(Des Moines, Iowa) April 21, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is reminding Iowa farmers and ranchers that the window
is closing on the opportunity to participate in the 2022 Census of Agriculture. NASS is encouraging producers who have not returned their completed ag census questionnaires to do
so as soon as possible to avoid additional mail, phone, email, text, and in-person follow-up, which is currently underway.

“We thank everyone who has completed their ag census.” said Greg Thessen, director of the NASS Upper Midwest Regional Field Office. “To date, NASS has received just over 73,600
completed questionnaires from Iowa producers for a return rate of 64%. We are grateful that those producers recognized the importance of completing the ag census to help show the
importance of the agricultural industry.”

“To ensure the Census of Agriculture remains a comprehensive and impartial source of agriculture data for every state and county in the nation, we need responses from all farmers
and ranchers. Even though many farmers have already responded, 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 are used by policymakers, trade associations, researchers, agribusinesses, educators, and many others. The information helps inform decisions on farm policy, rural development, the development of farm technologies, and more. It also aids in the creation and funding of loans and insurance programs and other forms of assistance.

NASS is reminding producers that if they produced and sold $1,000 or more of agricultural product in 2022, or normally would have produced and sold that much, they meet USDA’s definition of a farm. However, federal law requires everyone who received the 2022 Census of Agriculture questionnaire to complete and return it, even if they do not currently meet this definition. Producers can respond online at agcounts.usda.gov or by mail. “If you received the ag census but do not fit the definition of a farm, are no longer farming, never farmed, or are a landowner who leases your land to a producer, please write your status on the form and mail it back,” said Thessen.

The ag census differs from other NASS surveys. Beyond being conducted just once every five years, it provides important demographic information and data on certain commodities, such as specialty commodities produced in Iowa that would not otherwise be available. The Census of Agriculture collects information on nearly every aspect of American agriculture to provide a complete picture of the health of the industry.

Federal law under Title 7 USC 2204(g) Public Law 105-113 requires that NASS 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.