We received a survey this week from the USDA (FORM NACS-01). It starts off with a cover letter stating that the National
Agricultural Classification Survey (NACS) is required by law. If you do
not reply, you may be personally visited or you may receive a telephone
call. The form states that a response is required by law. However,
nowhere does it indicate what law you will be breaking if you do not
respond. The entire document is carefully worded to make it seem as
though you are required to answer all of their questions.
The questions include items such as if you have received any
agricultural income in the last year, how much land you own, if you
have any fruit, berry or nut crops, how many vegetable or melon crops
you have, if you have a nursery or a greenhouse, if you have bee hives,
cattle, hogs, pigs, sheep, lambs, goats, kids, horses, ponies, mules,
donkeys, burros, chickens or turkeys and if so, how many, if you have
internet access or high speed internet access. They also want to know
the ethnicity and sex of the people who run the operation.
Personally,
I don't think any of it is their damn business. We finally decided we
will send it back with a question as to what law we will be breaking if
we do not answer the questions. After all, a question is a response.
Therefore, I would think we will be in compliance. Even during the
census all they are allowed to ask you is how many people live in your
home.
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