The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will be mailing a questionnaire this month to 75,000 agricultural producers nationwide as part of the 2021 Farm Producer Study.
The study, which takes into account race, gender and disability, will enhance the government’s comprehension of the demographics and needs of agricultural workers, a USDA press release said.
“Participation in this study is voluntary yet vital,” Census and Survey Division Director Barbara Rater said in the release. “The results of the study may lead to more robust demographic data products to assist other federal agencies, state and local governments, researchers, and analysts in administering and monitoring program effectiveness for the optimal support of diversity within American agriculture.”
The questionnaire will ask respondents for demographic and basic farm information and will take no more than 10 minutes to complete, the release said. Producers interested in providing feedback can do so securely online at www.agcounts.usda.gov or through the mail. Participants have until Jan. 18 to respond.
“Study results will be posted on the NASS website as a research report in the Education and Outreach section next year,” the release said. “No official estimates will be published from this study.”
Answers to the questionnaire will be kept confidential per federal law, the release said.
