January 16, 2008
Contact:
Lisa Taylor
Director of Communications
Kansas Department of Agriculture
(785) 296-2653
ltaylor@kda.state.ks.us
OP-ED: Census of Agriculture Provides Opportunity to Be Heard
As policymakers in Washington negotiate the finer points of our next farm bill, farmers and ranchers across the nation are being asked by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service to provide detailed information about their operations for the 2007 Census of Agriculture.
The census garners the most complete, uniform set of agricultural data around. It documents land use and ownership practices, operator characteristics, production practices, and income and expenditures. Your answers to census questions show to all the value and importance of U.S. agriculture. Your answers also influence important policy decisions, like those being made about our next farm bill.
Census results are also useful right here at home. Data can be used for community planning, transportation and marketing, where to locate USDA service centers, and farm succession planning. Your input has the potential to have a positive impact on your farming operation and on your community.
You can be confident your answers will be kept confidential. Federal law requires it. Plus, your individual information cannot be shared with any federal, state or local government agency.
I encourage all Kansas farmers and ranchers to complete the census by the February 4 deadline. It's your opportunity to let your voice be heard so you can help shape the future of agriculture for years to come.
Adrian Polansky
Kansas Secretary of Agriculture