Little Rock, Arkansas - The United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service is charged with the task of providing timely, accurate and useful agricultural statistics in service to American agriculture. This agency provides the supply side of the equation for anyone wanting to know how much agriculture is grown in America, where is it grown, and what is changing on the agricultural horizon.
“The true value of the Census of Agriculture is in the information it provides,” said Becky Cross, director of the NASS Arkansas Field Office. “The Census charts trends in agriculture over time and provides the only source of uniform, comprehensive data for every county in the nation.”
The Census, which is conducted every five years, provides facts and figures on virtually every aspect of U.S. agriculture, including number and types of farm operations, the economic aspects of farm production and the demographics of U.S. farm operators.
“The data is used by everyone interested in the amount of food and fiber produced, where it is produced, and the demographics behind who is producing the abundance coming out of America. As most of you know, American producers produce enough food to feed all Americans and many others around the world,” says Cross.
For farmers and ranchers, Census data can be a valuable tool to help them make informed decisions about the future of their operations. In addition, the information is used by all those who serve farmers and rural communities, including government agencies, community planners, agribusinesses, lenders, trade associations and many others.
The 2012 Census of Agriculture will be mailed around the end of December 2012, and we are asking that all producers provide us with a census report so that we can show that agriculture counts in America. For more information, visit www.agcensus.usda.gov or call (800) 727-9540.
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Download Frequently Asked Questions here.
Source:
Becky Cross
Director, Arkansas Agricultural Statistics
Phone: (501) 228-9926
FAX: (501) 224-5630