{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/pingree-encourages-farmers-register-upcoming-usda-census-agriculture", "Pingree encourages farmers to register for upcoming USDA Census of Agriculture", "2017-06-27", "2017", "2017-06", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "With three days left until the registration deadline, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree is encouraging farmers to sign up for the USDA\u2019s 2017 Census of Agriculture and make sure they\u2019re counted.\n\u201cThe USDA Census of Agriculture collects important information every five years about the state of farming in America and how it\u2019s changing. In Congress, the data is key to shaping good policy decisions that reflect where we\u2019re headed rather than where we\u2019ve been,\u201d said Pingree. \u00a0\u201cThe greater the number and diversity of farmers we have represented in the Census, the more accurate it is. I know it\u2019s a busy time on farms right now, but I encourage any farmer who hasn\u2019t participated in the Census before to register\u2014it\u2019s well worth the time.\u201d\nThe deadline to be registered for counting in the Census is June 30\u2014materials will be mailed out in December. To sign up, go to: https://www.agcensus.usda.gov/\nTaken in 2012, the last Census of Agriculture found that Maine had bucked national trends in several areas \u00a0The number of farmers aged 34 and younger had grown nearly 40 percent in the previous five years, the value of Maine products had increased by 24 percent, and the amount of land in cultivation had increased 8 percent.\nPingree has led efforts in Congress to continue that growth, ensuring that a number of reforms to support small- and medium-size farms were passed in the last Farm Bill. She is introducing several more ahead of the next reauthorization. A longtime farmer herself, Pingree is a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/pingree-encourages-farmers-register-upcoming-usda-census-agriculture"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4549079351127148, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}