Regarding phone call I just got re: Agriculture

[small herd]

I just got a phone call from a lady saying she was calling about Agriculture information and said she was updating information and asked about my farm.

She asked how much land I had, how many horses, how long have I owned them and if I had any sales in the last year.

Has anyone else received a phone call like that ?? I answered the questions but wish I hadn't

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I was weird - like BIG BROTHER is watching !

 

[countryrose]

yes, I did not return the surveys they kept sending as I did not feel I was a farm.

I live in a residential area with my 8 minis I show.

She said everyone had to answer who have animals even if they don't live on a farm. Yeah, really spooky!

It is an animal census and supposedly manditory

 

[small herd]

The thing is, they can just drive by your house to see how many minis you have. I only have 3 minis anyway. She already had my address. Weird !!

 

[Anne]

Haven't ever heard of such a "required" survey, is this only in Washington, I see you guys are from there.

I wouldn't answer, I NEVER give out information over the phone with no way to verify who I am talking too.

I would need to have a way to confirm that this is legitimate and wouldn't answer "just anyone" over the phone.

hmmmmm

 

[mininik]

I agree with Anne. There's no way I would hand out information like that over the phone to just anyone...

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[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

I got a simular phone call only they asked if we farmed or had a ranch on our agreage and how much was in pasture, what else if anything did we grow, basic stuff like that

I am not in WA

 

[Robin1]

I had a few surveys sent to me that I did not return.

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Then I got 3 phone calls(so far) from the USDA wanting the same info. :new_shocked: They left a message on my machine the first time. Since then I just don't answer when they have called.

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Don't you just love caller ID?

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Robin

 

[CLC Stables]

Tia and everyone.

I got the same thing, I was not worried, only because I knew that these surveys were coming (WSDA interview kinda led me to believe at least).

I actually had the lady ROLLING in laughter on the phone, she agreed she wasn't sure why I would need to verify. However it is just like a census, and this is the agriculture census.

It helps with State and National Statistics on Farming and Agriculture, whether you have 1 horse, or 100.

ROB

 

[Reble]

Calls like that, wanting information, I just say with all the scams, I don't give out information

over the phone, and since you know my address send me the survey.

Thanks

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[schutzandwhinnies]

I had an email sent to me from a neighbor about a petition to try and stop Washington state from making it mandatory to register and licence each animal on your farm individually. From what I understood about the conflict, it would be very costly to the farmers and even for the residential folks and property owners who have a barn and a few animals for pleasure. I am guessing that these inquiries have something to do with all of this and maybe they are trying to see if the cash flow involved would be worth all the drama in fighting the people. These census inquireries might give them an idea of the amounts. ????

 

[Equuisize]

Tia I got that in a survey form. I started getting the survey back

last fall and kept throwing them away. There was something on the last

form that made me call the number on the form......

I told them I hadn't returned it as I do not have a farm, I board my horses

out. I do not sell my horses, they are my buddies.......

The gal said it was a USDA census and this was preliminary to the official

one that would be done in 2007.

My question came from wondering where they got my name and address

as I do not own agricultural property...... From my Vet? My feed store?

Magazine subscriptions? Registries?

The gal was just a information taker and had no answer for that.

 

[Carol Z]

These surveys are done by the USDA and can actually be very helpful. The figures they gather are available to anyone who requests the results. Being a hog farm, we answer the survey quarterly. It gives good information on the trends in marketing, and helps us to plan our own marketing strategy. Regarding horses, I think it's good to know how many horses are in your state, how many are being bred/sold, whatever. The figures can be used by anyone who wants to start a new horse related business, for example, to get an idea of the feasiblity of a business. These surveys are not really a bad thing, in my opinion.

 

[HaazeMinis]

I just got a phone call like that LAST NIGHT! :new_shocked: It came across my Caller ID as a N.C. call and that same number had called 2 times before so I picked it up and it was someone "suppossedly" doing a Agricultural Survey :new_shocked: So I just told them the residents of the household were not home! :bgrin lol! They knew my NAME TOO! I dont know how they got my name , not my husbands (who is a Farmer) and knew we lived in an "Agricultural Community" This is so wierd... But then again we get ALOT of Telemarketer calls :no: .

I hate those people with a passion they call even AFTER 9:00PM! :new_shocked: :no:

: I have gotten so fed up with them I leave my PC online during the day if I am home because otherwise the phone rings NON STOP! :no: So now people have to get hold of me by my cell phone.. Which is sad! If I had my way I would get rid of my landline! :no: I know that was off Topic, BUT It is sooo frustrating even if you are on the phone and have call waiting the phone constantly beeps with because of them!

Well off my Soap Box now!

Jeri

 

[Cathy_H]

Last year we got a call, they made an appointment with us, came by & filled out a couple of pages of info.

 

[xxs]

Carol Z, hi! This whole thing has me really spooked! It is supposed to be nationwide within 2 years. What I heard is that ALL animals have to be microchipped because the government wants to be able to track them . They are using the reasoning that it is because of diseases. I feel that it is just so they don't lose any tax moneys

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Carol, since you are already doing this, could you tell us more about it? I would appreciate all info I can get on this.

My own personal feeling is that if they want our animals microchipped, how much longer until WE have to be microchipped so they can track US too?!!!!!!!!!!!

I have talked to a few people about this and found that there is a govenment agency that is already requiring their employees to be microchipped..and I heard on the news last week that there is a factory...A FACTORY!!! that is wanting all their employees to have one and that many of them have had it done!

Not me!! If someone told me I would have to have one...I would no longer be working there!

 

[justaboutgeese]

I do get reqular calls from Ag Canada. But there are a number of the chemical companies who do the same sort of surveys for their own benefit. The ag Canada info is available from my tax returns and the chemical companies are just out to further theri own interests. No, information over the phone.

 

[Miniv]

I remember getting a survey by mail, but have never been called. I agree........it does feel like "Big Brother".

MA

 

[shminifancier]

They do not have to call me as I have the place registered with the Premises ID Program~! :aktion033: Along with 40,000 others in the State of WI. even the Amish are getting their places ID'd for this up and coming 2 part program from the USDA. The Premises ID and then a few years later the RFID chip program.. Not a biggy. I did this really because I now have a calf and when I take him in to get processed the plant will I am sure ask me for my Premises ID card.. It is the size of a credit card, also has a bar code on it with the info...I am not sure about the RFID chip as before that goes into effect I may have the steer in my freezer.. As for my donkey and getting chipped I don't know yet if I will as just doing the Premises ID program it is not mandatory to go into the RFID Chip program. And the registering for Premises ID if free and took only a few minutes on line it was nice and easy and friendly to do..I am going to the farm show in Eau Claire today and I will see if there is any talk about this Pro or Con. But I doubt it.. I did not see anybody against it at the World Dairy Expo last far.

 

[Carol Z]

Jo Ann, the ag surveys and the premise ID are 2 entirely different things. The ag surveys are just to get an idea of how many animals (for instance) will be raised and sold in a given period of time. We, as pork producers, use those figures to give us an idea of whether prices will be going up or down. And the ag dept uses them the same way. It tells them if farms are downsizing, going out of business, changing focus, etc. That information really affects all of us, because it encompasses all forms of agriculture including grain and hay production.As far as the premise ID program, I've heard that it may be a long time before it goes into full affect because of the problems setting it up. Theoretically it's supposed to keep track of livestock from birth to death, so that if there's an outbreak of illness it can be traced. We do have a premise ID number, and truly don't feel threatened by it in any way.

 

[small herd]

I am glad I am not alone. Yes, it was a USDA Census. Her name was Jeanette.