By Sean Ellis
The official but “soft” Feb. 6 deadline to respond to the 2022 Census of Agriculture has passed.
But that was not a hard deadline and there’s still time to respond to the survey, which is conducted every five years and provides a complete account of the nation’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them.
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will continue to accept completed census questionnaires through the spring.
This is an attempt to ensure all farmers and ranchers have the chance to take advantage of the opportunity to be represented in the widely used data, said Ben Johnson, director of NASS’ Idaho field office.
The census of ag data is widely used, by companies, farmers and the groups that represent them, as well as by the federal government to provide programs that serve producers.
“To see that data at the county level and the state level across America is really helpful and beneficial to those in power in making decisions on behalf of farmers,” Johnson said.
Every farmer, large or small, can make sure their voice is heard by filling out the census of ag survey, he said.
“We want all producers to use their voices to help shape the future of American agriculture,” NASS Administrator Hubert Hamer said in a news release. “Census data inform decisions about policy, farm and conservation programs, infrastructure and rural development, research, education and more. The stronger the response, the stronger the data.”
NASS will continue to follow up with ag producers through the spring with phone calls, mailings and personal visits.
The ag census contains a host of data about American agriculture and is the only official source of this type of data in the United States.
“I use NASS data every week, at least,” said Idaho State Department of Agriculture Director Chanel Tewalt. “Census data is really important. It is one of the most important ways we track trends within agriculture.”
Tewalt encouraged every farmer and rancher to fill out the census survey.
“The only way we get good data is by hearing from everybody,” she said. “You need to take it seriously. You need to get your data in. It has a real impact on … production agriculture.”
The Census of Agriculture is the only source of uniform, comprehensive and impartial agriculture data for every county and state in the nation.
“If you’re a processor looking to locate in Idaho, it’s good to hear from an unbiased source and that’s what NASS data is,” Tewalt said.
The Census of Ag contains millions of data points and helps tell the story of American agriculture, Johnson said.
The data is not shared with other government agencies, Johnson said.
NASS uses the information for statistical purposes only, he said, and publishes aggregate data to prevent disclosing the identity of any individual producer or farm operation.
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