USDA Seeks Comments on Next Farm Census Survey
Published Date: 5/29/2026
Notice
Summary
The Department of Agriculture is asking to bring back the 2027 Census of Agriculture survey, which helps gather important info about farms and farmers. Farmers and agricultural businesses will be affected since they’ll need to provide data again. Comments on this plan are open until June 29, 2026, and the goal is to keep the process clear and easy without costing extra money.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Mandatory 2027 Farm Census — You Must Respond
The Department of Agriculture will reinstate the 2027 Census of Agriculture, required by the Census of Agriculture Act of 1997, and farms and agricultural households must provide information every five years. The notice estimates 3,889,950 respondents and a total burden of 2,859,794 hours for the census (OMB Control Number 0535-0226).
Multiple Response Options Offered
Data for the 2027 Census of Agriculture will be collected by mail, internet, and follow-up by phone or in-person for selected non-respondents; in certain locations data will be collected exclusively through direct enumeration. These are the official collection methods listed in the notice.
Only Source of Agricultural Data for U.S. Territories
The notice says the Census is the only source of consistent, comparable agricultural data for American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. That means these outlying areas will rely on the 2027 Census for official farm and production statistics.
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