U.S. Department of Commerce
BUREAU OF THE CENSUS
Washington, D.C. 20233

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ginning season since 1902. The results
are issued in a series of three reports:

A10—Biweekly data on ginnings dur-
ing the season, by States.
 (subscription*, single copies+) g& +

A20—Monthly data on ginnings during
the season, by counties. 1 (subscription”,
single copies+) & +

A30—Final figures for cotton ginnings
and production for the United States,
States, and counties, including the num-
ber of active and idle gins; average net
weight of bales ginned (U.S. and States);
percent of total cotton ginned to spec-
ified dates (U.S and States); amount
of American Pima cotton ginned (U.S.);
100 leading counties, ranked by amount
of cotton ginned and produced; and
cotton gins, by States, by number of
bales ginned.  * & +

All series show comparative data for
earlier years.

Other Statistics. Agricultural data also
are presented in convenient digest form
in several Bureau publications, the annual
Statistical Abstract of the United States,
(* & +, Histoncal Statistics of the United
States, Colonial Times to 1970, Q avail-
able commercially, & +, and the periodic
County and City Data Book (latest, 1988),
()* & @ @ +. Certain reports from other
Bureau programs contain some statistics
related to agriculture, such as the follow-
ing:

* 1980 Census of Population and Hous-
ing—Data down to the county level on
farm residence, employment, and other
characteristics, O* & @ +

1982 and 1987 Economic Censuses-
—Food processing and transportation
of agricultural products, 0 * & @ +

Foreign Trade Statistics—Exports and
imports, O* & @ +.

Current Population Reports—F arm house-
holds, income, and poverty status, @ *
Ree

ye

By

Staves

* County Business Patters—Annual data
series presenting economic data at
the State and county levels for agricul-
tural services, forestry, fisheries, and
general business data, O° @
a:

Publications of the Department of Agri-
culture and various States also contain
additional information.

WHERE THE DATA CAN BE
FOUND

Published reports can be purchased
from:

* Superintendent of Documents
U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D.C. 20402
202/783-3238

Computer tapes, CD-ROM, microfiche,
and so on, are available from:

+ Data User Services Division (DUSD)
Customer Services
Bureau of the Census
Washington, D.C. 20233
301/763-4100

The county-level advance data and
highlights of volumes 3 and 4 will be
available on the AGRIDATA network,
while advance State data and volume 2
and 3 highlights also will be in the CEN-
DATA package. CENDATA is accessible
through DIALOG, telephone 800/334-
2564, and CompuServe, telephone 800/848-
8199.

Published reports from the agriculture
censuses and surveys, as well as the
other materials mentioned above, are
available in many of the Government and
Census depository libraries across the
country. These are mainly ‘college, uni-
versity, and large public libraries. (List on
request +.) The publications are avail-
able for reference and/or order at Cen-
sus Bureau regional offices. Special tab-
ulations of census or survey results can
be ordered from the Census Bureau's
Agriculture Division.

Most States now have data centers
that assist users with printed and com-
puterized data. There are also organiza-
tions registered with the Bureau's National
Clearinghouse for Census Data Services
that can provide tape copies and ser-
vices to their customers. (Lists onrequest.+)

DATA USERS’ SERVICES

The Census Bureau assists its data
users in a number of ways. It publishes
an annual Catalog and Guide, @*, the
monthly Census and You (formerly Data
User News) (1 (subscription * or single
copies +), and a Monthly Product Announce-
ment @ (free +), and issues guides to
particular segments of its statistics. Guides
to the agriculture census and related
Statistics were published for the 1982
and 1987 censuses 1 (free +). The Bureau
also conducts workshops on the avail-
ability and use of statistics. It offers exhib-
its and resources for the conventions of
interested national organizations, and each
Bureau regional office has an informa-
tion services specialist trained to answer
inquiries and assist in locating data.

FACTFINDER FOR THE
NATION

General information about the Cen-
sus Bureau's various statistical programs
is contained in the publication in this
series entitled “Bureau Programs and
Products," CFF 18, @ +.

