Census of Agriculture 2018
Puerto Rico, 2019
Identification
PRI_2018_CA_v01_M_v01_A_ESS
Census of Agriculture 2018
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| Puerto Rico | PRI |
Agricultural Census [ag/census]
The first Census of Agriculture in Puerto Rico was conducted in 1910. From that year to 1950, a census of agriculture was conducted every ten years, in conjunction with the decennial censuses of population. Later, the timing of the census was changed so that a census of agriculture was conducted every five years, covering the years ending in 2 and 7.
The Census of Agriculture 2002 was the first to be conducted based on the calendar year, rather than on the fiscal year, followed by the 2012 census which brought the census data collection cycle in line with that of the United States of America. Following censuses continued to be conducted based on the calendar year.
The latest census was the Census of Agriculture 2018, initially planned for 2017. On 20 September 2017 hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico. Due to the lack of the communication infrastructure necessary to continue with census activities, the National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) delayed the Census of Agriculture 2017 for a year to give farmers and government agencies time to recover from the devastation.
The census of agriculture is the leading source of statistics about Puerto Rico's agricultural production and the only source of consistent, comparable data at the island level. Census statistics are used to measure agricultural production and to identify trends in an ever-changing agricultural sector. The census includes data on the structure of agricultural land, crops and livestock, farm characteristics, as well as production expenses, value of agricultural products, and aquaculture.
Census/enumeration data [cen]
Agricultural holdings
Scope
The census scope covered agricultural activities (crops and livestock production).
The questionnaire collected information on:
- Total number of plots
- Land use
- Irrigation
- Grains, legumes, and sugarcane
- Coffee, pineapples, plantains, and bananas
- Hay and forage crops
- Ornamental plants, flowers, grasses, seeds, and saplings
- Vegetables and melons
- Hydroponic crops
- Fruits
- Roots and tubers
- Cattle (dairy and beef)
- Poultry
- Hogs and pigls
- Aquaculture
- Other animals and their products
- Organic farming
- Agricultural workers
- Federal and local agricultural programs
- Income from farm-related activities
- Production expenses
- Fertilizers, lime, insecticides, and other chemicals used
- Land and building values
- Machinery, equipment, and buildings
- Practices
- Food marketing practices
- Type of organization
- On-farm energy production
- Farmer characteristics
Coverage
The Census of Agriculture 2018 covered the entire territory.
The statistical unit is a farm, defined as a place from which USD 500 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the 12-month period between 1 January and 31 December 2018. The data collected in the census relates to places with agricultural operations qualifying as farms according to the census definition.
Producers and sponsors
| Name |
|---|
| United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) |
| Government of Puerto Rico (Gobierno de Puerto Rico), Department of Agriculture (Departamento de Agricultura) |
| University of Puerto Rico, College of Agricultural Science |
| Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service |
Sampling
The Census of Agriculture 2018 was conducted using a multiple frame approach, consisting of a list frame and an area frame. A report form was sent to farm operators on the census mail list (CML). This was supplemented by an area sample, which accounted for farms Not-on-the-Mail-List (NML).
The census was conducted with a mixture of complete and sample enumeration. Farms in the CML where completely enumerated, whereas farms NML were sampled in an area frame.
From the initial CML of 21 378 names and addresses stratified by size and type of farm, equal weighting was applied to responding farms and non-responding farms, computed by response homogeneity group (RHG). Records found to be undeliverable were excluded from the nonresponse calculations.
Survey instrument
One questionnaire (reporting form) was used for the Census of Agriculture 2018.
The questionnaire covered 17 out of the 23 essential items recommended in the WCA 2020.
Data collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 2019-01-01 | 2019-12-31 |
Reference day:
- 31 December 2018 for inventory items such as livestock, machinery, equipment, buildings, facilities on farms and operator's characteristics
Reference period:
- From 1 January to 31 December 2018, for crop production, crop and livestock sales, and expense data
- Computer Assisted Web Interview [cawi]
- Pen and Paper Interview [papi]
- Mail Questionnaire [mail]
Data collection was accomplished primarily through the mail-out/mail-back method. The list was mailed with a census report form. Those that did not respond to this first report form received a second report form in the post. Enumerators from the Department of Agriculture and the extension service conducted a field follow-up, to visit and enumerate operations that did not respond by post. Farmers returned the completed form to the National Processing Centre (NPC) in Jeffersonville, Indiana, for processing. A Computer-Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) instrument was also available for operators who preferred to report online. A letter with a unique survey code and instructions for completing their census online was included in each mail package.
The Census of Agriculture 2018 employed one project manager, two crew leaders/supervisors, and 95 enumerators, who received special training in accordance with instructions prepared by the National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS). The training included practice in interviewing and filling out the report form plus detailed discussion of the enumerator's instructions.
QUALITY ASSURANCE
Ten percent of the captured data were keyed a second time for quality control. If differences existed, an adjudicator handled resolution. This was used to grade the performance of the keyers, who were required to maintain a certain accuracy level or receive additional training. The measured error rate for the entire survey was 0.27 percent.
A post enumeration survey was not carried out, but data collected was sampled to determine the total sampling error. The total sampling error was derived from the estimate of the NML component using an area frame and assumptions were used to allocate equal weights to respondents and non-respondents in the CML component. The NML and CML components were combined to provide a single estimate. The estimate reflects complete and unduplicated coverage, provided that nonresponse bias and non-sampling errors are not operative.
In Census of Agriculture 2018, efforts were made to measure error associated with the adjustments for farm operations that were not on the CML; for farm operations that were on the CML but did not respond to the census report form; and for farms and non-farms that were misclassified as non-farms and farms, respectively; and for calibration. This error measurement was developed from the standard error of the estimates at the island and regional levels and was expressed as coefficient of variation (CV). Every estimate has a corresponding CV published with it.
Data processing
The report forms returned were automatically checked in by scanning devices that identified each case referring to the barcode in the address label of the form. Data was retrieved from the returned forms using optical scanning. Missing data were supplied on the basis of similar farms and were assigned farm classification codes, which were necessary for tabulating the data. Data from each report were subjected to a detailed item-by-item computer edit.
Data Access
For additional information on data access and use, please contact the Department of Agriculture of Puerto Rico.
Online form: https://agricultura.pr.gov/nosotros
Website: https://agricultura.pr.gov/nosotros
Contacts
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture (Departamento de Agricultura) | Government of Puerto Rico (Gobierno de Puerto Rico) | https://agricultura.pr.gov/nosotros | https://agricultura.pr.gov/nosotros |
Metadata production
DDI_PRI_2018_CA_v01_M_v01_A_ESS_FAO
| Name | Abbreviation | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture (Departamento de Agricultura) | Government of Puerto Rico (Gobierno de Puerto Rico) | Metadata producer | |
| Statistics Division | ESS | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | Metadata adapted for FAM |