By taking just 10 minutes to answer just 10 questions, farmers
and rural residents can help ensure a bright future for their
local communities. The 2010 Census is now on its way to every
household in the United States – and the results will have a
major impact on rural America. The U.S. Constitution requires a
national census once every 10 years to count the population and
determine the number of seats each state will have in the U.S.
House of Representatives. In addition, the federal government
uses census data to allocate more than $400 billion each year to
state, local and tribal governments. These funds support many of
structures and services critical to the health and
sustainability of rural areas, including hospitals, schools,
senior centers, job training facilities, roads, bridges and
telecommunications infrastructure. I can think of few segments
of the population that have more at stake in this census than
rural America. In this economic climate, many rural communities
are already struggling. And in r