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By
Senator Ben Nelson
Nebraska, whose number one economic engine is agriculture, will have plenty to be thankful for if Congress passes a new farm bill shortly after the Thanksgiving break.
The Senate has done its job and now the House must pull its weight. Unfortunately, House leadership has refused to bring a farm bill to the floor.
The Senate has passed a five-year farm bill that creates a market-based approach for producers to select the best crop insurance policy for their needs, and it reauthorizes the disaster relief provisions that assist livestock producers impacted by this years’ drought. I am not discussing alternatives to a five-year farm bill, for short-term extensions only promise uncertainty.
This isn’t an issue of partisanship. The Senate passed a farm bill with backing from both parties and the Senate bill was reported out of the House Ag Committee with bipartisan support.
It is my hope that the House will act in the lame duck session in order to ensure producers the relief they need for this year, and the ability to plan accordingly for next year.
Meanwhile, farmers and ranchers have the opportunity to help themselves and their communities by participating in the 2012 Census of Agriculture which is conducted every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is a complete count of all U.S. farms, ranches and those who operate them.
It is the only source of uniform, comprehensive agricultural data for every county in the nation. As USDA officials point out, it is a critical tool that gives farmers a voice to influence decisions shaping the future of their community, industry and operation.
The Census looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income, expenditures, and other topics. This information is used by all who serve farmers and rural communities from federal, state and local governments to agribusinesses and trade associations.
In the last census in 2007, Nebraska farmers and ranchers reported over 47,000 farms spanning across 45.5 million acres. This showed a three percent decrease in the number of Nebraska farms from the previous Census in 2002. Nebraska had 3,369 operators of farms with less than five years of operating experience in 2007, three percent less than 2002.
The 2007 census also revealed that the number of older farmers in Nebraska is growing while the number of younger farms is shrinking. There were 3,353 operators under the age of 35, a one percent drop since 2002 while there were 13,062 operators in Nebraska aged 65 and up, eight percent more than in 2002. This telling information and thousands of statistics are only available every five years as a direct result of producer responses to the Census.
The census forms will be mailed in late December to collect data for the 2012 calendar year. Producers can also fill it out on line. It is my hope that they complete the form and mail it back. It is their opportunity to have a positive impact on their communities and state.
For more information, please visit www.agcensus.usda.gov.
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