For my 1,000 post, I want to ask if anyone received a questionnaire

[windbreeze]

from the Department of Agriculture, that has to be returned by Jan 29, under penalty of law???
questions include...
Acres operated
own, rent or lease, rent to others
Cropland
of the total acres, how many are considered cropland
of the total cropland acres how many are used to produce
any hay or forage
any berries
any fruit or nut
any potato
any vegetable and melon crops
any nursery, greenhouse, floriculture crops or aquatic plants
all other cropland acres
Grain storage
what is the total storage capacity of all structures used to store Whole grains or oilseeds
Livestock
During the last 12 months what was the Largest Number of the following livestock on hand at any one time (numbers of each is what they were after)
all cattle and calves
all goats and kids
all horses, ponies, mules, donkeys, or burros
all sheep and lambs owned by this operation
all hogs and pigs
Poultry
Report any chickens on the total acres during the last 12 months...
Largest number of layers, pullets, and roosters for laying flock at any one time
What was the primary type of layer/pullet operation
table egg egg type hatch broiler type hatch pullets for laying flock...
What was the peak number at any one time of broilers, fryers, capons, roasters, and other chickens raised for meat production during the past year...(I wouldn't know the difference between a broiler/fryer especially if it still had it's feathers)
during the past 12 months how many total turkeys were raised on the total acres operated, regardless of ownership?
Aquaculture
During the last 12 months did you or anyone else have any aquaculture on this operation?
Bees
Did this operation own any colonies of bees regardless of location on Dec 31, 2006
The questionnaire further went on to ask questions about Production Contracts, Labor, Sales and Federal Farm Program Payments...Then it went on to ask about Operator..and whether that person is American indian/Alaskan native/Asian/Black or African American/Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander/White...and how many individuals involved...
Then it asked whether the land had changed hands, and to whom did it change too..and whether it would be possible someone else might duplicate the information on this form...(because they wanted NO duplications on the count of farms/ranches)

So they are all of a sudden counting farms and ranches...WHY???? I mean they left NO thing unturned with this form...nothing...

Let me say here...we own our land yes...we have a whole 1.25 acres...a whopping big operation to be sure...We have lived on this land almost 24 years...and NEVER have had to fill out anything like this ever before, either under a voluntary status, or under penalty of law...in all those years...so why now?? Am I being paranoid? Anyone want to venture a guess what's blowin' in the wind here? I sure would like to know what you all think....
Thanks
windbreeze

[Alamom]

1. Wow, this is weird. We own about 2 acres..never seen anything

like this. I hope someone knows what's going on and can answer your question.

[peacebaby3]

2. Quite a few years ago. I think we had filed some type of homestead

exemption on our taxes because we had some cows on our 5 acres at the time and our accountant had suggested we could use them on our taxes. It also could have been totally random as well, but I would think that there would be some way for them to know that you had some kind of land. I can't remember the details because it has been more than 10 years ago, but I think that questionnaire has been around a long time. I honestly can't even remember if we filled it out. I guess we did, but it wasn't a big deal. Never heard anything else about it.

[BattyDem]

3. Sounds like it's part of the Census of Agriculture - done in years ending with 2 and 7

It starts with the Agricultural Identification Survey, which was mailed on January 2nd.

"Through the survey, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is seeking to identify farming and ranching operations in the United States in order to ensure that they receive a Census form in the mail at the end of the year."

http://www.nass.usda.gov/Newsroom/2007/01_18_2007.asp

[windbreeze]

8. what they are seeking to identify apparently

is anyone with acreage who had farm products and made over $1,000 selling said products in the last 12 months...want to make sure you paid those taxes, I suppose...
thank you for the link...to me it felt very strange after almost 24 years...to be questioned like this, about how we use our land...and I will state right here...I RESENT it...I may just pay the fine...(and for those who say, IF you have nothing to hide...well, I don't..but I don't like being questioned, and threatened under penalty of law, to cooperate either) I want to know why they need to identify farmland...I don't believe anything they do is harmless..or without reason...
windbreeze

[Tunkamerica]

4. first hit on google, guess where it's from

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1766964/posts


...According to the 1997 law, the Agriculture Survey was supposed to be taken in 1998 and every five years thereafter. If a survey was taken in 1998, or 2003, it certainly missed thousands of landowners who received this 2006 survey, which should not be taken until 2008.

It may be purely coincidental that the "Premises Registration" required by the National Animal Identification System, or NAIS, is precisely the same information that is solicited on the 2006 Agriculture Survey form. Until 2006, the NAIS was intended, and expected, to be mandatory, beginning with premises registration by 2007. Affected landowners and small farmers raised such a ruckus, that the USDA had to back down and promise that the NAIS would be voluntary.

...

[windbreeze]

9. Thank you for that link

and this is exactly what this questionnaire is...this sort of thing just gets my Dutch up, I guess...but then nowadays...do we have any privacy or expectation of privacy left in this country?
wb

[lligrd]

5. No, But Under Nuts

I would sure declare our pResident and administration!

[windbreeze]

10. ROFLMAO

thank you for the chuckle...
wb

[lligrd]

6. And Don't Forget Your Fellow American Freepers

under sheep.

[BattyDem]

7. ROFL!

:rofl: