USDA to start mailing agricultural survey

The National Agricultural Statistics Service, a part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is set to start mailing out the National Agricultural Classification Survey this month. Distributed to more than 1 million potential U.S. agricultural producers, the survey is dispersed in preparation for the 2022 Census of Agriculture.

NACS recipients will be asked if they are involved in agricultural activity and for basic farm information. It is required by law that all who receive the survey must respond, even if the recipient is not an active farmer or rancher. The questionnaires can be filled out online or by mail. All responses are due by Jan. 24, 2022.

“NACS plays an integral role in getting a complete count of U.S. agriculture,” says Census and Survey Division Director Barbara Rater. “It is one of the most important, early steps to determine who should receive next year’s Census of Agriculture questionnaire. Every response to NACS is vital.”

According to the USDA’s definition, a farm is any place where at least $1,000 of agricultural products are produced and sold – or normally sold – during the year.

“The definition of a farm is not based on size, type or location,” says Rater. “A farm can be an urban rooftop or a backyard greenhouse. It can be large pastures of cattle or fields of corn, as well as blooms, honey, vegetables or eggs sold to neighbors, friends and family. Our mission is to give every U.S. producer the opportunity to share their voice in the ag census.”

The Census of Agriculture dataset is used by local and federal governments, educators, researchers, agribusinesses, media and more. Data collection for the 2022 Census of Agriculture commences November 2022.