EXPLANATORY NOTES - AMERICAN SAMOA

HISTORICAL OUTLINE: The U.S. Bureau of the Census conducted the first agricultural enumeration in American Samoa as part of the 1920 Decennial Census Program. Agricultural censuses have been carried out every 10 years since, in conjunction with the Population and Housing censuses.

ORGANIZATION: The Agriculture Census in American Samoa was an adjunct to the 1990 Census of Population and Housing. In December 1989, the Governor of American Samoa signed memoranda of agreement with the U.S. Census Bureau, for the 1990 Population and Housing census, including agriculture enumeration: the Census Bureau agreed to provide technical assistance at various levels, and the Territorial Government accepted responsibility for conducting the census, for recruiting and training local office and field staff, and for the supervision of local administrative matters.

The Decennial Planning Division of the U.S. Bureau of the Census hadprimary supervisory responsibility for census undertaking, while the Outlying Areas Statistics Branch of the Agriculture Division served as primary planning and coordinating office. The central office of the census was established in Pago Pago, on Tutuila Island. The census staff was composed of 1 project manager, 1 census advisor, 1 office operation supervisor, 2 field operations supervisors, 18 crew leaders, 9 office clerks and 92 enumerators.

ENUMERATION PERIOD: The census was carried out in the period April to August 1990.

REFERENCE DATE: The reference dates/periods are the enumeration day for Inventory data, and calendar year 1989 for data on Production.

DEFINITION: Farm is any place that had sales of US $100 or more of agricultural products during the census year.

COVERAGE: The census covered the entire country.

FRAME: Lists of Address Register Areas (ARA) were prepared and given to enumerators.

METHODS: The census of agriculture was conducted by direct enumeration in conjunction with the Population and Housing Census. House to house canvassing was carried out to enumerate each ARA.

On the last page of the Population and Housing questionnaire there was an agriculture screening section. The enumerator was required to complete an agriculture questionnaire when a positive answer was received to anyone of the five screening questions.

DATA SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census - 1987 Census of Agriculture - American Samoa - Vol.1, Part 55

MAILING ADDRESS: Data User Services Division, Customer Services, Bureau of the Census, Washington DC 20233; Tel. (301) 763-1113 (General Information)