USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will conduct the first-time local foods survey. USDA hopes the survey, announced Thursday, will provide a data benchmark on the local foods sector in the United States. Called the “2015 Local Food Marketing Practices Survey,” the survey will ask producers for information on their production and local marketing of foods during the 2015 calendar year. The survey will contain data on the value of food sales by marketing channel, the value of crop and livestock sales, marketing practices, expenses and federal farm program participation. Producers who receive the 2015 Local Food Marketing Practices Survey from NASS can fill out the survey online via a secure website, or return their form by mail. The website is www dot ag counts dot USDA dot gov (www.agcounts.usda.gov).