Dateline: December 19, 2002

Combs urges producers to be counted in census

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

AUSTIN – Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs today urged Texas producers to be on the lookout for the 2002 Census of Agriculture surveys, which will be mailed Dec. 16, and to promptly fill out the report forms on behalf of their operations.

“Watch for a large white envelope with the words 2002 Census of Agriculture printed in green on the outside. This is definitely not junk mail – this is the largest information-gathering project for agriculture, and we need producers across Texas to put pen to paper and be counted among the nation’s farmers and ranchers,” Combs said.

Farm and ranch organizations use Census data to evaluate and propose programs that help producers. Policymakers refer to the data when they draft agricultural legislation. State and local governments use the information for rural development planning, while researchers use the data to develop new technologies to keep agriculture progressive.

“It’s a chance for farmers and ranchers to shape the way agricultural policies meet the changing needs of today’s producer,” Combs said. “The information comes straight from the source – the producer.”

Not only is it in the best interest of producers to fill out the survey, U.S. law requires a response from all producers who receive a Census report, even if they did not operate a farm or ranch in 2002. This same law also guarantees that their information is kept strictly confidential. Completed forms are due by Feb. 3, 2003.

The Census of Agriculture is conducted once every five years and gathers information about land use and ownership, acres irrigated, crop acreage and quantities harvested, livestock and poultry inventories, value of products sold, participation in federal farm programs and more. New to the 2002 Census will be questions on computer and Internet use and on new commodities such as bison, elk, llamas, deer, emus and ostriches.

For more information, visit the National Agricultural Statistics Service web site at www.usda.gov/nass or call (888) 4AG-STAT.