An ad hoc planning committee will organize a 1-day, public workshop on model-based methods for producing estimates of hogs with appropriate measures of uncertainty. NASS has developed hog models that combine information from surveys, administrative data, and expert opinion to produce the requisite estimates with the goal of replacing current methods that lack transparency and measures of uncertainty. The purpose of the workshop is to discuss the appropriateness of these models and possible improvements or alternative approaches. Issues for discussion at the workshop include the appropriateness of the modeling techniques developed by NASS, the extent to which the model's assumptions can be validated, the robustness of the estimates to a failure of one or more assumptions, and other technical issues of model specification. In addition, the workshop will consider the suitability of the data that feed into the model and the properties of desirable estimates of uncertainty.

The planning committee will develop the agenda for the workshop, select and invite speakers and discussants, and moderate the discussion. Following the workshop, a designated rapporteur will prepare an individually authored summary of the presentations and discussion in accordance with institutional guidelines. A transcript of the workshop discussions will also be provided to the sponsor.