FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE

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U.S. Department of Agriculture 1997 Census Of Agriculture General Information and Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Census of Agriculture? Who is Responsible... Confidentiality Scope and Content... Slide Show, Quick Facts From The Census of Agriculture...		Product Release Dates... Improvements in... NASS Contacts Uses of Data... Legal Authority
Data Product Ordering Information... Report Forms Guide Report Forms, Information Sheets, and 3rd Followup Letter
WHY IS THE CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE NEEDED? WHO USES CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE DATA? HOW OFTEN IS THE CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE CONDUCTED? IS THE INFORMATION ON INDIVIDUAL FARM OPERATORS KEPT CONFIDENTIAL? HOW IS THE CENSUS CONDUCTED? WHAT QUESTIONS ARE ASKED IN THE 1997 CENSUS? WHAT CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE REPORT FORMS SINCE THE 1992 CENSUS? MUST A FARMER OR RANCHER ANSWER THE CENSUS? WHAT IS CONSIDERED A FARM? HOW MANY FARMS WERE THERE IN THE LAST CENSUS? WHEN ARE CENSUS DATA RELEASED? WHERE CAN YOU FIND CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE DATA? WHY IS THE CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE NEEDED? The Census of Agriculture is the most thorough source of data about the structure and activities of the United States' agricultural production. It is the only source of uniform, comprehensive data on agricultural production and operator characteristics for each county, state, and the Nation. Because of the importance of this information, Congress requires USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to take the Census of Agriculture (Title 7, United States Code). WHO USES CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE DATA? Federal Government policy makers use the Census of Agriculture data in drafting legislation to help resolve agricultural problems. State and local governments use the data for planning rural development, agricultural research, and extension programs. Farm organizations use census data to develop and evaluate programs and policies that affect farmers and ranchers. Farm cooperatives, commodity and trade associations, and agribusinesses use the data to aid in locating new plants and service and distribution centers, allocating research funds, forecasting markets, and making advertising and other marketing decisions that ultimately support farmers and ranchers. For planners and economists, the Census of Agriculture provides benchmark data for current statistical series such as the Gross Domestic Product, Producer Price Index, and Farm Income Accounts that are produced by the US Department of Agriculture and other organizations, such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Bureau of Economic Analysis. HOW OFTEN IS THE CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE CONDUCTED? The Census of Agriculture was taken every 10 years from 1840 to 1920 and every 5 years from 1925 to 1974. The law was changed to adjust the data reference years to those ending in 2 and 7, beginning with the 1982 Census of Agriculture. The 1997 census is the Nation's 25th census of agriculture, and the first one conducted by NASS. IS THE INFORMATION ON INDIVIDUAL FARM OPERATORS KEPT CONFIDENTIAL? Yes. Individual farmers and ranchers are guaranteed by law that their individual information will be kept confidential. NASS uses the information only for statistical purposes and publishes data only in tabulated totals. Under Title 7, United States Code, NASS employees are subject to severe penalties if they release data on individual operations. The privacy of individual census records is also protected from disclosure through the Freedom of Information Act. HOW IS THE CENSUS CONDUCTED? Report forms for the 1997 Census of Agriculture are mailed to farm and ranch operators in December 1997 to collect data for the 1997 calendar year. Completed report forms are due from each farmer or rancher by February 2, 1998. WHAT QUESTIONS ARE ASKED IN THE 1997 CENSUS? To minimize respondent burden, NASS limits the items asked on the report forms for all farms to just these basic subjects: land use and ownership, irrigated land, crop acreage and quantities harvested, livestock and poultry, value of products sold, acres set aside under Federal acreage reduction programs, payments for participation in Federal farm programs, the amount received from Commodity Credit Corporation loans, number of hired farm workers, number of injuries and deaths, and operator characteristics. Additionally, 25 percent of the report forms include additional questions on production expenses, fertilizer and chemicals, machinery and equipment, market value of land and buildings, and income from farm-related sources. Report forms are tailored for various parts of the country and are specific to the crops grown in a farmer's particular area. WHAT CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE REPORT FORMS SINCE THE 1992 CENSUS? The 1997 Census of Agriculture asks for information to permit a detailed analysis of the Nation's farms. NASS limited the number of changes to the report form to reduce respondent burden and ensure comparability with previous censuses. New information will be collected on Christmas trees, maple trees tapped, and tractors. Wording changes were made to questions related to poultry, in order to maintain consistency among the census and other NASS surveys. MUST A FARMER OR RANCHER ANSWER THE CENSUS? Yes. United States Law requires all those who receive a census report form to respond even if they did not operate a farm or ranch in 1997. Completed report forms are due February 2, 1998. High quality census data depend on a complete response. WHAT IS CONSIDERED A FARM? For the purpose of the Census of Agriculture, a farm is a place which produced and sold, or normally would have produced and sold, $1,000 or more of agricultural products during 1997. HOW MANY FARMS WERE THERE IN THE LAST CENSUS? In 1992, the Census of Agriculture counted 1,925,300 farms in the United States, including 1,018,783 with sales of $10,000 or more. WHEN ARE CENSUS DATA RELEASED? NASS will begin release of data starting in the Spring of 1999, on both electronic and print media, with individual advance reports for all counties, States, and the Nation. WHERE CAN YOU FIND CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE DATA? You can find Census of Agriculture data through local NASS State offices, many depositary libraries, universities, and other State government offices. For more information please call NASS Census Division at 1-800-523-3215 or submit electronic mail inquiries by selecting the following link: Census Information Request