Farm Business and Farm Household Survey Data

Farm Business and Farm Household Survey DataCustomized Data Summaries from ARMS

for Statistical Analysis

Philip Friend USDA ‘s Economic Research Service

IASSIST/IFDO ConferenceMay 26, 2005 

A Call to ARMS!

Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS)

About ARMS…The annual Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) is USDA's primary source of information on the financial condition, production practices, resource use, and economic well-being of America's farm households

A flexible data collection tool with several phases, versions

And several uses:– Crop production practices– Costs of production– Farm financial management

ARMS Data Are Used In

• Responding to Congressional Mandates

• Meeting Executive Branch Responsibilities Held by USDA

• Providing Data to Respond to USDA Policies & Programs

• Enabling Research to Inform Public and Private Decision makers on Major Agricultural Issues

ARMS Data Access: Then

Three basic ways to get ARMS-related data:

• Surf the volume on our website...old, prefabricated--may not be what you want

• Call ERS with specific request...an analyst will run SAS job & get back to you

• Sign-up & travel to ERS or NASS...if/when approved, get to the raw data, but need to know how to use SAS

ARMS Data Access: Now

Use our new tool to do your work:• Secure extranet system

delivers dynamically designed summary tables and enhances access to ARMS micro-data to eligible users

• One-stop shopping for a wealth of topics

• More estimates, more “granular” too

• Improved statistical rigor• Available 24/7, from your

desktop

[ROBODEMO]

Security Protocolsfollowing best practices…

• Data delivered to users– Primary cell suppression– Data reported are not sample

data points, and always are weighted and perturbed

– Report variables are aggregates of sample data variables

– Secure browser session

• User accounts– Identity-proofed user account– eGov authentication tool– NASS confidentiality agreement– CIPSEA licensing

• Data behind the scenes– Encrypted SAS data files– Data access passwords

• Server access– SAS software and ARMS data stored

on own server, isolated from the web server

– Web server security lockdown with checklist

– eAuthentication agent protects web pages/scripts

– Physical security in locked computer room

• Network security– Main firewall– ARMS web server and data server

firewalls– ERS DMZ – isolated from the ERS

LAN

[email protected]

Customized data summariesavailable on the ERS websitehttp://www.ers.usda.gov/data/arms

Advanced statistical analysisfor registered users https://arms.ers.usda.gov/

We Are Licensing Users

Registration takes advantage of CIPSEA, the Federal Government licensing authority & confidentiality rule

• Establishes widespread and uniform confidentiality protections

• Promotes statistical efficiency by authorizing (limited) data sharing

• Grants “licensed agents” use of confidential data for statistical purposes

• Provides criminal & civil penalties for misuse:– Fine– Jail

Sign Up Now

• Create a USDA eAuthentication account and get your Level 2 ID

• Complete an MOU between your agency and ERS/NASS

• Provide a Project Agreement describing the research project and data needs

Contact Bob Dubman to register

Understand Your Responsibilities

Users must:• Adhere to widespread and uniform confidentiality

protections:– Limit to valid research purposes– Use for statistical/economic purposes only

• Participate in a briefing on the security & confidentiality of using ARMS data

• Understand they are subject to electronic usage tracking and monitoring

Not the “Bleeding Edge”

Tool based on an established, approved electronic-access protocol for research

• ERS has a broad range of security procedures for web delivery

• ERS and NASS are designated as secure ARMS sites • Further guidelines: Confidentiality and Data Access

Committee Checklist on disclosure potential of proposed data releases

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eGov’s Authentication Solution

•Users go to a USDA facility to get an account•They use the account to access restricted USDA web sites•We decide who can get to what (assign ARMS role to Level 2 users

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