Reminder: Ag census must be completed by May 31

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will end data collection for the 2022 Census of Agriculture on May 31.

Federal law requires everyone who received the ag census — basically, anyone who produced more than $1,000 in ag products in 2022 — to complete and return the census form.

Recipients can respond by mail or online at agcounts.usda.gov.

"The Census of Agriculture remains the only comprehensive and impartial source of agricultural data for every state and county in the nation. It gives producers the opportunity to help shape decisions that will impact their operations, communities and the future of the industry for several years," Hubert Hamer, administrator of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, said in a news release.

"Not being represented in these widely used data means risking being underserved,“ he said. ”The ag census data are used by agribusinesses, educators, researchers, federal and local government, and many others when making decisions about farm programs, loans, insurance, rural development, disaster assistance, and more."

Anyone who produced and sold $1,000 or more of agricultural product in 2022, or normally would have produced and sold that much, meets USDA’s definition of a farm and are required to complete the census.

Landowners who lease land to producers, those solely involved in conservation programs, and even those who may not have farmed in 2022, are still required to respond.

“If you received the ag census but do not fit the definition of a farm, are no longer farming, never farmed, or have another update for us, please write your status on the form and mail it back,” Hamer said.

The ag census differs from other USDA surveys. Beyond being conducted just once every five years, it provides important demographic information and data on certain commodities, such as horses, bison and Christmas trees, that would not otherwise be available.

Changes to the 2022 questionnaire include new questions about the use of precision agriculture, hemp production, hair sheep and updates to internet access questions.

Federal law requires that responses be kept confidential and used for statistical purposes only.

For assistance in filling out the ag census, recipients can call 1-(888) 424-7828.

The USDA will release the ag census results in early 2024.

To learn more about the census, go to nass.usda.gov/AgCensus. On the website, producers can access frequently asked questions and past ag census data.