January 7, 2025 —

Starting in December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) began contacting producers to gather data about land ownership, income, expenses, debt, assets, demographic, and landlord characteristics to provide detailed information from all agricultural landowners in Wisconsin, as the agency conducts the Tenure, Ownership, and Transition of Agricultural Land (TOTAL) survey.

“Results from TOTAL will provide a single source of comprehensive, up-to-date information to measure financial impacts and challenges of land ownership. The data will help paint an accurate picture of farm costs, land ownership, land transfer plans for the next five years, six to 10 years, and beyond, demographics about farm landlords, and improvements made to farmland buildings and other characteristics.” said Greg Bussler, Wisconsin State Statistician. “This information will shape federal, state and local farm policies, and give producers a collective voice to show the costs involved in producing commodities.”

“In February, our interviewers will begin reaching out to those who have not yet responded,” said Bussler. “Our enumerators and statisticians will gladly help you fill out the forms to help make reporting as easy as possible. It is important that producers complete the survey so the highly anticipated results of TOTAL will accurately define the economic status of U.S. farm operations and households for all 50 states including Wisconsin.” This complete financial picture not only impacts major decisions and policies but also underpins USDA’s estimates of net farm income and demonstrate agriculture’s contribution to the U.S. gross domestic product.

The TOTAL survey is part of the Census of Agriculture program. Participation in all Census of Agriculture surveys is both required and protected by law (Title 7, U.S. Code). NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents, ensuring that no individual respondent or operation can be identified. Be assured that your responses will be kept completely confidential, as required by federal law.

Summarized results from TOTAL will be published on October 31, 2025. That report and others are available at nass.usda.gov/publications. Additional data analysis and reports will also be available later at ers.usda.gov/arms.