JEFFERSON CITY — Starting this month, approximately 15,000 agricultural producers across the nation and the various segments of U.S. agriculture will receive an invitation to assist in the online 2022 Census of Agriculture Content Test.
The Content Test, which will run through spring, is a critical part of the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service’s (NASS) preparation for the once-every-five-year Census of Agriculture. Participants in the test will be asked to complete the 2022 Census of Agriculture online questionnaire via a new Respondent Portal aimed to improve the reporting experience for all producers.
“NASS would not be able to supply valuable agricultural data without producer participation. We recognize that time is valuable, and our goal is to improve producers’ experience when responding to our surveys,” said Census and Survey Division Director Barbara Rater. “That’s why NASS has been gathering feedback from producers over the last year to assist in modernizing areas of our data collection, which includes the development of our new Respondent Portal.”
The Census of Agriculture is the only source of comprehensive agricultural data for every state and county in the nation. The data is widely used to inform decisions that benefit the agricultural community and the nation — from decisions guiding essential food delivery systems, succession planning, and new and beginning farmer programs, to decisions affecting agriculture practices, land stewardship, sustainability and more.
In accordance with federal law, NASS keeps all responses confidential and uses them for statistical purposes only.
For more information about the Census of Agriculture, or if you are a producer who does not currently receive NASS surveys or censuses, visit www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus.