The U.S. Department of Agriculture conducts many studies and research projects to find out more information about our nation’s producers. This month, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is conducting the 2021 Farm Producer Study to improve knowledge and understanding of agricultural producers and help USDA improve services to them.
A brief questionnaire will mail this month to approximately 75,000 U.S. agricultural producers across the country. Taking no more than 10 minutes to complete, the questionnaire asks participants for demographic and basic farm information. Producers can respond securely online or by mail. The deadline for response is Jan. 18, 2022.
“Participation in this study is voluntary yet vital,” said Census and Survey Division Director Barbara Rater. “The results of the study may lead to more robust demographic data products to assist other federal agencies, state and local governments, researchers, and analysts in administering and monitoring program effectiveness for the optimal support of diversity within American agriculture.”
NASS conducts studies like this to determine what questions to incorporate in future censuses and surveys. This study includes questions about race, ethnicity, gender, and disability status. By responding, farmers help paint a more complete picture of who they are and ensure agriculture in America is reflected as accurately as possible to meet the needs of all our producers. Study results will be posted on the NASS website as a research report in the Education and Outreach section next year. No official estimates will be published from this study.
All information reported to NASS is kept confidential, protected by federal law (CIPSEA 2018, Title III of Pub. L. No. 115-435, codified in 44 U.S.C. Ch. 35 and other applicable federal laws). For more on confidentiality, read NASS’s Confidentiality Pledge. Producers who need assistance filling out the questionnaire can call 888-424-7828. To get more information about agricultural statistics, visit the USDA’s NASS website..
