Contact: Ashley Andre (Huibregtse), 608-224-5002,
ashley.andre@wisconsin.gov
Jim Dick, Communications Director, 608-224-5020,
jim.dick@wi.gov
MADISON – The final deadline to complete and return your 2012 Census of Agriculture is May 31. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) reminds farmers about the importance of having your farm counted.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service conducts the Census once every five years. The Census is the only consistent and comprehensive source of agricultural data for every county in the nation.
The data collected by the Census is used by agribusinesses, trade associations, government officials and policy makers to make future decisions. Accurate and complete information will benefit fellow farmers, communities and the entire agricultural industry.
Examples of data collected by the Census includes: land use and value, operator characteristics, market value of agricultural production, farm income, production practices and farm expenditures. Individual information will remain confidential.
All farms are required to complete the Census. A farm is any place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the Census year.
Farmers can complete their Census forms by mail or online at www.agcensus.usda.gov. To learn more, call 1-888-4AG-STAT or 1-888-424-7828.
