WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture was scheduled to begin conducting the first national On-Farm Energy Production Survey this week.

The most recent agriculture census counted more than 20,000 farms and ranches that were producing renewable energy via solar panels, wind turbines and methane digesters.

This spring’s survey will further explore how this energy is generated and used.

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service is mailing the survey forms to farm and ranch operators nationwide who indicated on the 2007 Census of Agriculture that they were generating renewable energy.

Recipients are required to respond by May 24 and NASS will publish the survey results in February 2011.

The On-Farm Energy Production Survey is the first step in a comprehensive effort by NASS to collect and publish detailed data on the agriculture sector’s production and use of renewable energy.