Farmers asked to speak up
Census of Agriculture coming soon
From Staff Reports

Farmers from Burke County should begin receiving the 2007 Census of Agriculture in the mailboxes this week.

The census, which is conducted every five years, provides a complete count of the nation's farms and ranches and the people who operate them. The census looks at a variety of farm-related topics, such as land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures. It provides the only source of uniform, comprehensive agricultural data for every county in the nation.

The census forms were mailed out Dec. 28, 2007 and must be returned by Feb. 4, 2008. The forms may be returned by mail or may be completed online by using a secure website.

Policymakers use the data collected to make decisions concerning agricultural and rural programs, and community planners use it to target needed services to rural residents, according to Doug Kleweno, who heads Georgia's office of the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). He added that companies use the census data when researching potential locations and farmers may also use the data to make business decisions.

For more information about the 2007 Census of Agriculture, contact the NASS Georgia Field Office at 800-253-4419 or visit www.agcensus.usda.gov.