NASS had its start in the state with the University of Tennessee in 1927
NASHVILLE—The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) is celebrating 80 years of partnership with USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to support and provide timely, accurate and beneficial statistics in service to agriculture.
NASS works closely with state departments of agriculture to support their agricultural data needs.
“TDA is pleased to help NASS make sure every voice in agriculture is heard when developing this valuable data,” Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said. “In order to make the census accurate, America’s farmers must be counted. I encourage our producers to make sure they’re represented in statistics about Tennessee agriculture, no matter the size of the operation. Survey responses help shape programs and initiatives that benefit farmers and Tennessee’s rural areas.”
NASS had its start in the state with the University of Tennessee in 1927. In 1942, statistics were transferred to TDA. TDA partners with NASS to get the word out to the state’s agricultural community about a variety of surveys, including the Census of Agriculture which is conducted once every five years. The census records land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures of farms.
The data helps expand access to resources that help producers.
“NASS is fortunate to have partners like TDA to help provide valuable information to the agricultural community,” NASS Eastern Mountain Regional Field Office Regional Director David Knopf said. “This collaborative effort has resulted in a very efficient delivery of statistics that are used to make business and policy decisions. The Census of Agriculture is one of many examples of how TDA and NASS give voice to agriculture and rural communities.”
For more information about the 2022 Census of Agriculture, visit www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. To sign up to be counted, go to www.agcounts.usda.gov/static/get-counted.html. The census has been mailed out and responses are accepted by mail or online. The response deadline is February 2023.
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