements are eligible for final
summary.
Analysis Tools: Edited floriculture survey data are processed through an interactive analysis tool which displays data for
all reports by item. The tool provides scatter plots, tables, charts, and special tabulations that allow the analyst to compare
an individual record to similar records. This tool allows atypical responses and unusual data relationships, as well as large
changes in the operation, to become evident. Following careful review, data found to be in error are corrected, while
correct data are retained.
Nonsampling Errors: Nonsampling errors are present in any survey process. These include reporting, recording, and
editing errors. Steps are taken to minimize these errors, such as comprehensive interviewer training, validation and
verification of processing systems, application of detailed computer edits, and evaluation of the data via the analysis tools.
Estimators: The CFS is a complete enumeration of all known floriculture operations with $10,000 or more in sales and
new operations are added to the sample when discovered. A coverage adjustment is made to account for list
incompleteness. Response to the CFS is voluntary, however since the CFS was included in the Census of Horticulture
Specialties the response was mandatory for the 2014 crop year. Producers may refuse to participate in the survey, may not
be located during the data collection period, or may submit incomplete reports. The non-response data items and sampling
units are imputed by Regional field office statisticians. The weights for current items are not adjusted for non-response.
Since manual imputation is conducted for all non-response units and items, point estimates are an accounting of all
responses and manual imputations. The measurement of error due to sampling in the current survey period is irrelevant for
a fully enumerated census. Moreover, standard errors and coefficients of variation (CVs) are zero for all current data items
collected.
Estimation: When all samples are accounted for, all responses fully edited, and the analysis material reviewed, each
Regional field office executes a preliminary summary and a final summary to evaluate and analyze the data. When all
Regional field offices have executed summaries, Headquarters executes the National summary. The summary results
provide multiple point estimates and information used to evaluate the quality of the survey estimates such as response
rates and number of usable positive reports.
Regional field offices are responsible for performing a detailed review of the survey results. Any irregularities revealed by
the preliminary summary must be investigated and, if necessary, resolved. In cases where recommendations deviate from
survey results, Regional field offices must provide justification.
The review of National estimates is conducted by the Headquarters commodity statistician and a statistician who is
selected by the Agricultural Statistics Board (ASB). The selected statistician assists the Headquarters statistician in review
of all state level and commodity use level recommendations and establishes official estimates.

Floriculture Crops Methodology and Quality Measures (April 2016)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

3

Quality Metrics for Floriculture
Purpose and Definitions: Under the guidance of the Statistical Policy Office of the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) provides data
users with quality metrics for our published data series. The following metrics tables describe the performance data for the
survey contributing to the publication. The accuracy of data products may be evaluated through sampling and nonsampling error. The measurement of error due to sampling in the current period is irrelevant for a fully enumerated data
series. Non-sampling error is evaluated by response rates and the percent of the estimate from reported data.
Sample size is the number of observations selected from the population to represent a characteristic of the population.
Response rates are the proportion of the sample that responded to the survey.
Percent of estimate from reported data is the estimated value of a characteristic from respondent reports, divided by the
estimated value of a characteristic from all reports expressed as a percent.
Commercial Floriculture Survey Sample Sizes and Response Rates: The Commercial Floriculture Survey is a census
of all known floriculture growers with an operation that produced and sold $10,000 or more of product during the
previous year in the 15 program States. However, detailed crop information is collected from only operations with
$100,000 or more in sales. To assist in evaluating the performance of the estimates in the Floriculture Crops report, the
sample sizes and response rates are displayed for 2014 and 2015 in each of the 15 program States for operations with
$10,000 or more in sales and for operations with $100,000 or more in sales.
For the 2014 crop year, the Census of Horticulture Specialties was conducted, which included all operations that were
sampled for the Commercial Floriculture Survey, as well as Nursery operations. Responses from only the floriculture
operations were included in the quality metrics for year 2014.

Commercial Floriculture Survey Sample Size and Response Rate - 15 Program States: 2014 and 2015
[Operations with $10,000+ sales]
State

Sample size

Response rate

2014

2015

2014

2015

(number)

(number)

(percent)

(percent)

California ........................................
Florida .............................................
Hawaii .............................................
Illinois ..............................................
Maryland .........................................
Michigan .........................................
New Jersey .....................................
New York ........................................
North Carolina .................................
Ohio ................................................

