United States Department of Agriculture

The Census of Agriculture is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Even small plots of land - whether rural or urban - count if $1,000 or more of such products were raised and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the census year. The Census of Agriculture, taken only once every five years, looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures. For America’s farmers and ranchers, the Census of Agriculture is their voice, their future, and their opportunity. Read more frequently asked questions.

Data from the 2022 Census of Agriculture is now available. All Census of Agriculture data can also be accessed using NASS’s searchable database, Quick Stats.

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More About the Census of Agriculture Program

Why is the Census of Agriculture important?

The Census of Agriculture provides the only source of uniform, comprehensive, and impartial agriculture data for every county in the nation. Through the Census of Agriculture, producers can show the nation the value and importance of agriculture and can influence decisions that will shape the future of U.S. agriculture.

Who uses Census of Agriculture data?

Census of Agriculture data are used by all those who serve farmers and rural communities — federal, state and local governments, agribusinesses, trade associations, and many others.

• Farmers and ranchers can use Census of Agriculture data to make informed decisions about the future of their own operations.
• Companies and cooperatives use the data to determine where to locate facilities that will serve agricultural producers.
• Community planners use the information to target needed services to rural residents.
• Legislators use census data when shaping farm policies and programs.
  

Does NASS keep the information provided by individual respondents private?

NASS is bound by law (Title 7, U.S. Code, and the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act or CIPSEA, Public Law 107-347) – and pledges to every data provider – to use the information for statistical purposes only. NASS publishes only aggregated data, not individual or farm-specific data.

Need more information?

• Read more frequently asked questions.

• Report Forms and Instructions
• Data Matters blog series
• Preparing for the 2022 Census of Agriculture