Oregon Department of Agriculture Director Katy Coba is asking the state’s farmers and ranchers to complete and return the 2012 Census of Agriculture, if they haven’t already done so. Surveys are still being accepted by the US Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), which conducts the census.

“I urge our producers to take the time and complete these surveys,” says Coba. “There are many reasons for them to provide the information requested by the census, but the most compelling is that information about our agriculture is key for policy makers to make good and informed decisions that affect the industry.”

Surveys were sent to more than 38,000 Oregon farmers and ranchers in late December and early January. NASS had requested that completed surveys be returned by February 4, 2013. However, NASS will still accept late surveys. The 24-page questionnaire should be able to be completed within a half an hour for most producers.

ODA Director Coba has recorded a public service announcement encouraging Oregon producers to complete the census survey, as they are required to do by law.

“This is a very important task and one that truly benefits agriculture,” says Coba. “Everyone’s participation is needed to compile a complete picture of agriculture’s importance in our state.”

Once again this year, the Census of Agriculture offers respondents an online option on a secure website. The law requiring farmers and ranchers to complete the census forms also protects confidentiality and privacy of information they supply. Individual forms cannot be seen by anyone but sworn NASS employees.

The agriculture census is the only source of uniform data down to the county level on agricultural production and inventories. Originally taken every ten years, farm census data has been collected every five years since 1920.

For more information, contact the Oregon Field Office of NASS at (503) 326-2131.


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