In 2024, there were about 1.88 million farms in the United States. However, the number of farms has been steadily dropping since the year 2007, when there were about 2.2 million farms in the United States. U.S. farms In 2007, the average size of farms in the United States was the smallest it had been since the year 2000. As the number of farms in the United States decrease, the average size of farms increases. Texas, the largest state in the contiguous United States, also contains the highest number of farms, at 231 thousand in 2023. Organic farming in the United States The United States has over 2.3 million hectares of organic agricultural land as of 2021. In 2022, organic food sales in the United States amounted to almost 59 billion euros, making it the largest market for organic food worldwide. In 2021, the number of certified organic farms in the United States reached 17,445, up from about 14,185 farms in 2016.

From 2000 onwards, the total area of land in U.S. farms has decreased annually, aside from a small increase in 2012. Over the time period displayed, the total farmland area has decreased by over 66 million acres, reaching a total of 876.5 million acres as of 2024. Farming in the U.S. Not only has the land for farming been decreasing in the U.S., but so has the total number of farms. From 2000 to 2021, the number of farms in the U.S. decreased from about 2.17 million farms in 2000 to just under 1.9 million in 2023. Texas has more than double the number of farms compared to other U.S. states, with 231,000 farms in 2023. U.S. agricultural exports The U.S. is known for agriculture production and is the leading exporter of agricultural products worldwide. The total U.S. agricultural exports were valued at over 178 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. Over 4.8 billion dollars’ worth of agricultural exports came from fresh or processed vegetables in 2022.

Graph and download economic data for Employment Level - Agriculture and Related Industries (LNS12034560) from Jan 1948 to May 2025 about agriculture, 16 years +, household survey, employment, industry, and USA.

This metadata report documents tabular data sets consisting of items from the Census of Agriculture. These data are a subset of items from county-level data (including state totals) for the conterminous United States covering the census reporting years (every five years, with adjustments for 1978 and 1982) beginning with the 1950 Census of Agriculture and ending with the 2012 Census of Agriculture. Historical (1950-1997) data were extracted from digital files obtained through the Intra-university Consortium on Political and Social Research (ICPSR). More current (1997-2012) data were extracted from the National Agriculture Statistical Service (NASS) Census Query Tool for the census years of 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012. Most census reports contain item values from the prior census for comparison. At times these values are updated or reweighted by the reporting agency; the Census Bureau prior to 1997 or NASS from 1997 on. Where available, the updated or reweighted data were used; otherwise, the original reported values were used. Changes in census item definitions and reporting as well as changes to county areas and names over the time span required a degree of manipulation on the data and county codes to make the data as comparable as possible over time. Not all of the census items are present for the entire 1950-2012 time span as certain items have been added since 1950 and when possible the items were derived from other items by subtracting or combining sub items. Specific changes and calculations are documented in the processing steps sections of this report. Other missing data occurs at the state and (or) county level due to census non-disclosure rules where small numbers of farms reporting an item have acres and (or) production values withheld to prevent identification of individual farms. In general, caution should be exercised when comparing current (2012) data with values reported in earlier censuses. While the 1974-2012 data are comparable, data prior to 1974 will have inflated farm counts and slightly inflated production amounts due to the differences in collection methods, primarily, the definition of a farm. Further discussion on comparability can be found the comparability section of the Supplemental Information element of this metadata report. Excluded from the tabular data are the District of Columbia, Menominee County, Wisconsin, and the independent cities of Virginia with the exception of the three county-equivalent cities of Chesapeake City, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach. Data for independent cities of Virginia prior to 1959 have been included with their surrounding or adjacent county. Please refer to the Supplemental Information element for information on terminology, the Census of Agriculture, the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), table and variable structure, data comparability, all farms and economic class 1-5 farms, item calculations, increase of farms from 1974 to 1978, missing data and exclusion explanations, 1978 crop irregularities, pastureland irregularities, county alignment, definitions, and references. In addition to the metadata is an excel workbook (VariableKey.xlsx) with spreadsheets containing key spreadsheets for items and variables by category and a spreadsheet noting the presence or absence of entire variable data by year. Note: this dataset was updated on 2016-02-10 to populate omitted irrigation values for Miami-Dade County, Florida in 1997.

