The U. S. Department of Agriculture is seeking assistance to find all active farms and ranches in the United States.  To do this they are sending nearly one million potential farmers and ranchers a National Agricultural Classification Survey (NACS) during the month of December to find any place that produces and sells or could sell $1,000 or more of agriculture products in a calendar year.  The results of this survey will determine who is sent a census questionnaire next year.

The census of agriculture, conducted every five years by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), is the only source of uniform, comprehensive and impartial agricultural data for every county in the nation. Through the census of agriculture, producers are able to demonstrate the value and importance of agriculture, and influence decisions that will shape the future of the industry in this country.

“NACS plays an integral role in getting a complete count of U.S. agriculture,” said NASS Census and Survey Division Director Barbara Rater. “We ask everyone who receives the survey to please respond by January 30, so that we can maintain an accurate and comprehensive census of agriculture mailing list. This is an important opportunity. The census of agriculture is the leading source of facts about American agriculture. Farm organizations, businesses, government decision-makers, commodity market analysts, news media, researchers and so many others use census of agriculture data. We are ensuring that every farm and ranch has a voice.”