622
631
297
237
134
474
266
494
224
368

634
626
287
255
142
530
244
543
240
445

88.9
78.4
83.8
82.7
82.1
79.7
78.9
80.0
88.4
81.5

74.4
67.7
71.1
60.0
59.9
55.8
57.8
70.5
74.6
56.9

Oregon ............................................
Pennsylvania ..................................
South Carolina ................................
Texas ..............................................
Washington .....................................

255
577
61
230
227

270
665
60
213
236

69.8
77.3
85.2
90.0
52.0

62.6
69.3
88.3
74.6
50.4

15 State Total .................................

5,097

5,390

80.1

65.9

4

Floriculture Crops Methodology and Quality Measures (April 2016)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Commercial Floriculture Survey Sample Size and Response Rate - 15 Program States: 2014 and 2015
[Operations with $100,000+ sales]
State

Sample size
2014

Response rate
2015

(number)

2014

(number)

2015

(percent)

(percent)

California .........................................
Florida .............................................
Hawaii .............................................
Illinois ..............................................
Maryland ..........................................
Michigan ..........................................
New Jersey ......................................
New York .........................................
North Carolina .................................
Ohio .................................................

387
417
86
112
67
289
143
209
94
182

366
413
82
106
54
280
131
200
98
167

84.8
74.1
77.9
75.9
76.1
71.6
72.0
72.7
77.7
69.8

76.5
62.5
64.6
55.7
53.7
54.3
53.4
66.5
65.3
52.7

Oregon ............................................
Pennsylvania ...................................
South Carolina .................................
Texas ..............................................
Washington .....................................

99
186
23
153
73

106
183
21
126
77

64.6
67.2
82.6
86.9
60.3

67.9
58.5
81.0
69.8
50.6

15 State Total ..................................

2,520

2,410

74.9

62.6

Floriculture Crops Methodology and Quality Measures (April 2016)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

5

Floriculture Survey Percent of Estimate from Reported Data: To assist in evaluating the performance of the estimates
in the Floriculture Crops report, the percent of the estimate of the wholesale value of sales from reported data is displayed
by program State and nationally for each plant category and in total for 2014 and 2015.
Quality Metrics for Wholesale Value of Sales by Plant Category - 15 Program States: 2014 and 2015
[Operations with $100,000+ sales]
Percent of estimate from reported data
State

Annual bedding/garden
2014

Herbaceous perennial

2015

(percent)

2014

(percent)

Total bedding/garden

2015

(percent)

2014

(percent)

2015

(percent)

(percent)

California ........................
Florida .............................
Hawaii .............................
Illinois ..............................
Maryland .........................
Michigan .........................
New Jersey .....................
New York ........................
North Carolina .................
Ohio ................................

87.3
52.4
42.2
54.5
63.6
69.1
78.9
52.6
87.1
67.2

71.4
45.9
23.9
25.3
83.8
65.2
40.0
48.3
90.5
60.0

85.7
40.4
98.8
72.0
69.6
45.8
79.4
55.4
69.6
75.3

61.6
58.4
60.9
24.8
81.2
76.9
22.8
51.6
75.2
37.8

86.9
49.0
64.4
62.3
65.3
63.6
79.1
53.3
83.4
70.3

68.7
49.3
39.4
25.1
82.9
67.9
32.7
49.1
86.9
51.4

Oregon ............................
Pennsylvania ..................
South Carolina ................
Texas ..............................
Washington .....................

65.5
75.3
66.4
80.0
23.3

62.6
60.4
69.5
66.1
30.2

29.6
77.3
64.3
76.3
39.6

74.0
78.3
64.7
59.5
66.4

52.1
75.7
64.6
79.2
30.0

66.8
64.9
65.4
64.8
46.4

15 State Total .................

70.4

63.0

64.0

58.9

68.4

61.8

State

Foliage plants for indoor
or patio use

Potted flowering plants
2014

2015

2014

Cut flowers

2015

2014

2015

California ........................
Florida .............................
Hawaii .............................
Illinois ..............................
Maryland .........................
Michigan .........................
New Jersey .....................
New York ........................
North Carolina .................
Ohio ................................