This coverage contains estimates of land in agricultural production in counties in the conterminous United States as reported in the 1987 Census of Agriculture (U.S. Department of Commerce, 1989a). Land in agriculture data are reported as either a number (for example, number of Farms), acres, or as a percentage of county area. Land in agriculture estimates were generated from surveys of all farms where $1,000 or more of agricultural products were sold, or normally would have been sold, during the census year. Most of the attributes summarized represent 1987 data, but some information for the 1982 Census of Agriculture also was included. The polygons representing county boundaries in the conterminous United States, as well as lakes, estuaries, and other nonland-area features were derived from the Digital Line Graph (DLG) files representing the 1:2,000,000-scale map in the National Atlas of the United States (1970). Agricultural land Census of Agriculture Counties United States

State fact sheets provide information on population, income, education, employment, federal funds, organic agriculture, farm characteristics, farm financial indicators, top commodities, and exports, for each State in the United States. Links to county-level data are included when available.This record was taken from the USDA Enterprise Data Inventory that feeds into the https://data.gov catalog. Data for this record includes the following resources: Query tool For complete information, please visit https://data.gov.

The Census of Agriculture provides a detailed picture every five years of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Conducted by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, the 2012 Census of Agriculture collected more than six million data items directly from farmers. The Ag Census Web Maps application makes this information available at the county level through a few clicks. The maps and accompanying data help users visualize, download, and analyze Census of Agriculture data in a geospatial context. Resources in this dataset:Resource Title: Ag Census Web Maps. File Name: Web Page, url: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2012/Online_Resources/Ag_Census_Web_Maps/Overview/index.php/ The interactive map application assembles maps and statistics from the 2012 Census of Agriculture in five broad categories:

Crops and Plants – Data on harvested acreage for major field crops, hay, and other forage crops, as well as acreage data for vegetables, fruits, tree nuts, and berries. Economics – Data on agriculture sales, farm income, government payments from conservation and farm programs, amounts received from loans, a broad range of production expenses, and value of buildings and equipment. Farms – Information on farm size, ownership, and Internet access, as well as data on total land in farms, land use, irrigation, fertilized cropland, and enrollment in crop insurance programs. Livestock and Animals – Statistics on cattle and calves, cows and heifers, milk cows, and other cattle, as well as hogs, sheep, goats, horses, and broilers. Operators – Statistics on hired farm labor, tenure, land rented or leased, primary occupation of farm operator, and demographic characteristics such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, and residence location.

The Ag Census Web Maps application allows you to:

Select a map to display from a the above five general categories and associated subcategories. Zoom and pan to a specific area; use the inset buttons to center the map on the continental United States; zoom to a specific state; and show the state mask to fade areas surrounding the state. Create and print maps showing the variation in a single data item across the United States (for example, average value of agricultural products sold per farm). Select a county and view and download the county’s data for a general category. Download the U.S. county-level dataset of mapped values for all categories in Microsoft ® Excel format.

Graph and download economic data for Net farm income, USDA (B1448C1A027NBEA) from 1967 to 2023 about USDA, agriculture, Net, income, GDP, and USA.

The 1992 Census of Agriculture presents statistics for States and the United States. The census has taken a census every fifth year after 1983 covering the prior year. This adjustment in timing established the agriculture census on a 5-year cycle collecting data for years ending in 2 and 7. In keeping with the provisions of Title 13, United States Code, no data are published that would disclose the operations of an individual farm. However, the number of farms in a given size category or othe r classification, such as size of farm, is not considered a release of confidential information and is provided even though other information is withheld. The census of agriculture is the leading source of statistics about the Nation's agricultural production and the only source of consistent, comparable data at the county, State, and national levels. Census statistics are used by Congress in developing and changing farm programs and for determining the effects of these programs. Many national and State programs are designed or allocated on the basis of census data, such as funds for extension services, research, and soil conservation projects. The current CD contains US SUmmary and County Level Data. Note to Users: This CD is part of a collection located in the Data Archive of the Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The collection is located in Room 10, Manning Hall. Users may check the CDs out subscribing to the honor system. Items can be checked out for a period of two weeks. Loan forms are located adjacent to the collection.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service 2012 Census of Agriculture - AnimalsPrepared by Larry Heard, NMCDC, larryheard@gmail.comSource: United States Department of Agriculture 2012 Census of Agriculture, http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/The Census of Agriculture provides a detailed picture every five years of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them.Maps and statistics from the 2012 Census of Agriculture are organized into five broad categories:Crops and Plants – Data on harvested acreage for major field crops, hay, and other forage crops, as well as acreage data for vegetables, fruits, tree nuts, and berries.Economics – Data on agriculture sales, farm income, government payments from conservation and farm programs, amounts received from loans, a broad range of production expenses, and value of buildings and equipment.Farms – Information on farm size, ownership, and Internet access, as well as data on total land in farms, land use, irrigation, fertilized cropland, and enrollment in crop insurance programs.Livestock and Animals – Statistics on cattle and calves, cows and heifers, milk cows, and other cattle, as well as hogs, sheep, goats, horses, and broilers.Operators – Statistics on hired farm labor, tenure, land rented or leased, primary occupation of farm operator, and demographic characteristics such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, and residence location.ArcGIS Map Service: http://arcgis-ersarcgism3xl-1157953884.us-east-1.elb.amazonaws.com/arcgis/rest/services/NASS/livestockanimals/MapServer

Graph and download economic data for Percent of Employment in Agriculture in the United States (DISCONTINUED) (USAPEMANA) from 1970 to 2012 about agriculture, percent, employment, and USA.

