Media contact:
Misti Preston
Phone: (573) 751-8596
Misti.Preston@mda.mo.gov

For Immediate Release: January 4, 2008

Let Your Voice Be Heard Through the 2007 Census of Agriculture

(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.) – Check your mailboxes; the 2007 Census of Agriculture should be there. The Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the National Agricultural Statistics Services (NASS) are asking all Missouri producers to provide a voice in the future of their community and industry through the 2007 Census of Agriculture that was mailed on Friday, Dec. 28 by NASS.

“Agriculture continues to be Missouri’s number one industry and the 2007 Census is a great way for all Missouri producers to become involved in a tool that will enable farmers to help shape the future of agriculture and the future of their own local communities,” said Katie Smith, director of MDA. “I encourage every Missouri producer, large or small, to take advantage of this opportunity to have their voice heard.”

By completing the 2007 Census of Agriculture, farmers are investing in the future of rural America. Their responses will provide law makers, government organizations, community planners and individual farm operations with valuable information used to plan for services, facilities and other investments to benefit the industry and local communities.

Conducted every five years by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, the Census covers virtually every aspect of U.S. agriculture, providing a complete count of the nation’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them.

“The holiday season was a time of giving and receiving, but perhaps some of the best gifts are food, clothing and shelter provided to us with help from our U.S. farmers,” said Gene Danekas, director of the NASS Missouri Field Office. “As we reminisce about our recent gatherings around the dinner table with good food and good friends, these essentials for everyday living often are taken for granted. By participating in the 2007 Census of Agriculture, farmers can ensure the vitality of the agriculture industry by providing a strong and unified voice about their needs and concerns.”

The Census looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures and other topics across the country and in Missouri, right down to the county and even zip code level. NASS mailed all Census forms on Dec. 28, 2007 to collect data for the 2007 calendar year. Completed forms are due by Feb. 4, 2008. Producers can return their forms by mail or, for the first time, they have the convenient option of completing the Census online.

For more information about the Census, visit www.agcensus.usda.gov or call toll-free (888) 4AG-STAT or (888) 424-7828.

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