New Census of Ag release delayed

U.S. agriculturalists already have waited five years for the 2017 Census of Agriculture. Now they’ll wait a little longer. They’ll also have a few more days to complete several surveys.

The widely followed 2017 Census, the only or most comprehensive source of information on many aspects of U.S. agriculture, will be released at 11 p.m. (Central) April 11, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, or NASS, the arm of the U.S. Department of the Agriculture that conducts the once-every-five-year report.

Originally, before the 35-day federal government shutdown, the 2017 Census of Ag was set for Feb. 11 release.

For now, the 2012 version remains the most recent Census of Ag.

The shutdown — during which NASS was not able to collect, date or issue reports — affected several other reports, too.

They are:

• Row Crop County Agricultural Production Survey: response deadline extended to Feb. 19.
• Census of Aquaculture: response deadline extended to March 22.
• Irrigation and Water Management Survey; response deadline extended to March 8.

NASS says that anyone who received, but no longer has, a form for one of these survey should phone 800-727-9540 from 7:30 a.m. — 4 p.m. ET to receive a survey code and then respond online at www.agcounts.usda.gov.

NASS representatives may telephone farmers to collect information, as well.