Now is the time to complete your 2022 Census of Agriculture survey.
Nearly 3 million producers received an invitation to respond to the 2022 Census of Agriculture this November.
USDA mailed survey codes to all known agriculture producers across the 50 states with an invitation to respond online to the 2022 Census of Agriculture here. A paper questionnaire will follow in December.
Taken once every five years, the Census of Agriculture is the nation’s only comprehensive and impartial source of agriculture data for every state, county and territory.
Through the Census of Agriculture, producers can show the nation the value and importance of agriculture and can influence decisions that will shape the future of U.S. agriculture.
The 2022 Census of Agriculture will be mailed in phases, with paper questionnaires mailed in December. Producers need only respond once, whether securely online or by mail. The online option offers time-saving features ideal for busy producers.
All responses are due Feb. 6.
Farm operations of all sizes, urban and rural, that produced and sold, or normally would have sold, $1,000 or more of agricultural products in 2022, are included in the Ag Census.
“The 2022 Census of Agriculture is a powerful voice for American agriculture. The information gathered through the ag census influences policy decisions that will have a tremendous impact on ag producers and their communities for years to come,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “I strongly encourage all farmers, no matter how large or small their operation, to promptly complete and return their Ag Census. This is your opportunity to share your voice, uplift the value and showcase the uniqueness of American agriculture.”
Collected in service to American agriculture since 1840 and now conducted every five years by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, the Census of Agriculture is a complete picture of American agriculture today. It highlights land use and ownership, producer characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures, among other topics.
“Our farmers and ranchers have an incredible impact on our nation and the world. I want to thank them in advance for responding to the ag census,” said NASS Administrator Hubert Hamer. “We recognize how valuable their time is, so we have made responding more convenient and modern than ever before.”
Farmers and ranchers can use Census of Agriculture data to make informed decisions about the future of their own operations. Companies and cooperatives use the data to determine where to locate facilities that will serve agricultural producers. Community planners use the information to target needed services to rural residents. Also legislators use census data when shaping farm policies and programs.
Responding to the Census of Agriculture is required by law under Title 7 USC 2204(g) Public Law 105-113. The same law requires NASS to keep all information confidential, to use the data only for statistical purposes, and only publish in aggregate form to prevent disclosing the identity of any individual producer or farm operation.
NASS will release the results of the Ag Census in early 2024. To learn more about the Census of Agriculture, click here.
Lancaster Farming
Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding urges farmers to participate in NASS surveys and the 2022 Agricultural Census.
USDA has made strides in helping farmers of color over the past year, according to the agency’s senior equity official.
I am a first-generation farmer in Armagh, Pennsylvania, and a Land Advocacy Fellow with the National Young Farmers Coalition. I am also a begi…
With the data from the Census of Agriculture, we’re able to fully understand where our industry stands, reflect on our opportunities, and where it’s headed.
Leon Ressler is a Penn State Extension educator based in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
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