according to the government...
 

a farm is a place that a person sells $1,000 worth of his product in one year.

Each year, I have received a census. Usually after looking at the many pages that have no bearing on my life, I either toss it, or file it away to write to them about later, then I forget about it and come across it much later.

I have NEVER made $1000 dollars from anything. I can only surmise that the tax accessor, who drives around looking for this stuff, writes it down, when she sees hens wandering a yard or whatever.
What a great job to have!

This year, received it again; and also few weeks later a warning that they'd come out here and bother me in person. I believe them, just because of the kind of big brother government we have now.

My kid used to raise rabbits, for a few years, as a teen in 4h, then a rabbit club. She also would compete with her rabbits. She would sell the excess for pets or show. She never made that much, but sure put enough money into the production.
When I get this survey, it is always with the name of her rabbitry, which we registered for her one year.

There are too many government positions, if they can waste tax dollars on people like me, trying to supplement their food sources, and eat healthier.
Went to tax office last year, and the woman who runs the dog liscence section pounced on me 'HOW MANY DOGS DO YOU HAVE?' she demanded in a very loud voice. I was writing a check for my (too high) taxes at the time, and it steamed me that she actually would speak to me in such a way.

I said in a very low key way, 'oh, some' and left it at that.
A few days later, I came in and lisenced 2 of my dogs. (they dont benefit from any services but still there must be a tax on dogs.....)

Who do these guys think they are, anyway?

They are the Nazi Goverment and they think they Own you,that's who they think they are. Some people actualy like Big Goverment, they vote for this kind of stuff.

Maine government drives me nuts. There are some good people doing good and necessary things in government, but there are also too many cubicle fascists who enjoy lording it over the regular folks. But apparently a majority of folks here like that. We had a chance to vote down the state income tax a few years ago, and it was actually defeated by a wide margin.

I don't like big government but the Republicans continue to fail at producing a viable alternative candidate. There is no viable third party candidate who stands even a smidgen of a chance of winning. Time for the Republicans to start fielding candidates that are actually reasonable alternatives rather than key-towing to the extreme radical far wing fringes. Most voters are moderates but we're given a choice between nothing and next to nothing, between worst of all and not quite so bad. We need good choices, not the lesser of two evils.

On the survey, you might just ignore it, if you like. I'm not going to tell you what to do, of course. See:

http://NoNAIS.org/2007/01/10/usda-surveys-mandatory/

which explains what I found when I researched this a few years ago.

if they sent you a "warning" I would photocopy it and send it back with a post it note that says "does not apply to our home)

I called the USDA number the other day because it had ours listed in the horse business which we no longer had. The lady i talked to was very nice. She told me to mark through the name of the business(and as we were talking she took the business name off in the computer), told me what pages I could fill in and also state it was for personal use and those that I didn't want to answer reply "refuse"

Sometimes not answering a questionnaire especially if it has been filled out in the past can bring more attention to a person/persons than answering one.

I think more people give out information on themselves(especially those who have blogs or website with the link in thier signature) in forums a whole lot more than filling out the census...jmho.

Government functions best when it is small enough to be overthrown by a Boy Scout troop. Government will never see the light, yet if we return them to a small enough size, they could at least feel the heat

They changed the law here in VA a few years back... now whenever a vet gives a dog a rabies shot he has to report it - along with the owner's info - to the county. If you don't go down and get the dog license within 60 days, they mail you a letter along with an application for the license and inform you that you are required by law to license your dog, and if you don't pay the $20 annual dog license fee they'll report you to Animal Control.

I know after that passed a LOT of people started driving across state lines to get their rabies shots, or getting them done at rabies clinics and giving a false address.

Part of the reason I don't like it is because that gives the county a database of the breeds of dogs that you own, and if they ever pass BSL they're going to know who has what breed - making it easier for them to violate my constitutional right to not have my property seized without due cause :flame:

This survey comes out annually?

every 5 yrs at least mine does....guess it is not the same one as the USDA

in wv
 

in wv i think if you maintain the $1000,farm status it lowers your property tax.

I got the sheep and goat survey. 2 days later I miss a phone call. Call the number back and it is the USDA. Few days later get a phone call at 7:30 in the morning, USDA wanting my answer. Told them I was at work and hung up.

Few days later I get a phone call from "unknown" about 6 PM. USDA again. I answered their stupid questions but how accurate are my answers going to be when I have no paper work in front of me. Stupid way to try and collect information.

Asked them if I could throw away the paper survey laying on my kitchen counter. She said yes, so it is history.

Questions were dumb, vague, and poorly organized. Woman asking them apparently knew little about livestock.

Kathie

taxes on a dog? that is nuts. I never had a license for any of my dogs. Dogs are people too, haha....not things.

this country is going down the toilet. Whatever happened to taring and feathering?

Family and I were just discussing this censeus crap. I never fill them out beyond "how many peopl in your household" as that number is in direct correlation with political representation.

it would not lower my taxes.
I like my town and surrounding area.
I have been dreaming of looking for a place w/ low low taxes. Slowly putting a small cabin up. Gradually adding one or two more rooms.
Depending on the county, you are taxed by the size of the building, and what kind of land you are on. Am keeping eye out for something I can afford. I am not in a hurry, so will find the best deal.

This census doesn't come each year, but more often than every 5 years.Or, maybe it does come evry year, but perhaps it has been viewed as junk mail and tossed out without opening it,since am not a farmer. (NASS is on the envelope)
I dont like being threatened by paperpushers, nor by the clerk in the town office.

I pay my dog tax every time I buy dog food.

where I live the taxes are very low, you cross the county line and they double or more..I live .2 mi from the county line

I have never claimed farm tax at our town office or with the IRS....I have animals...but I sell nothing. Never had the survey thing sent to me....the tax assessor has visited a few times...he likes our goats. He did take issue with our rebuilt chicken palace but nothing ever came of it....said we needed a demolition permit for the old chicken shack....so we will let the snow settle the roof on it....
I'm sure one of these days I'll be bothered and end up with a nasty reputation with the whole lot of them but eh?!

The county we used to live in taxed your cats, too. They sent a bill for our dear old "Fuzz" two years after being notified of his passing into Kitty Heaven. Sheesh. Don't miss that county...

That sounds about right as that wording matches with d(2) under enforcement.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/7/2204g

Also, from Highlands link.
In addition, there are examples of Citizen response and Religious response letters at that link.


Finally, I also found this on the subject, fyi. National Association of Rural Landowners.

http://narlo.org/usda.html

I received two different census in the mail because I have bee hives. IIRC one was the US farm one and the other was state specific for the apriary. I remember reading that they said they would call or show up if you didn't reply back. Well, I received a call yesterday morning about it. The lady seemed to have no knowledge about anything to do with the topic and was just reading questions off of a screen.