In 2019, the USDA released over two hundred thousand facts about Missouri agriculture, including state and county facts. Those facts came from the 2017 Census of Agriculture. Beginning this fall, the 2022 Census of Agriculture will be mailed to farmers across Missouri and in every state and U.S. territory. Once the data from the 2022 Census is collected, analyzed, and summarized, those 200 thousand Missouri agricultural facts will all be updated and more added.
The Census of Agriculture, conducted every five years, is unique in that it is the only time farms of every type and size have the opportunity to report their contribution to Missouri agriculture. Every commodity from the rarest to the most common in the state is included. Along with that, information on land use, farming practices, farmer characteristics, organics, food marketing practices, machinery & equipment, precision agriculture, renewable energy, and farm-related income is collected.
"Agriculture is an important part of Missouri," said Robert Garino USDA's state statistician for Missouri. "The Census of Agriculture tells the story of Missouri agriculture at both the state and county level in detail. It is the USDA's most utilized publication about Missouri agriculture. By responding, Missouri ag producers ensure that their farm is included and that the census will be as accurate as possible."
The 2022 Census of Agriculture will be mailed in phases, starting with an invitation to respond online in November followed by paper questionnaires in December. Farm operations of all sizes, urban and rural, which produced and sold, or normally would have sold, $1,000 or more of agricultural product in 2022 are included in the ag census. For Missouri, that was over 95,000 in 2017.
To learn more about the Census of Agriculture, visit www.nass.usda.gov/agcensus or call 800-727-9540. On the website, producers and other data users can access frequently asked questions, past ag census data, partner tools to help spread the word about the upcoming ag census, special study information, and more. For highlights of these and the latest information on the upcoming Census of Agriculture, follow USDA NASS on twitter @usda_nass.
Categories: Missouri, Government & Policy