Department of Ag reminds producers to respond to census

Press release

HELENA — The Montana Department of Agriculture is reminding agricultural producers to respond to the 2022 Census of Agriculture by June 1, 2023.

Taken only once every five years by the United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, the census provides a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them.

The Census of Agriculture covers land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income, and expenditures, and more. Census data includes all operations of all sizes — big and small, rural, and urban — raising or selling $1,000 or more of agricultural products.

“The data compiled by the Ag Census demonstrates the value that agriculture adds to our economy and plays an important role in shaping policy,”Montana Department of Agriculture Director Christy Clark said. “I encourage all of Montana’s farmers and ranchers to make sure that they are signed up, and I look forward to seeing how Montana agriculture has advanced since the last census was released in 2017.”

“Here in Montana, over 30,000 known ag producers will receive ag census questionnaires,” USDA NASS State Statistician Eric Sommer said. “The Census of Agriculture data allows federal and local governments, agribusinesses, extension agents, researchers and others make informed decisions that directly affect Montana’s agricultural communities.”

People can visit https://nass.usda.gov/AgCensus or call 888-424-7828 to learn more.

The Montana Department of Agriculture is serving Montana Agriculture and growing prosperity under the Big Sky. For more information on department programs and services, people can visit https://agr.mt.gov .