Data collected in the Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's primary source of information on agricultural resource use and costs, farm sector financial conditions, and farm household finances. The ARMS is the only source of information available for objective evaluation of many critical policy issues related to agriculture and the rural economy. Many policy decisions made in Washington and in the states directly affect U.S. farmers and ranchers. The ARMS provides farmers and ranchers with one of the best means to ensure that policy-makers have access to accurate and objective information when making those decisions.