The USDA is set to launch it’s first-ever survey of organic farming across the United States to explore organic farming and its relationship with U.S. agriculture.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on Thursday that it’s a direct response to the

increasing interest in organics – from consumers to farmers, as well as businesses. “This is an opportunity for organic producers to share their voices and help ensure the continued growth and sustainability of organic farming in the United States,” he said in a recent statement.

The eight-page questionnaires are to be mailed in early May to 20,000 organic farm owners. The responses are due by June 17th, with a report expected in  early 2010.

The survey includes queries about crops, livestock, acreage, marketing, and sales figures, as well as costs, from labor to property taxes. The owners will be asked about their farming practices to control pests and weeds, if they use “green” manures, and how they limit tillage.

The results will assist in many decisions, among them policies, funding, and community development, as well as encouraging producers to learn about new practices in their own farming operations.

For more information about the Organic Production Survey, visit www.agcensus.usda.gov or call (800) 727-9540.

Organic farming makes up 2.6 million acres (as of 2007) of the 920 million acres of American agriculture.

Source: USDA news release

Image courtesy of integrityorganicfarms.org

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