Don’t Forget to Fill Out Your Census of Agriculture!

Jennifer Zurko

You should have already received the 2022 Census of Agriculture from the USDA in the mail, which was sent out in phases starting in September. The invitation to respond online will be sent out this month, followed by paper questionnaires in December. Farm operations of all sizes, urban and rural, which produced and sold or normally would have sold, $1,000 or more of agricultural product in 2022 are included in the ag census.

Collected in service to American agriculture since 1840 and now conducted every five years by USDA’s NASS, the Census of Agriculture tells the story and shows the value of U.S. agriculture. It highlights land use and ownership, producer characteristics, production practices, and income and expenditures, among other topics. Between ag census years, NASS considers revisions to the questionnaire to document changes and emerging trends in the industry. Changes to the 2022 questionnaire include new questions about the use of precision agriculture, hemp production and updates to internet access questions.

To learn more about the Census of Agriculture, visit www.nass.usda.gov/agcensus or call (800) 727-9540. On the website, producers and other data users can access frequently asked questions, past ag census data, partner tools to help spread the word about the upcoming ag census, special study information and more. GT