Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.”
As a follow-up to the 2012 U.S. Census of Agriculture, this winter the USDA is conducting a specialized census focused on the horticulture industry.
This survey will gather detailed information about horticultural production and sales across the United States. Producers of floriculture, nursery crops and other specialties should have received this survey in their mailbox.
This census is a unique opportunity that doesn’t come along all that often (it was last conducted in 2009). It gives producers an opportunity to provide detailed information to help ensure the continued growth of horticultural farming. It will provide the only source of comparable and consistent data at the national and state levels for the industry.
The National Agricultural Statistics Service will gather information on horticultural activities conducted during 2014. This information will include production of horticultural crops, the value of products, the square footage used for growing crops, and production expenses.
The information will be used by policymakers, organizations and businesses for the next several years to help make decisions pertaining to the availability of goods and services, funding, policies and other key issues that affect the industry.
Producers can fill out the census online using the secure website, or return their form by mail. Federal law requires all producers who receive a form to respond and requires USDA to keep all individual information confidential. The deadline to respond is Feb. 5, and USDA plans to publish the results in December.
Click on the audio player below to listen to Commissioner Troxler and Rhonda discuss the Census of Horticulture.
[Audio:http://info.ncagr.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Troxler_1-20.mp3|titles=Today’s Topic for Jan. 20]
Southern Farm Network is a division of Curtis Media Group.