http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/ The Census of Agriculture, taken every five years, is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. The Census looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures and many other areas. For America's farmers and ranchers, the Census of Agriculture is their voice, their future and their responsibility. en-us 60 http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/rss/logo.gif http://www.nass.usda.gov nass@nass.usda.gov http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Newsroom/2013/03_19_2013.php With spring and planting season on the horizon, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is alerting farmers and ranchers of their final chance to sow a seed for their future by being counted in the 2012 Census of Agriculture. Tue, 19 Mar 2013 15:30:00 EDT http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Newsroom/2013/02_06_2013.php Farmers and ranchers across the country are heeding the call to have their voices heard and their farms represented in the 2012 Census of Agriculture. With 1.4 million Census forms returned, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is thanking everyone for speaking up for their communities, their industry and their future by sending in their Census form. For those who missed the deadline, USDA reminds producers that their farm is important and needs to be counted. As a result, Census forms are still being accepted. Wed, 06 Feb 2013 13:00:00 EST http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Newsroom/2013/01_24_2013.php The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that producers have two weeks remaining to respond to the 2012 Census of Agriculture. To date, America’s farmers and ranchers are taking action in overwhelming numbers to mail back their completed Agriculture Census forms, submit them online, or call and e-mail for assistance. Thu, 24 Jan 2013 16:25:00 EST http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Newsroom/2012/11_14_2012.php Nearly four centuries after the very first Thanksgiving feast, Americans sitting down with their families can still taste the role agriculture plays in the holiday – and the even bigger role it plays in their lives. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), U.S. farmers will raise 254 million turkeys, and harvest 768 million pounds of cranberries and 47 billion pounds of potatoes this year. The most recent NASS data reports that producers also grew 1.1 billion pounds of pumpkins and 1.9 billion pounds of green beans to provide many sides dishes this Thanksgiving. Compare that with the menu that history tells us the Thanksgiving consisted of in 1621: a handful of wild turkeys and geese, along with a few baskets of assorted beans, corn and pumpkins grown by pilgrims and Native Americans. Wed, 14 Jun 2012 11:20:00 EST http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Newsroom/2012/06_07b_2012.php The U.S. Department of Agriculture is preparing to mail the 2012 Census of Agriculture to millions of U.S. farmers and ranchers in late December. The Census of Agriculture is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Federal and state agricultural leaders are reminding producers, through a public service announcement campaign, not to miss their opportunity to be counted by signing up for the Census before July 1. "Local and national leaders use the Census to make decisions that directly impact your business, your community and your industry," explain the leaders. "Whether you're farming four thousand acres or just four, it's important. Every voice counts." Thu, 07 Jun 2012 13:20:00 EST http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Newsroom/2012/06_06_2012.php The U.S. Department of Agriculture is preparing to mail the 2012 Census of Agriculture to millions of U.S. farmers and ranchers in late December. Producers are reminded not to miss their opportunity to be counted by signing up for the Census before July 1. The Census of Agriculture is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. A farm is defined as any place that produced and sold, or normally would have sold, $1,000 or more of agricultural products during the Census year (2012). Thu, 07 Jun 2012 13:20:00 EST http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Newsroom/2012/03_08_2012.php In recognition of National Ag Day on March 8, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) calls on America's farmers and ranchers to sign up for the 2012 Census of Agriculture and to share stories about how Census data benefits them. Recognizing the central role of agriculture in Americans lives, USDA wants to make sure it counts all farmers and ranchers in the upcoming Census. USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts the Census of Agriculture every five years and is currently preparing to send the Census form to all agricultural producers in December. Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:58:00 EST http://blogs.usda.gov/2012/03/08/got-questions-about-agcensus-send-them-our-way/ Today at 1 p.m. EST, we will spend an hour on our agency's Twitter account (@usda_nass) answering questions about the 2012 Census of Agriculture. We'd love to hear from all of you to address any concerns, reservations or just simple inquiries you may have about participating in the Census. To make sure that we see your questions, simply add the #AgCensus tag to your tweet. Thu, 08 Mar 2012 10:45:00 EST http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Newsroom/2012/03_07_2012.php The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is preparing to conduct the 2012 Census of Agriculture later this year. In order to answer any questions farmers, ranchers or agricultural groups and organizations may have about the Census, Renee Picanso, NASS Census and Survey Division Director and Joe Prusacki, NASS Statistics Division Director will conduct a live Q&A session, or "Twitterview," on the NASS Twitter page on Thursday, March 8 from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. EST. Wed, 07 Mar 2012 10:09:00 EST http://blogs.usda.gov/2012/03/06/new-farmers-benefit-from-ag-census/ This is National Agriculture Week, an annual event that gives us a chance to honor the 3 million plus farmers and ranchers across the United States who work hard each day so that we have healthy and nutritious food on our plates. From the last Census of Agriculture in 2007, we learned that the number of farmers is actually growing. But how do we know that USDA is keeping pace with their needs? Tue, 06 Mar 2012 13:04:00 EST http://agdayblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/agriculture-counts-on-ag-day-and-every.html National Ag Day is about recognizing and celebrating the important contributions of America's farmers and ranchers as well as the 3 million hard-working producers that feed the other 300 million of us. And we're proud, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service, to be a sponsor of the 2012 National Ag Day program. Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:32:00 EST http://blogs.usda.gov/2012/02/09/links-to-the-past-usda-releases-historic-census-of-agriculture-reports// Did you know that the number of farms in the United States peaked in 1935 at 6,812,350 operations when the average farm size was 154.8 acres? In comparison, the 2007 Census of Agriculture counted 2,204,792 farms with the average farm size of 418 acres. In celebration of 150 years of service to American agriculture, the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), in partnership with Cornell University's Mann Library, are making these and many other historical facts available online at http://agcensus.mannlib.cornell.edu Fri, 02 Mar 2012 14:17:00 EST http://blogs.usda.gov/2012/02/28/sign-up-and-be-counted/ Earlier this month, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), released the latest count of farms in the United States. The nation has nearly 2.2 million farms, a number that has held pretty steady for the past decade. While this number is important, it doesn't tell the whole story. I urge all farmers who have not yet participated in the Census to sign up so you can be counted. After all, the Census is your voice, your future and your responsibility. Fri, 02 Mar 2012 14:17:00 EST http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Newsroom/2012/02_10_2012.php Surveys are now arriving in mailboxes around the nation to help identify all active farms in the United States. The National Agricultural Classification Survey (NACS), which asks landowners whether or not they are farming and for basic farm information, is one of the most important early steps used to determine who should receive a 2012 Census of Agriculture report form. The Census of Agriculture, conducted every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:05:00 EST