USDA Welcomes Comments for 2017 Census of Agriculture

Jun 26, 2014

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says it is now inviting feedback to prepare for the 2017 Census of Agriculture. It is conducted once every five years by a branch of the USDA – National Agricultural Statistics Services, which provides an in depth overview of American agriculture, including data from state and county levels.

In particular, the USDA invites suggestions on what changes should be made to improve the 2017 census questionnaire. The USDA argues that starting the planning stages now while the 2012 census results are fresh in peoples’ minds serves as the perfect timing to gather enough input in order to improve on the 2017 questionnaire. The results of the 2012 census were released May 2, 2014.

According to the USDA, any individual person, organization or group can submit suggestions on the questionnaire. These suggestions might include things like adding or deleting certain questions, or commodity topics.

This consultation process is important because there are some agricultural sectors that are looking for data, but it may not be currently covered under the main topic areas. There may also be some sections that agricultural groups find irrelevant. Gaining insight into these issues will help keep agriculture data current and relevant.

Suggestions are being accepted until Aug. 4, 2014. Comments can be completed and submitted online at www.agcensus.usda.gov/Contact_Us/Census_Program_Input_Form/. Written suggestions are also being accepted and they can be mailed to the address below: Census Content Team, Room 6451, 1400 Independence Ave. S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250.

You can the find highlights of the 2012 census here.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.