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About the Census of Agriculture
> Frequently asked questions >
5.0 Questions related to collection
5.1 How are agricultural operators identified?
5.2 How do you ensure that all operations are
included?
5.3 Why was the Census of Agriculture taken
on May 15, such a busy time for farmers?
5.4 What is the date for the 2006 Census of
Agriculture?
5.5 What is the Progress of Seeding Follow-up
Survey? How does it affect comparability with previous censuses?
5.6 Is the Census of Agriculture Questionnaire available in languages
other than English and French?
5.7 Why did each respondent get two questionnaires,
one in French and one in English? Isn’t this a waste of taxpayers’ money?
5.8 Where were Census of Agriculture data processed?
5.9 Why does it take a year to release results
from the Census of Agriculture?
5.1 How are agricultural operators identified?
When questionnaires for the Census of Population are distributed to
households across Canada, the census representative (or CR) asks whether
anyone in
the household is a farm operator. If so, the CR leaves a Census of Agriculture
form for completion. If no contact is made but the CR sees evidence of
agricultural activity, a Census of Agriculture form will also be
left.
In addition, the Census of Population questionnaire has a separate question
asking if anyone is a farm operator. If someone answers "yes"
to the question, the CR confirms that a Census of Agriculture questionnaire
has been delivered to the household. If not, the CR will make arrangements
to deliver a questionnaire.
5.2 How do you ensure that all operations are included?
Census representatives cover all households and agricultural operations
in their enumeration area, dropping off Census of Population questionnaires
and, where required, Census of Agriculture questionnaires. During drop-off,
census representatives ask whether anyone in the household is a farm
operator.
Asking this question helps to identify who should complete a Census of
Agriculture questionnaire, especially in cases where an agricultural operator
lives in town or away from the operation. This same question, listed on
the Census of Population questionnaire, identifies other operators who
may not have been contacted in person at the time of drop-off or at mail-out.
Finally, during processing, missing farms can be identified and followed
up to ensure they are included.
5.3 Why was the Census of Agriculture taken on
May 15, such a busy time for farmers?
Statistics Canada recognizes that this is a very busy time for farmers;
however, to save millions of dollars, the Census of Agriculture is conducted
at the same time as the Census of Population.
Census day is the second Tuesday in May, so the drop-off and mail-back
of census forms could take place during the same month with less likelihood
of census forms being misplaced during month-end moves. This time of year
is also preferable for hiring the large workforce needed to carry out
a census as well as having safer and more favourable weather conditions
to carry out the work. This translates into reduced costs for the collection
of census data.
5.4 What is the date for the 2006 Census of Agriculture?
The 2006 Census of Agriculture will be held on Tuesday, May 16, 2006.
5.5 What is the Progress of Seeding Follow-up Survey?
How does it affect comparability with previous censuses?
Statistics Canada developed the Progress of Seeding (POS) follow-up to
respond to the change to a mid-May Census Day when farmers have not finished
seeding.
Questionnaires from larger field crop farms reporting less than
90% of crops seeded were selected and followed up by telephone. A short
telephone
call verified the crops and areas actually seeded. In 2001, over 40,000
farmers were contacted across the country in this follow-up. The POS
data
replaced the figures reported on the Census of Agriculture questionnaire.
5.6 Is the Census of Agriculture questionnaire
available in languages other than English or French?
The Census of Agriculture questionnaire is available in either English
or French. Unlike the Census of Population, which makes its questionnaire
available in 42 different languages, the Census of Agriculture does
not have such an ethnically diverse respondent group. Translating
the questionnaire into more than the two official languages would
be costly with little benefit. However, if a person requires assistance
in a language other than English or French, instruction can be provided
by calling the census help line at 1-888-594-2006.
5.7 Why did each respondent get two questionnaires,
one in French and one in English? Isn’t this a waste of taxpayers’ money?
Under Canadian law, every person has the right to be served by federal
departments and agencies in the official language of their choice. Wherever
contact was made with a respondent one questionnaire was left. Statistics
Canada does have a legal obligation to provide questionnaires in both
of Canada’s official languages if the language preference is unknown.
5.8 Where were Census of Agriculture data processed?
Census of Agriculture questionnaires were forwarded to Ottawa for processing.
5.9 Why does it take a year to release results
from the Census of Agriculture?
The Census of Agriculture is a national activity, which involves collecting
information from every agricultural operation in Canada. The collection,
follow-up, quality checks, processing, tabulation and publication of
data
from such an extensive exercise take about one year.
All of these Steps must be made to assure that data are accurate,
even at very low levels of geography. This is critical since census
data are
used to benchmark estimates and draw survey samples between censuses.
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