Richland County farms doing well

Arriving in the mailboxes of farmers and ranchers across the country early next week will be the 2007 Census of Agriculture. The census is done every five years and every farmer or rancher that receives the census is required by law to complete the form and send it back in by Feb. 4, 2008.

Once all the data is compiled it provides farmers with information on land use, ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures in farms nationally, state wide and county wide. Results of the 2007 census report are scheduled to be released in February 2009.

The census is helpful in many ways but is specifically useful for farmers to help plan their crop and expenses for the following year."It's important to have that information," said Roger Johnson, North Dakota agriculture commissioner. "It is used to develop farm policy and other rural social policies."

"It's also important when we design provisions on the farm bill," Johnson said.