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I. General Questions
What is the the definition of a farm?
What products are available from the 2002 Census of Agriculture?
Were some 2002 data released prior to June 2004?
How much fluctuation was there from the“Preliminary” numbers?
What is the process for requesting special tabulations of data?
What items are new in the 2002 Census?
Can I obtain information from individual reports?
Was the Federal Register used to get public comment on the Agriculture Census?
How do I contact NASS for answers to additional questions?
WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF A FARM?
For the purpose of the Census of Agriculture, a farm is any place
from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold,
or normally would have been sold, during the census year. The $1,000 value
is not adjusted for inflation.
For the 1997 and 2002 census, operations receiving $1,000 or more in Federal
government payments were counted as farms, even if they had no sales and
otherwise lacked the potential to have $1,000 or more in sales.
If a place does not have $1,000 in sales, a “point system” assigns
dollar values for acres of various crops and head of various livestock
species to estimate a normal level of sales. Point farms are farms with
fewer than $1,000 in sales during 2002 but have points worth at least $1,000.
Point farms tend to be very small. Some, however, may normally have large
sales, but experience low sales in a particular year due to bad weather,
disease, changes in marketing strategies, or other factors. The census
of agriculture uses the point system to help identify farms meeting the
current definition. For 2002, a farm that had $500 point value and $500
in government payments is considered a farm. This would not have been true
for the 1997 census. For farms with production contracts, the value of
the commodities produced is used, not the amount of the fees they receive.
WHAT PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE 2002 CENSUS
OF AGRICULTURE?
Volume 1 Geographic Area Series of the 2002 Census of Agriculture includes
agricultural statistics for the United States, each State and Counties.
Data will also be available for the five Outlying Areas of Puerto Rico,
Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa
on the NASS Web site and in printed publications in the coming months.
Volume 1 for the United States, each State and Counties will be available
on the Web site in a variety of formats, including PDF files, text files,
and as a queriable database. Printed copies of the publications can be
ordered from the National Technical Information Service’s Subscription
Sales Order Desk by calling 800–999-6779. A CD-ROM will also be available
to extract all Volume 1 data for each county into separate files and thus
the ability to create different reports for individual counties. To order
a CD-ROM, or for additional information regarding other electronic data
products, call 800-727-9540 or write to NASS Customer Service Center, Room
5835 South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250.
Specialty Products, available on the Web site starting in the summer through
fall 2004, include State and County Highlights, County Profiles, American
Indian Special Study Results, and Top Commodities.
Volume 2, Subject Series includes the Agricultural Atlas, Congressional
District Ranking, ZIP Code Tabulations of Selected Items, Congressional
District Tabulations, and History of the Census of Agriculture. The Atlas,
Congressional District Ranking and Tabulations will be available in the
summer 2004, with other Volume 2 subject series to follow in late winter
2004.
Volume 3, Special Studies includes the Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey
(2003) and the Census of Aquaculture (2005), which will be available on
the Web site and in printed publications in late winter 2004 and winter
of 2006 respectively.
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WERE SOME 2002 DATA RELEASED PRIOR TO JUNE 2004?
Yes. Preliminary census data at the US and State levels were released
on February 3, 2004 to highlight new items in the demographics sector,
such as multiple operator data and number of women operators. Complete
tabulated census of agriculture data for the US, States, and the 3,000
plus counties are now available and include most items in the preliminary
release. Due to new systems and new methods, plus the need to do more detailed
review of all county and commodity data, complete data were not available
until June 3, 2004.
HOW MUCH FLUCTUATION WAS THERE FROM THE “PRELIMINARY” NUMBERS?
Changes to data in the preliminary release were minimal. However,
the amount of change at the State level varies. Changes were the result
of data analysis and review after the February 3 publication.
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WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR REQUESTING SPECIAL TABULATIONS OF DATA?
Data users may find that they would like different data summaries than
those which appear in the NASS publications. This might be different category
breaks than published by NASS, or different cross tabulations of variables.
Users who wish to obtain special tabulations must submit formal requests.
Requests may be made online on the NASS Web site (click on “Special
Tabulations” on the Census of Agriculture page), or by writing the
NASS Data Lab, Room 5907 South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW,
Washington, DC 20250, or contacting the local NASS State office. All requests
must include the purpose and data elements needed and are subject to approval.
All special tabulations will be subject to non-disclosure compliance, are
publishable once generated, and will be made available to anyone requesting
them. Depending on the complexity of the request, charges may apply for
special tabulations. The time required to complete special tabulation requests
will depend on the complexity of the request and the volume of requests
NASS receives. Alternatively, researchers may apply to work at a NASS site
using the NASS Data Lab to tabulate data for approved studies. Results
must be reviewed to assure no disclosure of individual reports and results
must be published
WHAT ITEMS ARE NEW IN THE 2002 CENSUS?
