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| Sponsor: | U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Agriculture Statistics Service |
| Description: | The Census of Agriculture provides periodic and comprehensive statistics about agricultural operations, production, operators and land use for 1992, 1997, and 2002. Agricultural statistics are used by government, businesses, and other institutions. Federal, state, and local agencies use data for planning rural development, extension work, and agricultural research. The census is the only source of detailed, complete, consistent agricultural data for each county; it also includes such data for the states and the United States. |
| Relevant Policy Issues: | Economic Opportunity and Measurement of Economic/Employment Disparities between AI/AN/NA and General Population. |
| Data Type(s): | Census survey |
| Unit of Analysis: | Principal Operator, Farm, and Ranch |
| Identification of AI/AN/NA: | The race categories collected for the Census of Agriculture are:
|
| AI/AN/NA Population in Data Set: | Total number of farm operators: Approximately 2,464,000 AI/AN principal farm operators: Approximately 5,268 NH/PI principal farm operators: Approximately 280 Note: These “unweighted” counts were calculated by taking the values reported in Operators by Race, Special Reports Part 1, 2002 Census of Agriculture and dividing them by the approximate weights for nonresponse adjustment and coverage adjustment (0.34 for AI/AN and 0.285 for NH/PI). Although self-reported tribal affiliation is collected on the Census of Agriculture, the data set is not available to the public and it is not clear whether analyses employing that information could be made available via a “Special Tabulations” request to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. |
| Geographic Scope: | The geographic scope of the Census of Agriculture is national. Geographic analysis also is possible by state and county. |
| Date or Frequency: | The Census of Agriculture is planned for every 5 years. It was conducted in 1992, 1997, and 2002. Reports and tabulations are available for each of these data collection efforts. |
| Data Collection Methodology: | The Census of Agriculture is a mail survey with telephone and face-to-face interviewing follow-up for nonrespondents. |
| Participation: | Mandatory |
| Response Rate: | Multiple response rates were calculated, but these have not been published. Appendix A of the 2002 Census of Agriculture Volume 1 Chapter 1: U.S. National Level Data report lists a minimal response rate of 75 percent. |
| Sampling Methodology: | Appendix C of the 2002 Census of Agriculture Volume 1 Chapter 1: U.S. National Level Data report states that “all name and address records on the final [Census Mail List] received a 2002 Census of Agriculture report form.” |
| Authorization: | Title 7, Chapter 55, 2204g. Authority of Secretary of Agriculture to conduct Census of Agriculture. |
| Strengths: | Strengths of the data source include sufficient numbers of members of the AI/AN/NA population. Moreover, special efforts were undertaken in the 2002 Census of Agriculture to address representation of AI/AN/NA farm operators. In addition, there are multiple years of data available. |
| Limitations: | The Census of Agriculture only provides indirect measures of economic well-being (e.g., measures of size of farms, productivity of farms, type of produce, livestock, etc. produced by the farm). |
| Other: | The U.S. Department of Agriculture also conducted a pilot project in
conjunction with the 2002 Census of Agriculture to collect agricultural census
data for farms and ranches on American Indian reservations in Montana, North
Dakota, and South Dakota. This is the first time agricultural census data
for American Indian reservations based on individual farm and ranch reports
have ever been published by the National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The results of this pilot project
have been published in American Indian Reservations: Montana, North Dakota,
and South Dakota. Pilot Project. Specialty Products, Part 1. AC-02-SP-1.
This report is available at
http://www.nass.usda.gov/census/amindian.pdf.
It is important to note that the methodology used to account for AI/AN/NA farm operators in this pilot project differs from that used in the overall Census of Agriculture. The pilot project emphasized individual-level reports while the overall Census uses both individual-level reports as well as aggregated information obtained from reservation-level reports. |
| Access Requirements and Use Restrictions: | Data set is not available to the public, but interested parties can request
analyses. Also, published tables and reports are available.
Special Tabulations are publishable, resummarized data tables from the Census of Agriculture or NASS surveys. Requests for Special Tabulations are considered when the requested data are not published elsewhere. Depending on the complexity of the request, specialized analyses may be done for no or minimal cost. More complex requests are chargeable and the minimum charge is $500 for a Special Tabulation. |
| Contact Information: | Agriculture Statistics Hotline (800) 727-9540 National Agricultural Statistics Service U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA-NASS 1400 Independence Ave, SW Washington, DC 20250 |
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