Extension

Indiana farmers urged to complete Census of Agriculture

Story by Darrin Pack
December 1, 2017

Indiana farmers should be watching their mail boxes for more than just holiday cards this December.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS) will soon mail out its 2017 Census of Agriculture to more than 3 million farms nationwide. Census data will help shape American agricultural policy over the next five years, said Greg Matli, director of the NASS Indiana field office.

Federal law requires all U.S. farmers to respond to the census. A farm is defined as any place that produced and sold, or had the potential to sell, at least $1,000 in agricultural products during the census year – in this case, 2017.

“Many people who don’t think of themselves as farmers actually meet the definition according to the USDA,” Matli said. “If you own horses, backyard chickens or large urban gardens you might qualify as a farmer and should fill out the census.”

He added that anyone who receives a census form in the mail is required to respond, whether or not they farmed this year.

“We know that the industry is always changing,” Matli said. “The census tells us which farms are going in and out of production, the sizes of farms, income and expenditures, production practices, what is being produced and who owns and operates the farms – corporations, families or individuals.”

Matli said the census also leads to significant benefits for Indiana farmers.

“This is your opportunity to be counted and to tell your story,” he said. “Our goal is to provide community leaders, lawmakers, agricultural organizations, ag educators and individual farm operators with the most comprehensive and accurate data to make informed decisions and protect the future of American agriculture.”

Completing the census takes about 50 minutes, Matli said. It can be done online using any electronic device or by filling out the printed copy sent in the mail. The online form has been improved this year, making it even easier to use, he noted.

“It calculates totals automatically and skips questions that do not pertain to your operation,” Matli said. “It really saves time and effort.”

The USDA uses that information to make decisions about the farm safety net and other government programs. In addition, the data is used by community leaders, agribusinesses, lawmakers, researchers, local governments and educational institutions.

“The data is vitally important to the entire agricultural community,” Matli said.

New questions on this year’s census form include military veteran or active duty status and expanded questions about food marketing practices including the gross value of edible agricultural products sold directly to both consumers and retail markets.

The deadline for completing the survey is Feb. 5, 2018. Results are expected to be released in February 2019.or more information about the census, go to www.agcensus.usda.gov or call 888-424-7828.

Featured Stories

Keeping your pets safe during the dog days of summer

As temperatures and humidity rise across the U.S., Candace Croney, director of the Center for...

Eastern hellbender salamanders feeding on bloodworms in their raceway at the Purdue Hellbender the Hellbender lab.

Metazoa Beer to Benefit Help the Hellbender Lab

Metazoa Brewing Company and the Indiana Lakes Management Society have teamed up to collaborate on...

Digital forestry can help mitigate and prevent wildfires

The National Interagency Fire Center reports that, as of this writing, 19,444 fires have burned...

What you can do this summer to reduce the spread of aquatic invasive species

In 2020, an alligator was captured in a lagoon of Chicago’s Humbolt Park. The reptile out...

Researcher uses pipette on parsley plant

Researchers examine nanotechnological methods for improving agriculture

Nanoscale particles could potentially help address agricultural and environmental sustainability...

Fairgoers ride a tractor, sponsored by the Indiana Soybean Alliance, and browse food tents during the 2023 Indiana State Fair. (Purdue Agricultural Communications photo)

Purdue Extension to present engaging art and nature demonstrations at Indiana State Fair

The Indiana State Fair kicks off Aug. 2 and highlights the theme “The Art & Nature of...