For Immediate Release
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Contact: Josh Moenning
(402) 438-1598
You may have recently received the 2007 Census of Agriculture in the mail. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I know how critical it is for policymakers to have accurate information about American farmers and agriculture.
The Census of Agriculture is conducted once every five years. The U.S. Department of Agriculture mailed out the forms for the Census of Agriculture in late December to over 3 million famers and ranchers. Any agricultural producer who receives the Census form is required to complete it and put it in the mail by February 4, 2008. Federal law also stipulates that participation in the Census is confidential; no personal data will be released.
The Census form can also be filled out online by going to http://www.agcensus.usda.gov. To do this you will need a Census ID code. This is on the mailing label of the Census form that was mailed to you.
The 2007 Census of Agriculture collects information concerning all areas of farming and ranching, including production expenses, market value of products, and operator characteristics. This information is used by policymakers at the federal, state, and local level to make decisions about farm programs and policies.
The information not only helps policymakers, but also those directly involved in the business of agriculture. For example, a recent news report noted that ethanol companies need readily available information on how much grain storage space is available in a given area when deciding where to build an ethanol plant.
If you have any questions, you can visit the Census of Agriculture’s website listed above or by calling the customer service line at 1-800-727-9540. Remember, if you received the 2007 Census of Agriculture, be sure to fill out your Census form by February 4.
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