Ag Census Updating Online Response Forms

The USDA first allowed producers to respond to the ag census electronically in 2012 and they invested in upgrading the experience over the past five years.

Barbara Rater, Director of NASS's Census and Survey Division said it’s about providing a user-friendly experience.

“It allows producers to go in when they want to complete it. It tabulates information for them. It allows them a really much more efficient way of completing the questionnaire and if they have to step away and come back to it, they can. Once they’re done they hit the send, it’s done and they’ve completed their census form.”

But that’s not the only benefit, though Rater admits this one is for the USDA.

“We’ll take it a step further. If they’ve already completed it on the web, they wouldn’t be eligible for mailings so therefore we would have a cost savings there.”

There will be nearly 3 million surveys sent out with a deadline of February to return them, or complete the online questionnaire.