Inquiries and suggestions about the
agriculture statistics program and other
Bureau activities are invited. Write or call:

Chief, Agriculture Division
Bureau of the Census
Washington, D.C. 20233
301/763-5230

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CFF No. 3 (Rev.) Issued February 1989

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS

INTRODUCTION

The U.S. census of agriculture pro-
vides a periodic statistical picture of the
Nation's farming, ranching, and related
activities. The census was taken every
10 years from 1840 to 1920 and every 5
years from 1925 through 1974. Enumer-
ations for 1978 and 1982 adjusted the
data-reference year to coincide with the
economic censuses (business, industry.
etc.) for 1982. Thereafter the agriculture
census reverted to a 5-year cycle. It
reports data on agricultural production,
resources, and inventories for every county,
State, and region of the United States,
and a summary for the Nation; it is the
only set of uniform agricultural data at
the county level. The 1987 census includes
farms, ranches, and horticultural opera-
tions in the 50 States, Puerto Rico, Guam,
and the Virgin Islands of the United States,
American Samoa, and the Northern Mar-
iana Islands.

The 1969, 1974, 1982, and 1987 cen-
suses were taken by mail; most prior
censuses were conducted by personal
interview. (The 1978 census was taken
by a combination of both.) The 1982 and
1987 census used regionalized report
forms; 13 regions were set up, based on
cropping patterns within groups of States.

In addition to the periodic census of
agriculture, the Census Bureau conducts
a variety of related surveys and cen-
suses at various times to provide data on
subjects such as agricultural economics
and land ownership, horticulture, cotton
ginnings, corporations, irrigation organi-
zations and drainage, farm energy use,

and other topics; some of these surveys
run concurrently or in association with
the major census of agriculture.

WHAT DOES THE CENSUS
COVER?

In the first censuses of 1840 and
1850, farmers were asked about live-
stock only in terms of the number of
cattle, milk cows, and working oxen. Crop
items included production of Indian corn,
pounds of cheese made, pounds of silk
cocoons, and gallons of wine produced,

in addition to other inquiries, many of
which are similar to questions asked in
more recent times. As the Nation expanded,
the number of farms and ranches grew in
number and in mechanization, specializa-
tion, and complexity. The scope of the
agriculture census expanded to meet the
needs for data to measure these devel-
opments.

The purposes, content, and priority of
needs for agriculture census data undergo
a thorough review in preparation for each
census. This review’s objectives are to
reduce reporting burden, simplify the report

SAMPLE MAP FROM VOLUME 2, GRAPHIC SUMMARY‘

Valve of Agricutural Products Sold Directly to Consumers ]
for Human 1982

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U.S. Department of Commerce
BUREAU OF THE CENSUS

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form, improve response, and reduce the
time between data collection and publi-
cation. Only essential, basic items are
asked of all farms; additional items for
which county-level data are urgently needed
are asked on a sample basis.

For 1987, the principal categories of
data collected in the 50°’ States were

Acreage

Crops

Vegetables

Nursery and greenhouse products

Fruit and nut production

Value of sales

Land use and participation in acreage
reduction programs

Irrigation

Livestock and poultry

Animal specialties

Type of organization

Characteristics and occupation of
Operator

Production expenses, including energy.
labor, repair and maintenance,
interest, rent paid, and taxes

Use of fertilizers, pesticides, and other
chemicais -

Machinery and equipment

Market value of land and buildings

Inventory figures for the 1987 census
were obtained as of December 31, 1987,
and data on citrus crops from the bloom
of 1986. Generally, all other information
was for calendar year 1987.

WHO USES THE DATA AND
HOW?

Complete and accurate agriculture sta-
tistics help ensure a more orderly and
efficient marketing and food distribution
system, which benefits both the farmer
and the consumer.

Census data are used for trend anal-
ysis, particularly in forecasting farmer/
grower needs. Each census provides uni-
formly based benchmark data by county
and indicates the latest activities in the
Nation's agriculture. In addition, the sta-
tistics are the basis for many of the
year-to-year estimates and projections
made by the U.S. Department of Agricul-
ture. They also provide a base to identify

areas or universes suitable for sample
surveys by the Department of Agricul-
ture, State governments, universities, and
private institutions.

Federal, State, and local agencies
use the data for planning rural develop-
ment, agricultural research, and exten-
sion work. These data serve as criteria
for determining the agricultural base of a
county and for analyzing its economy
and resources.

