E-mail: nass-ny@nass.usda.gov
(518) 457-5570

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  William Blackson
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
1-800-821-1276

www.nass.usda.gov/ny

                CENSUS GIVES FARMERS A VOICE IN THEIR FUTURE
                   2007 Census of Agriculture Coming Soon

America‘s farmers and ranchers will soon have the opportunity to make their
voices heard and help shape the future of agriculture for years to come.

That opportunity will come to their mailboxes in the form of the 2007
Census of Agriculture.

Conducted every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the
Census is a complete count of the nation’s farms and ranches and the people
who operate them. The Census looks at land use and ownership, operator
characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures and other
topics. It provides the only source of uniform, comprehensive agricultural
data for every county in the nation.

"The Census of Agriculture provides information that is not available
anywhere else - information that benefits agricultural producers and their
communities in myriad ways," said Steve Ropel, Director of the New York
Field Office of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

"For instance, policy-makers factor Census data into decisions concerning
agricultural and rural programs. Community planners use Census to target
needed services to rural residents. Companies rely on Census data when
determining where to locate their operations. And farmers themselves can
use Census data to help make critical decisions about their businesses," he
explained.

NASS will mail out Census forms on December 28, 2007 to collect data for
the 2007 calendar year. Completed forms are due by February 4, 2008.
Producers can return their forms by mail or, for the first time, they have
the convenient option of filling out the Census online via a secure web
site.

"We’re committed to making this Census the best count ever. It’s about the
future of agriculture and rural communities in our state," Ropel said.
"Regardless of how large or small their operation is or what kinds of
products they produce, New York farmers will help themselves and their
communities by filling out the Census of Agriculture and returning it
promptly," he added.

"We want farmers and ranchers to know: the Census of Agriculture is their
voice, their future and their responsibility."

For more information about the 2007 Census of Agriculture, please contact
the NASS New York Field Office at 800-821-1276 or visit
www.agcensus.usda.gov online.

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10-17-07