72.5
53.5
78.9
47.1
86.3
82.7
92.3
43.2
88.7
95.8

90.8
64.0
67.5
12.4
59.5
67.6
36.4
38.1
93.6
94.2

92.0
32.9
95.3
26.2
(D)
64.2
(D)
(D)
(D)
91.1

55.1
73.7
81.6
77.2
(D)
92.0
(D)
(D)
(D)
73.8

88.3
67.4
74.9
77.9
(D)
98.1
98.8
80.0
69.5
(D)

84.1
19.1
60.2
69.8
0
3.5
82.0
88.4
56.4
(D)

Oregon ............................
Pennsylvania ..................
South Carolina ................
Texas ..............................
Washington .....................

83.0
46.7
18.2
57.7
22.1

53.6
84.7
21.8
46.9
52.1

(D)
(D)
(D)
85.3
86.5

99.4
(D)
(D)
(D)
(D)

47.9
20.0
(D)
(D)
96.6

81.6
(D)
(D)
(D)
8.5

15 State Total .................

67.8

73.1

48.2

70.5

85.3

See footnote(s) at end of table.

6

77.7
--continued

Floriculture Crops Methodology and Quality Measures (April 2016)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Quality Metrics for Wholesale Value of All Sales by Plant Category - 15 Program States:
2014 and 2015 (continued)
[Operations with $100,000+ sales]
Percent of estimate from reported data
State

Propagative floriculture
material

Cut cultivated greens
2014

2015

(percent)

2014

(percent)

Total wholesale value of
all plant categories

2015

(percent)

2014

(percent)

2015

(percent)

(percent)

California .........................
Florida .............................
Hawaii .............................
Illinois ..............................
Maryland ..........................
Michigan ..........................
New Jersey ......................
New York .........................
North Carolina .................
Ohio .................................

(D)
76.7
98.4
(D)
(D)
(D)
(D)
(D)
-

74.7
78.0
90.9
(D)
(D)
(D)
-

(D)
64.9
57.5
(D)
23.6
(D)
(D)
(D)
(D)
(D)

76.8
62.5
47.3
6.5
(D)
(D)
2.0
40.5
(D)
(D)

83.4
45.2
79.9
58.6
62.1
71.7
82.0
49.8
84.6
78.9

78.0
67.8
66.3
22.7
80.8
72.8
34.1
46.2
87.9
66.0

Oregon ............................
Pennsylvania ...................
South Carolina .................
Texas ..............................
Washington .....................

(D)
(D)
(D)
81.4

84.1
(D)
(D)
(D)

75.2
(D)
88.9
56.5

50.3
(D)
(D)
(D)
62.0

56.5
65.4
58.1
77.1
42.3

65.6
73.3
59.8
61.7
43.2

15 State Total ..................

79.3

77.7

73.8

70.2

67.4

67.9

- Represents zero.
(D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations.

Floriculture Crops Methodology and Quality Measures (April 2016)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

7

Information Contacts
Process
Estimation ..................................
Data Collection ..........................
Questionnaires ...........................
Sampling and Editing .................
Summary and Estimators ...........
Dissemination ............................
Media Contact and Webmaster ..

Unit
Crops Branch
Survey Administration Branch
Data Collection Branch
Sampling Editing and Imputation Methodology Branch
Summary Estimation and Disclosure Methodology Branch
Data Dissemination Office
Public Affairs Office

Telephone
(202) 720-2127
(202) 720-3895
(202) 720-6201
(202) 720-8671
(202) 720-4008
(202) 720-3869
(202) 720-2639

Email
HQ_SD_CB@nass.usda.gov
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HQ_CSD_DCB@nass.usda.gov
HQ_CSD_SB@nass.usda.gov
HQ_SD_SMB@nass.usda.gov
HQ_SD_DDO@nass.usda.gov
HQOAPAO@nass.usda.gov

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