Census statistics on farms, by geo-
graphic location and by size and type of
Operation, provide much of the back-
ground information Congress uses in devel-
oping and revising farm programs. The
data also are used for determining the
effects of these programs on various
sizes and types of farms.

Farm cooperatives, commodity and
trade associations, and agribusinesses
use census data to aid in planning, mar-
keting, and advertising; locating new plants
and service and distribution centers; allo-
cating research funds; forecasting mar-
kets; and other marketing decisions. This
improves the farmers’ access to markets
and suppliers.

Census statistics, along with current
estimates, take some of the guesswork
out of the production and marketing deci-
sions that confront individual farmers. By
comparing their own operations with the
census results for their county or State,
farmers and agricultural service opera-
tors know how to better adjust their own
production plans to fit ever-changing mar-
ket conditions.

Most farmers probably never see a
census publication, but they benefit from
the available statistics through the actions
and reactions of their marketing cooper-
atives and associations, commodity groups,
market forecasters, farm organizations,
the farm press, and other data users.
Census figures show a geographic pic-
ture of American agriculture, the chang-
ing crop and livestock patterns in agricul-
ture, farmers’ economic conditions and
operating costs, and the sources of mar-
keting and income. Knowledge of these
factors aids farmers and other decision
makers at all levels.

FARM DEFINITION

The definition of a farm for census
purposes has been changed at various
times over the years. From 1978 to the
present, a farm is defined as any place
from which the sales of agricultural prod-
ucts amounted, or normally would amount,
to $1,000 in the census year.

HOW THE DATA ARE
PUBLISHED

The census data are issued in printed
reports (paper 1, and microfiche & )
computer tapes (@ ), diskettes for per-
sonal computers (TM ), through on-line
network systems (& ), and in the com-
pact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM)
format (© ), (CD-ROM is an economical
solution for serving the needs of micro-
computer users. One CD-ROM holds about
600 million characters (megabytes), roughly
equivalent to 1,500 flexible diskettes or 4
high density computer tapes. The CD-
ROM's will be available in early 1990
after the computer tapes are released.)

Information on the back of this publi-
cation tells where publications, tapes,
etc., may be obtained. The dates shown
in parentheses reflect scheduled release
times for the first report in each series.

1987 CENSUS OF
AGRICULTURE

Advance Reports

Advance Reports, series AC87-A-01(A)
to -51(A) (for States) and AC87-01-001(A)
to -51-045(A) (for counties), 1 * @ #1 © +
& (fall 1988 to spring 1989)

Prior to publication of the final census
figures, a separate report for each county
in the United States with 10 or more
farms is released, giving statistical high-
lights on basic data items, including the
principal crops and livestock for each
county, along with comparable data for
1982. At the earliest possible date, this
series provides usable information on a
limited number of major items, in less

TYPICAL TABLE FROM CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE, VOLUME 1, GEOGRAPHIC AREA SERIES, STATE REPORT

Table 42. Crops Harvested and Value of Production: 1987 and 1982

[For meaning of abbreviations and symbols, seo introductory text}

n

a =
Vakue of Value of

Acres Quantity: ($1,000) Farms Acres Quantity (31,000)

ae sel 7 :
129808] 9 700182] 803] 7.58) HSB Gre | 14 ano A :
1145, 09 1789 209 10 034 oo :
ee, ek |
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TYPICAL TABLE FROM CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE, VOLUME 1, GEOGRAPHIC AREA SERIES, STATE REPORT

