Maryland Department of Agriculture

Early in January 2008, Maryland farmers will find the 2007 Census of Agriculture report form in their mail boxes. This opportunity to help shape the future of agriculture by responding to the Census only comes around once every five years.

Conducted 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 and expenditures and other 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 a multitude of ways,” said Barbara Rater, state director of the Maryland 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 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.

NASS will mail out Census report 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 have the convenient option of filling out the Census online 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,” Rater said. “Regardless of how large or small their operation is or what kinds of products they produce, Maryland farmers will help themselves and their communities by filling out the Census of Agriculture and returning it promptly. We want farmers to know: the Census of Agriculture is their voice, their future and their responsibility.”

For more information about the 2007 Census of Agriculture:

• Call the NASS Maryland Field Office at 410-841-5740

• Visit www.agcensus.usda.gov

• Hear Maryland Agriculture Secretary Roger Richardson on the Census (MP3)