Farmers and ranchers should have already received information regarding the Census of Agriculture.
The survey is conducted every five years and asks producers about their farms and notes changes that have occurred. The Administrator of the National Ag Statistics Service, Hubert Hamer recently addressed the Intertribal Agriculture Council during the group’s annual meeting in Las Vegas. Whether it is a farm in a tribal community, small town main street, or even urban farms, he says the information collected can be essential, especially in difficult times.
“The producers are the experts. We want to make sure that financial assistance is available for our rural communities, so you have to be counted. We have to measure that so we can have appropriate resources by proportion to the rural communities.”
The Census will also include some new questions, along with an easy avenue to submit the information.
“We’re collecting information on hemp production, we’re collecting some new information on precision agriculture, hair sheep, and then we’ve created an easier portal for producers to go in and provide the information. We’ll even have some of their previously reported information in that portal to make it easier for them.”
The Census data is also used by legislators as they craft the Farm Bill. If you have not received your Census of Agriculture, contact your state or regional NASS office or click HERE.