Table 48. Summary by Tenure of Operator: 1987

[For meaning of abbreviations and symbols, soo introductory text}

‘AM farms, Farms with salos of $10,000 oF mora
tem
Total | Full owners | Pat owners Tenants Total} Fullowners | Part owners Tenants
FARMS AND LAND IN FARMS.
Farms 2 966 1 925 as7 284 1 859 1 064 636 159
1000 ons 29 96 27 359 aia 54
Land in tars 508 088 142331 398 881 66 875 540 390 96 735 382 099 50-586
205 78 465 235 281 so 601 375
MARKET VALUE OF AGRICUL-
TURAL PRODUCTS SOLD
Total sales (s00 tox!) - 2 966 1 925 887 284 1359 1 o08 159
443 065 231 331 178 174 33 560 439 509 138 177 260 33 110
‘Avorage per farm. 449-381 a8 757 207 904 118 169 236 422 218 356 278711 208 240,
Fi valoo of sales
aoe han se {eg _ J
TYPICAL TABLE FROM COTTON GINNINGS IN THE UNITED STATES, SERIES A30
Table 1. Comparative Summary: Crops of 1978 to 1987
Bales, ginnings, snd hervests: 1987 1986 1985 1984 1963 1962 1961 1980 1979 1978
Running bales:
14,388,531 9,437,968 | 12,987,834] 12,544,866. 7,504,236 | 11,526,035] 15,150,260 | 10,826,242] 14,261,922 10,549,219
14,083,390 9,236,839 | 12,837,088) 12,418,749 7,413,334 | 11,429,648 | 15,072,854] 10.724,266 | 14,165,084 10,459,201
275,141 201,129 150,746 126,117 90,902 96,387 TIA 101,976 6,258 90,018
Equivalent 480-pound net weight bales ...| 14,741,173 9,703,592 | 13,417,572) 12,962,303 7,760,247 | 11,940,485] 15,627,452] 11,197,129] 14,620,077 10,850,669,
Number of active gins... eee ae . 1,653 1,662 1774 1,880 1,852 2,000 2,189 2,054 2,336 2461
Average number of bales pergin ....... 0,686 5879 7,321 6,745 4p52 5,763 6921 4,903 6,105, 4287
Cotton ginned prior to—
August 1. . 4178 145,022 69,955 162,769 2,198 39,800 44,387 199,506 72,294 143,791
ee —

detail than the final reports. In addition,
an “advance” report is published for
each State and the Nation

FINAL SUMMARY VOLUMES (late
1988 to fall 1989)

Volume 1, State and County Data
(late 1988 to fall 1989), series AC87-A-1
to -56, * © +. A separate report is
published for each of the 50 States and
for the United States, by State, which is
available in the printed format and also
on CD-ROM. Volume 1 reports also are
Published for Puerto Rico, Guam, the
Virgin Islands, Northern Marianas, and
American Samoa containing data for each
area and its subdivisions. Each of the
State reports is divided into two chap-
ters: chapter 1, with 53 tables at the
State level; and chapter 2, containing 36
tables of detailed data for each county,
and tables with selected summary data
for counties and the State, organized by
subject.

Volume 2, Subject Series (early 1990

to late 1991), series AC87-SS-1 to -6,
©) * @ ai +. This series of reports includes

the Agricultural Atlas (formerly Graphic
Summary), Ranking of States and Coun-
ties, Coverage Evaluation, History, Gov-
ernment Payments and Market Value of
Agricultural Products Sold, and ZIP Code
Tabulation of Selected Items from the
1987 Census of Agriculture ( © +). The
Atlas offers a profile of the Nation's
agricultural system in a series of dot and
multicolor pattern maps for the United
States. The Ranking of States and Coun-
ties ranks the leading States and coun-
ties for selected items in the 1987 Cen-
sus of Agriculture with comparative data
from the 1982 Census of Agriculture.

Volume 3, Related Surveys, series
AC88-RS-1 to-2, * @ + & (early 1990).
This series encompasses the data reports
for two surveys: The 1988 Farm and
Ranch Irrigation Survey provides detailed
tabulations about irrigation on the Nation's
farms and ranches in 1988. Subjects
include estimated quantities of irrigation
water used by crops, method of water
distribution, and data on wells and pumps
used in irrigation. Data will be available

for each of the 17 Western States, Arkan-
sas, Florida, and Louisiana. The 1988
Agricultural Economic and Land Owner-
ship Survey provides national and State-
level data on debts, expenditures, income,
and assets for both farm operators and
landlords.

Volume 4, The 1988 Census of Horti-
cultural Specialties, O* @ + & (sched-
uled for release in late 1990). This report
will present data from the 1988 Census
of Horticultural Specialties, which is con-
ducted every 10 years, and is the source
of comprehensive horticultural data for
each county and State within the Nation
A horticultural establishment is defined
as an operation growing and selling $2,000
or more of horticultural products (green-
house, outdoor-grown floricultural prod-
ucts, nursery products, mushrooms, and
sod) during the census year.

OTHER REPORTS

Cotton Statistics. These statistics
have been collected during each cotton

3