December 2012 is a big month in the macrocosm of agrarian data . tardily in the month , the USDA will get off out the 2012 Census of Agriculture , a sight conducted every five age of U.S. farm , farm owner , product recitation , income and more . Farmers who earned or had the potential to make $ 1,000 from their farming operation are required by law of nature to participate in the census . The Ag Census is the only time the USDA collects demographic data on the nation ’s granger , and it illustrates the big picture of U.S. agriculture as well as trend in farm ownership , which can be especially authoritative to take note of in the change agricultural landscape painting .
With a speedily aging farmer universe and theFarm Bill still look passage in Congress , the 2012 Ag Census could hail into play in with child manner in terminal figure of developing sustainable farming practices and increasing aid to minority farmer populations . In fact , data point from the 2007 nosecount is still lay projects integral to the future of husbandry into motion .
Between 2002 and 2007 , the bit of fair sex James Leonard Farmer increase by 19 percent , harmonise to the census , outpacing the 7 - per centum growth of overall farmers during that time period and tot to a vogue that has spanned more than a decade . This datum furnish crucial information to organizations like American Farmland Trust that are working to school farmers on farming best - practice .
“ Agriculture is still a male - dominated occupation and most of the materials , outreach and approaching used in agribusiness to promote conservation practices are tailored to men , not woman , ” says Ann Sorenson , AFT ’s research theatre director .
To direct the growing cleaning lady - farmer universe , AFT is working with local constitution in Illinois on way to well instruct tilled land - preservation praxis to women . The organisation has also compile a list of recommendations to better reach woman in Farm Bill policies .
“ There is a parallel between fair sex and other under - served population with attentiveness to Farm Bill programs , especially conservation and marketing programs , ” Sorenson aver . “ Many of the programs that help ensure some financing goes to limited - resource , minority , and new and begin farmers could be applied in a limited room to women . ”
But this example is just one direction in which Ag Census data point can be used to profit the future tense of land , including belittled - scale and beginning farmers .
“ There are a number of raw small - farm programs at USDA to help oneself start - up businesses;new and beginning Farmer ; marketing campaign ; andfarm - to - home base type of production , ” says Sue King with USDA ’s National Agricultural Statistics Service , which shell out the Ag Census . “ The nose count helped exemplify the pauperism for these programs after answer register over 290,000 fresh sodbuster , a continuously aging farm population and more women farmers than ever before . ”
Twelve outset - farmer programs , all of which can be found on the USDA’sbeginning and fresh husbandman page , that were initiated thanks to selective information from the Ag Census admit : Start2Farm , administered by the USDA , National Agricultural Library and American Farm Bureau Federation ; the Beginning Farmers and Ranchers program , mete out by the USDA ’s Economic Research Service ; the grow New Farmers program , distribute by the New England Small Farm Institute ; and the Beginning Farm Center , administered by the Iowa State University Cooperative Extension Service . Other USDA agencies , include the Agricultural Research Service ( ARS ) , the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service ( APHIS ) , the Economic Research Service ( ERS ) , the Farm Service Agency ( FSA ) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service ( NRCS ) also trust on the data .
Responses to the 2012 Ag Census can be submitted by mail or by using asecured online system . If you have not received your nose count by the end of December , get in touch with the USDA NASSat 888 - 424 - 7828 . dispatch forms are due by Feb. 4 , 2013 .
