In the News -
November 2007
Census Gives Farmers a Voice in Their Future - 2007 Census of Agriculture Coming Soon
LITTLE ROCK - America's farmers and ranchers soon will be able to make their
voices heard and help shape the future of agriculture for years to come.
That opportunity will come to their mailboxes in the form of the 2007 Census
of Agriculture.
Conducted every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Census
is a complete count of the nation's farms and ranches and the people who operate
them. The Census looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics,
production practices, income, expenses and other important topics. It provides
the only source of uniform, comprehensive agricultural data for every county in
the nation.
"The Census of Agriculture provides information that is not available
anywhere else - information that benefits agricultural producers and their
communities in many ways," said Becky Cross, director of the Arkansas Field
Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
"For instance, policy-makers factor Census data into decisions concerning
agricultural and rural programs. Community planners use Census data to target
needed services to rural residents. Companies rely on Census data when
determining where to locate their operations. And farmers, themselves, can use
Census data to help make critical decisions about their businesses," Cross
explained.
NASS will mail out Census forms on December 28, 2007, to collect data for the
2007 calendar year. Completed forms are due by February 4, 2008. Producers can
return their forms by mail or, for the first time, they will have the option of
completing the Census onlineFMACROBUTTON HtmlResAnchor via a secure Web site.
"We're committed to making this Census the best count ever. It's about the
future of agriculture and rural communities in our state. Regardless of how
large or small their operation is, or what kinds of products they produce,
Arkansas farmers and ranchers will help themselves and their communities when
they fill out the Census of Agriculture and return it promptly," Cross said. "We
want farmers and ranchers to know: the Census of Agriculture is their voice,
their future and their responsibility."
For more information about the 2007 Census of Agriculture, please contact the
NASS Arkansas Field Office at (501) 228-9926 or visit
www.agcensus.usda.gov
online.
November 2, 2007
Arkansas Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA
Contact: Becky Cross (501)
228-9926
Media Contact: Lamar James
Extension Communications Specialist
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2187 or (501) 753-0207
ljames@uaex.edu
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