Wisconsin farmers are being given a chance to shape the future of agriculture.
Farmers and ranchers across the state will be asked later this month to fill out a census from the US Department of Agriculture. Robin Engel with the state Ag Department says the information is vital to the future of the industry because it provides the clearest picture available of the industry.
The census will be mailed out at the end of December and farmers will have until February 4th to fill it out. Engel says they're being asked to report on a variety of issues, ranging from land use to financial concerns.
The census will go out to nearly 99,000 farms statewide, in an effort to reach more rural farmers. Engel says there's a growing concern some of them have been ignored in recent years.