Still Time for Iowans to Respond to 2022 Ag Census

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Iowa’s farmers and ranchers still have time to be counted in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). With just over 55 percent of the ag census forms returned as of mid-March, NASS has extended the deadline and will continue to accept completed forms through the end of May to ensure all producers take advantage of the opportunity to be represented in the widely used data.

"We thank everyone who has completed their census to date.” said Greg Thessen, director of the NASS Upper Midwest Regional Field Office. "Many farmers have already responded but we want the voices of all producers to be represented in the data since the resulting statistics will directly impact farming communities for years to come. Census data inform decisions about policy, farm and conservation programs, infrastructure and rural development, research, education, and more."

NASS will continue to follow up with producers through the spring with mailings, phone calls, and personal visits. Farmers and ranchers are encouraged to complete their ag census either online at agcounts.usda.gov or by mail as soon as possible. The online questionnaire is accessible on a desktop, laptop, and other mobile devices.

Federal law under Title 7 USC 2204(g) Public Law 105-113 mandates that everyone who received the 2022 Census of Agriculture questionnaire complete and return it, even if they are not currently farming. The same law requires NASS to keep all submissions confidential, use the information for statistical purposes only, and publish aggregate data to prevent disclosing the identity of any individual producer or farm operation.

NASS will release the results of the ag census in early 2024. To learn more about the Census of Agriculture, visit nass.usda.gov/AgCensus. On the website, producers and other data users can access frequently asked questions, past ag census data, special study information, and more. For highlights of these and the latest information, follow USDA NASS on Twitter at @usda_nass.