The U.S. Department of Agriculture has started 2014 Census of Horticultural Specialties. This news release says the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is conducting the survey that will provide a comprehensive picture of the horticultural sector of the U.S. economy, along with offering detailed production and sales data for the U.S. floriculture, nursery and specialty crop industries, including greenhouse food crops.

“The recent Census of Agriculture quantified the value of nursery and floriculture products alone at more than $14.5 billion in 2012, showing just how important this part of U.S. agriculture is,” said NASS Administrator Joseph T. Reilly. “Additional information supplied in the 2014 Census of Horticulture will be used to help develop new technologies and programs to support sustainability and growth within this agriculture sector.”

In mid-December, NASS will mail the census to approximately 40,000 horticultural operations in the United States that grew and sold $10,000 or more of horticultural specialty products, as reported in the 2012 Census of Agriculture. Producers are asked to provide information on horticultural activities conducted during 2014, including production of horticultural crops, value of products, square footage used for growing crops, production expenses and more. Growers can complete the census securely online at www.agcensus.usda.gov, or return their questionnaire by mail by February 5, 2015.

The Census of Horticulture only comes along once every five years, and NASS promises to keep all individual information confidential.