In addition to the changes to the demographic items discussed in the Frequently
Asked Questions, there are several items that have not been published in
previous censuses. The new items are:
Crops:
● Acres harvested for processing of individual vegetables
● Acres of “all” berries harvested and “all” berries
irrigated
● Total acres of dry hay, haylage, grass silage, or greenchop was cut or harvested
● Total irrigated acres from which dry hay, haylage, grass silage, or greenchop
was cut or harvested
● Acres used to raise of certified organically produced crops
● Acres covered under a Federal or other crop insurance policy
● Number of Christmas trees cut
● Short rotation woody crops - “acres in production” and “acres
harvested”
● Gallons of maple syrup produced
Livestock:
● Hogs and pigs - type of operation and producer. Six categories of “type
of operation” (“farrow to wean,” “farrow to feeder,” “farrow
to finish,” “nursery,” “finish only”) and three categories
of “type of producer” (“independent grower,” “contractor
or integrator,” and “contract grower)” were identified
● Inventory of cattle on feed
Economic:
● Use of Native American Indian reservation land for production of crops and
livestock (in regions 8 and 10 only), e.g. number of acres of cropland, and percent
of livestock on the reservation
● Additional information about the “principal operator” (i.e.
live on an American Indian Reservation, number of persons living
in the household, and was the principal operator a hired manager)and characteristics
of other individuals that were involved in day-to-day management decisions
● “Amount (dollars) received for participation in other Federal farm
programs” was added to the report form. (In the 1997 Census of Agriculture,
this item was derivable from information provided by respondents.)
● Value of:
-Depreciation expenses claimed for all capital assets” was added
to production expenses. Previously, depreciation was excluded from production expenses.
-Certified organically produced commodities sold
● Use of:
-Production contracts and custom feeding and quantities of crops and livestock
and/or livestock products delivered under these arrangements
-Migrant workers
-Computers for the farm business
● Access to the Internet
● Amount of money received from federal programs other than CRP, WRP, and CCC
● Household information about the principal operator (number of persons living
in the household and percent of total income from the agricultural operation)
● Characteristics of individuals involved in managing the operation other than
the principal operator
● Number of acres:
-Covered under a Federal or other crop insurance
-Used to raise certified organically produced crops
● Grain storage capacity (bushels) for whole grains and oilseeds on December
31, 2002
● Rent and lease expenses for machinery, equipment, and farm share of
vehicles” was
added to the “rent” question in the production expenses
section
● Value of production expenses paid by the landlord(s)
● Acres of cropland and pastureland on which animal manure was applied
● Number of households that share in the net farm income derived from the operation
● Percent of principal operator’s total household income came from “this
operation
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CAN I OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM INDIVIDUAL REPORTS?
No. NASS only publishes statistical aggregates, and no information from
individual operations will ever be disclosed. This leads to the suppression
of some cells in the tables published in the census if they contain information
that could be used to derive an individual operation’s information.
These items are marked with a “D” to indicate that there are
data, but they cannot be published. Individual operation data are protected
from any disclosure, including requests from legal authorities or under
the Freedom of Information Act. Only authorized persons working for NASS
can access NASS data and only for approved statistical purposes. Any offender
shall be guilty of a class E felony and imprisoned for not more than 5
years, or fined no more than $250,000, or both. Summary data from the Census
are available to everyone, but NASS will never disclose individual reported
information.
WAS THE FEDERAL REGISTER USED TO GET PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE AGRICULTURE
CENSUS?
Yes. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, a “Notice
of Intent to Seek Approval to Conduct the Census” was filed in the
Federal Register in May 2001. Comments were invited on: the necessity of
the census; the validity of the methodology and assumptions; ways to enhance
quality, clarity, and utility if the information; and ways to reduce the
burden of collection. Comments had to be received by July 31, 2001 to be
considered.
NASS also obtained input from numerous data users and the USDA’s
Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics in order to help determine
the data that would be collected and methodology used to conduct the Census
of Agriculture.
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HOW DO I CONTACT NASS FOR ANSWERS TO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?
There is a NASS Contacts list posted on the NASS Web site at www.nass.usda.gov/census/
or you may call the NASS Customer Services Office at 800-727-9540.
For questions about specific commodities or data items, you can go to
www.usda.gov/nass/, click on “Search” and scroll down to “Commodity
Specialist.” Enter topic (e.g. cattle) and the specialist in charge
will appear.
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