On April 9, USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) announced the discontinuation of the July 1 cattle report, along with county estimates for both crops and livestock, and the Cotton Objective Yield Survey. NASS said this decision – which is effective immediately – “was not made lightly, but was necessary given appropriated budget levels.” In immediate response to the decision, NCBA’s Vice-President of Government Affairs, Ethan Lane, argued that “it is disingenuous for the same agency which touts its commitment to transparency in livestock markets to arbitrarily cease publication of reports which provide just that. While it may be politically...