America’s farmers and ranchers have the opportunity to be represented in the nation’s only comprehensive and impartial agriculture data for every state, county and territory. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will mail the 2022 Census of Agriculture to millions of producers across the 50 states and Puerto Rico late this year.
The Census is being mailed in phases, starting with an invitation to respond online followed by paper questionnaires in December. Farm operations of all sizes, urban and rural, which produced and sold, or normally would have sold, $1,000 or more of agricultural product in 2022 are included in the Census.
“Census of Agriculture data are widely used by federal and local governments, agribusinesses, trade associations, extension educators, and many others to make informed decisions about policy and farm programs and services that aid producers and rural communities,” said USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Administrator Hubert Hamer. “By responding to the Census of Agriculture – by being represented in these important data – producers are literally helping to shape their futures.”
Collected in service to American agriculture since 1840, and now conducted every five years by NASS, the Census of Agriculture tells the story and shows the value of U.S. agriculture. It highlights land use and ownership, producer characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures, among other topics. Between ag census years, NASS considers revisions to the questionnaire to document changes and emerging trends in the industry. Changes to the 2022 questionnaire include new questions about the use of precision agriculture, hemp production, hair sheep, and updates to internet access questions.
To learn more about the Census of Agriculture, visit nass.usda.gov/AgCensus.
EDITOR’S TAKE:
This survey is widely anticipated by most organizations and businesses involved in agriculture in the U.S. It not only reveals the latest demographics across the agricultural sector, but also provides valuable insight into trends and innovations taking place on farms and ranches across the nation. The data allows users to drill down to specific geographic regions, by commodity, by acreage or production, by income, etc. It also reveals who are the decision makers in the operation. Organizations like CAD use this data to help you target agricultural customers in your area. It also helps us fashion messages/communications specifically to a particular segment of farmers/ranchers. Last, but not least, it helps shape government policies that impact agriculture. Yes, the Census of Agriculture is important to the overall agricultural industry and anyone wishing to do business within that sector. If you have an opportunity to encourage farmers/ranchers in your area to participate, by all means please do so!
