census

Have you ever wondered what makes a census different from a survey? At USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, we conduct both censuses and surveys. The difference is in the totality of the respondents who receive a questionnaire.

As our country sets out on the monumental task of conducting the U.S. census, the USDA Forest Service is conducting a census of its own – the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA).

The Census of Agriculture is the most complete account of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Every week USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will highlight new Census data and the power of the information to shape the future of American agriculture. The final 2012...

Since 1840, the U.S. government has collected important census data on agriculture. The purpose of the Census of Agriculture is to account for all U.S. farms and to summarize the characteristics of those farms and their operators at the national, state, and county levels. Today, the Census is the...

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s rich science and research portfolio. One of the most exciting aspects of my job as the head of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and an...

Recently, I spoke at the grand opening of the Daisy Hill Assisted Living facility in Versailles, Ky. In visiting this facility, I reflected on the future of this and other facilities and their importance as we anticipate the droves of baby boomers seeking to maintain a quality of life as they...

Today, March 8 th, is International Women’s Day. What better day to recognize the incredible achievements of women in agriculture? Women have always played a key role on the farm or ranch. Traditionally, women often kept the books and ensured the solvency of the business while men ran the day-to-day...

Did you know that the number of farms in the United States peaked in 1935 at 6,812,350 operations when the average farm size was 154.8 acres? In comparison, the 2007 Census of Agriculture counted 2,204,792 farms with the average farm size of 418 acres. In celebration of 150 years of service to...

Today, the Economic Research Service (ERS) posted a new and innovative interactive mapping tool that makes it easy to visualize and compare rural economic and social conditions among counties, states, and regions. By creating county-level maps of the United States, users can see how socioeconomic...

During yesterday’s Facebook chat with Secretary Vilsack, it became obvious that there is a lot of interest in supporting beginning farmers and ranchers. USDA knows beginning farmers face unique challenges, such as high startup costs and a lack of available land for purchase or rent. These issues are...