Go Count Your Chickens

May means many things on the farm, calving time, the beginning of 4-H shows, spreading manure on the fields, general maintenance to get ready for summer and much more. Every 5 years however another task is tacked on, it's time for a census! The Census of Agriculture is a questionnaire designed to create an "up to date snap shot" of agriculture in Canada. It aims to collect useful data that will benefit in decision making for our countries agricultural industry. Questions cover topics such as land use, crops, livestock, agricultural labour,machinery and equipment, farm finances and land management practices. The depth of

coverage is said to allow the census to be a definitive source of information on the agricultural sector. I have heard a lot about the census lately mostly in the form of grumbling and wondering "what is it good for?'. The farm industry, as a whole, benefits from census data in many ways. It's actively used by agricultural producer group to inform their members about industry trends and developments. By knowing exactly whats going on in our country agriculturally it makes it easier to make international trad negotiations. Governments use census data to make decisions about programs, policies, transportation and marketing services. The ability to have a solid understanding of where we are now and where we have come from allows a greater control in facing the issues of today and tomorrow.Participation by in the Census of Agriculture allows everyone to have a voice. It will help to understand our present situation and assist in taking charge of tomorrow’s challenges. It will help to identify trends, issues, opportunities and challenges within the agricultural community and is "the backbone of Canada’s agricultural statistics program- Erik Dorff of Statistics Canada".