Later this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will mail the Census of Agriculture to American growers and ranchers. The census is distributed every five years.
The information provided by growers in the census is used to provide an accurate and comprehensive picture of agriculture today and help plan for the future. It provides one of the few opportunities for producers to help shape the industry’s future.
“We definitely need our industry’s growers to fill out the census forms and help floriculture and nursery crops be counted among the important segments of U.S. agriculture,” said Dr. Marvin N. Miller, AAF, of Ball Horticultural Company in West Chicago, Illinois.
This year’s census is being called more user-friendly: It can be completed on paper, as it has been conducted in the past, or via electronic devices.
Growers are required by law to complete and submit the survey by February 5, 2018.
“The data collected not only testify to our industry’s importance, but they also are used by university administrators, state departments of agriculture, researchers, and even students to gauge the vibrancy of our industry,” Miller added.
