The Alberta Beef Producers are getting farmers and ranchers ready for the upcoming agriculture census.

Canadian farm operators can start completing the Census of Agriculture questionnaire at the beginning of May. .

Farm groups are heavy users of census data and draw on the information gathered for formulating policy requests, producing communication and outreach work, and conducting market research.

The online questionnaire will automatically add totals which means completing the questionnaire online will limit the questions to the ones that apply specifically to an operator’s farm and will reduce the need to call back farm operators in order to clarify answers.

Farmers are expected to spend 30% less time responding to the 2016 Census of Agriculture than they did in 2011.

Farm and Ranch owners will no longer be required to provide detailed farm expenses and other information such as place of residence, details on irrigated land, and the source and use of manure.

The questionnaire also includes new questions on the adoption of technologies, direct marketing, succession planning and renewable energy production.

There are 18 fewer questions than in the 2011 questionnaire.

All Canadian farm operators will receive a letter at the beginning of May with instructions on how to quickly and easily complete the questionnaire online.

For more information, please visit the Statistics Canada website.