The Census of Agriculture is completed every five years and is conducted by USDA. The Census of Agriculture is the overall count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who own and operate them. Even small plots of land - whether it be rural or urban - growing fruits, vegetables, or food animals count if $1,000 or more of these products were raised and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the Census year. The Census of Agriculture, looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, farm production practices, income and expenditures. It is vital for farmers to take part in the 2022 data collection so every farm in the U.S. will be counted!
The Census of Agriculture provides the only source of uniform, comprehensive, and impartial agriculture data for every county in our nation. Through the Census of Agriculture, producers can show the nation the value and importance of agriculture and will influence decisions that will shape the future of U.S. agriculture. All farm information provided by farmers to the Census of Agriculture will be kept confidential and cannot be disclosed to any government or private entity by law.
Key dates to keep in mind:- June 30, 2022 – Last day to sign up for 2022 Census. If you have never received a census and need to sign up, June 30, 2022 will be the final opportunity. Sign up can be found at www.agcounts.usda.gov/static/get-counted.html
- November 2022 – 2022 ag census will be mailed out and farm data collection begins. Farmers can respond online or return completed questionnaires by mail
- February 6, 2023 – 2022 ag census response deadline
- 2024 – USDA Agriculture Census data will be released
