Opportunities for Reducing the Cost of the 1982 Agricultural and Economic Censuses

GAO reviewed the agricultural and economic censuses, examining costs already incurred and the Bureau's estimated future costs to aid the fiscal year 1983 budget reconciliation process. In examining costs, GAO: (1) compared the 1982 censuses to previous censuses to identify changes and their expected benefits; and (2) determined the usefulness of work already performed if portions of the censuses were reduced or eliminated and the effect of the changes on estimated costs.