The census has a long history:
When was the first census of agriculture? - History - U.S. Census Bureau
The census of agriculture originated as part of the 1820 census, when U.S. marshals began to ask how many people within each household were engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1840, marshals began using separate census schedules to collect data related to agriculture.
https://www.census.gov/history/pdf/2007aghistory.pdf
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The collection of agricultural census data were initially authorized by the United States Constitution in Article 1,
Section 2, which required a census of population to be conducted every 10 years to proportionately distribute the
representation of each State in the House of Representatives. While the delegates to the conventions that produced
the Constitution discussed its various provisions, James Madison, its principle author, urged that the census be
used for something more than just counting heads. Nothing came of his recommendations until 1810, after he
became President Madison.
The agriculture census continued to unfold from the decennial population census as follows:
1810: Additional information was collected on manufacturing establishments and a single item asked whether
the person interviewed was engaged in agricultural activities. Another 30 years passed before the census
program included information on agricultural activities.
1840: The first agricultural census attempted to collect more detailed information on manufacturing, mining,
and agriculture, with limited success. Because the value of agriculture data were so obvious, the census
program was permanently expanded to cover economic and agricultural activities.
1850 through 1920: The agriculture census remained part of the decennial census program.
1915: Congress authorized the collection of agriculture data every 5 years.
1925: Economic data added to 5-year collection.
Through 1940: U.S. Census Bureau conducted the agriculture census and other economic censuses, but
changed their respective schedules.
By 1950: To use the Census Bureau痴 resources more efficiently and to distribute the workload over the 10-
year census cycle, the agriculture census collected information for years ending in ? and ?, while the
economic censuses covered years ending in ? and ?.
1976: Public Law 94-229 shortened the period after the 1974 agriculture census to 4 years, restoring the
agriculture census to a schedule concurrent with the 1982 and later economic censuses.
1982 to Present: Agriculture census conducted concurrently with economic censuses for years ending in ?
and ?.
1997: Public Law 105-113 transferred the responsibility for conducting the 1997 Census of Agriculture and
subsequent agriculture censuses from the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), Bureau of the Census (BOC),
to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
The agriculture census is the only source of statistics on American agriculture showing comparable data, by county
and classifying farms by size, tenure, type of organization, primary occupation, age of operator, market value of
agricultural products sold, combined government payments and market value of agricultural products sold, and
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code. The 2007 Census of Agriculture covered
agricultural operations meeting the definition of a farm in the 50 States, Puerto Rico, Commonwealth of Northern
Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.
LEGAL AUTHORITY
The 2007 Census of Agriculture is required by law under the 鼎ensus of Agriculture Act of 1997, Public Law
105-113 (Title 7, United States Code, Section 2204g). The law directs the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a
census of agriculture in 1998 and in every fifth year after, covering the prior year. The census of agriculture
2007 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HISTORY 5
includes each State, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the CNMI, and American Samoa. (See Appendix
A for excerpts of Title 7 applicable to the agriculture census.)
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This is not new. Many of us have filled these out in the past and I recall it being a pain in the ***, but it seems there are good reasons for this type of data in the setting of public policy and in monitoring an adequate food supply. Anyone invloved in agriculture has either directly or indirectly had some financial benefits from subsidies. (Some may have paid more than received in income tax but not often)
Loren
