[mfgamembers] FYI: 2017 Census of Agriculture

[Jon Clements]

Dear Massachusetts Farmer,



The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS) is preparing the mail list for the 2017 Census of
Agriculture. The Census of Agriculture is the leading source of facts and
figures about American agriculture. Conducted every five years, the Census
provides a detailed picture of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who
operate them. It is the only source of uniform, comprehensive agricultural
data for every state and county in the United States.



I am asking for your help to make the 2017 Census of Agriculture as
accurate as possible. A major challenge is having a list of farmers that is
as complete as possible, especially with so many new farmers. If you have
never received a Census of Agriculture or survey questionnaire from NASS
then we may not have you on our farm list. Please take a couple minutes and
provide NASS your contact information at https://www.agcounts.usda.gov/
cgi-bin/counts/.



Even if you do not think of yourself as a farmer or rancher, your operation
is a farm if it meets the Census of Agriculture definition – an operation
that sold or normally would have sold $1,000 or more of agricultural
products in a year.  If you own or rent agricultural land, grow vegetables,
grow horticultural or floricultural products, have fruit or nut trees,
cattle, horses, poultry, hogs, bees, aquaculture products, or consider
yourself a farmer or rancher, we need to hear from you.



All individual information provided to NASS is confidential and only used
for statistical purposes. In accordance with the Confidential Information
Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347 and other
applicable Federal laws, your responses will be kept confidential and will
not be disclosed in identifiable form to anyone other than employees or
agents. By law, every employee and agent has taken an oath and is subject
to a jail term, a fine, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY
identifiable information about you or your operation.



If you have previously received a Census of Agriculture or survey
questionnaire from NASS then you will be receiving you 2017 Census of
Agriculture questionnaire in late December 2017 or January 2018. Your
cooperation is appreciated.



Sincerely,


*Gary R. Keough*, State Statistician

U.S. Department of Agriculture | National Agricultural Statistics Service

Field Operations | New England Field Office

53 Pleasant St. Room 3450

Concord, NH 03301

T:  603-227-3129 <(603)%20227-3129> | F:  603-225-1434 <(603)%20225-1434> |
M:  603-568-6535 <(603)%20568-6535>

Gary_Keough at nass.usda.gov | www.nass.usda.gov

-- 
Jon Clements
aka 'Mr Honeycrisp'
University of Massachusetts Amherst Extension
UMass Cold Spring Orchard
393 Sabin St.
Belchertown, MA  01007
413-478-7219
umassfruit.com
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