The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) ends all data collection for the 2017 Census of Agriculture on July 31. Anyone who received the Census questionnaire is required by law to respond by that date, and they can complete the form online at www.agcensus.usda.gov or by calling toll-free (888) 424-7828.
“The Census of Agriculture, conducted once every five years, provides the only source of comprehensive agricultural data for every state and county in the nation,” said NASS Administrator Hubert Hamer. “Your information helps ensure that future decisions about U.S. agriculture represent you, your industry, and your community.”
“Every response matters, even the ones that tell us you are not, or are no longer, a farm,” continued Hamer. “If you received a 2017 Census of Agriculture, we need to hear from you by July 31.”
The same law that requires response – Federal law, Title 7 USC 2204(g) Public Law 105-113 – also requires NASS to keep all information confidential, to use the data only for statistical purposes, and to only publish data in aggregate form to prevent disclosing the identity of any individual producer or farm operation.
Data from the 2017 Census of Agriculture is planned to be released in February 2019.