The deadline to be counted in USDA’s 2012 Census of Agriculture is June 30
The census, a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them, defines a farm as any place that produces and sells, or normally would have sold, $1,000 or more of ag products during the census year, which is 2012.
“The census is the leading source of facts about American agriculture,” says Renee Picanso, census and survey division director at USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. “The wealth of data available from the census includes statistics on small family farms to large corporate farms; information on young, beginning farmers to older, experienced farmers; and insight into traditional, rural farming vs. trends in areas such as lifestyle and urban farming.
“Through the census, producers can show the nation the value and importance of agriculture, and they can help influence the decisions that will shape the future of American agriculture for years to come. By signing up and then responding to the census, producers are helping themselves, their communities and all of U.S. agriculture.”
To learn more and sign up, visit www.agcensus.usda.gov. All individual information will be kept confidential.