Federal Agency Releases Farmers’ ID Numbers

The Agriculture Department said it had accidentally released the Social Security and tax identification numbers of 350,000 tobacco farmers.

The federal agency said it inadvertently released the data in response to Freedom of Information Act requests about the tobacco buyout program. The information went to eight different people or groups.

Those who received the information agreed not to disclose it, to destroy any copies and to return computer disks containing the data, officials said.

The department is notifying farmers and tobacco quota holders who were affected and encouraging them to get copies of their credit reports to make sure their credit records have not been compromised.