Quick Stats is the National Agricultural Statistics Service's (NASS) online, self-service tool to access complete results from the 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012 Censuses of Agriculture as well as the best source of NASS survey published estimates. The census collects data on all commodities produced on U.S. farms and ranches, as well as detailed information on expenses, income, and operator characteristics. The surveys that NASS conducts collect information on virtually every facet of U.S. agricultural production.

Number of Businesses statistics on the Dairy Farms industry in the US

Abstract

For 156 years (1840 - 1996), the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census was responsible for collecting census of agriculture data. The 1997 Appropriations Act contained a provision that transferred the responsibility for the census of agriculture from the Bureau of the Census to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The 2007 Census of Agriculture is the 27th Federal census of agriculture and the third conducted by NASS. The first agriculture census was taken in 1840 as part of the sixth decennial census of population. The agriculture census continued to be taken as part of the decennial census through 1950. A separate middecade census of agriculture was conducted in 1925, 1935, and 1945. From 1954 to 1974, the census was taken for the years ending in 4 and 9. In 1976, Congress authorized the census of agriculture to be taken for 1978 and 1982 to adjust the data reference year so that it coincided with other economic censuses. This adjustment in timing established the agriculture census on a 5-year cycle collecting data for years ending in 2 and 7. Agriculture census data are used to:

• Evaluate, change, promote, and formulate farm and rural policies and programs that help agricultural producers; • Study historical trends, assess current conditions, and plan for the future; • Formulate market strategies, provide more efficient production and distribution systems, and locate facilities for agricultural communities; • Make energy projections and forecast needs for agricultural producers and their communities; • Develop new and improved methods to increase agricultural production and profitability; • Allocate local and national funds for farm programs, e.g. extension service projects, agricultural research, soil conservation programs, and land-grant colleges and universities; • Plan for operations during drought and emergency outbreaks of diseases or infestations of pests. • Analyze and report on the current state of food, fuel, feed, and fiber production in the United States.

American Samoa is one of the territories collectively referred as the "US Outlying areas". The 2008 American Samoa Census of Agriculture was conducted by personal interviews of all farm operations on the list of commercial farms, and supplemented by an area sample of the remaining households. The purpose of the area sample was to efficiently accountfor farms not on the commercialfarmlist and provide an accurate measure of the agricultural activity in American Samoa.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

Households

Universe

The statistical unit for the CA 2008 was the farm, an operating unit defined as any place from which USD 1 000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the census year.

Kind of data

Census/enumeration data [cen]

Sampling procedure

i. Methodological modality for conducting the census The classical approach was used in the CA 2008.

ii. sample design The design of the sample for the 2008 Census of Agriculture made use of materials and information available from the American Samoa Department of Commerce. These included detailed maps of all the islands in the territory, up-to-date map-spotting (location on a map) of all households in the territory, a system of numbering each household to provide it a unique identifier, and identification of householdswhich were on the list of commercial farms. The households that were on the list of commercial farms were excluded from the universe used to select the area sample. A random sample of the remaining households was selected, using the available maps with the household identification information. It was determined that a 20 percent sample would be optimal. A serpentine selection methodology, starting at a point determined by the generation of a random number, was used to select the area sample.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face paper [f2f]

Research instrument

One questionnaire was used which collected information on:

• Land owned
• Field crops
• Fruit
• Root crops
• Cattle and calves
• Poultry
• Aquaculture
• Expenditure
• Production expenses
• Machinery, equipment and buildings
• Household characteristics

Cleaning operations

1. DATA PROCESSING AND ARCHIVING The completed forms were scanned and Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) was used to retrieve categorical responses and to identify the other answer zones in which some type of mark was present. The edit system determined the best value to impute for reported responses that were deemed unreasonable and for required responses that were absent. The complex edit ensured the full internal consistency of the record. After tabulation and review of the aggregates, a comprehensive disclosure review was conducted. Cell suppression was used to protect the cells that were determined to be sensitive to a disclosure of information.

2. CENSUS DATA QUALITY NASS conducted an extensive program to follow-up all non-response. NASS also used capture-recapture methodology to adjust for under-coverage, non-response, and misclassification. To implement capture-recapture methods, two independent surveys were required --the 2012 Census of Agriculture (based on the Census Mail List) and the 2012 June Agricultural Survey (based on the area frame). Historically, NASS has been careful to maintain the independence of these two surveys.

Data appraisal

The complete data series from the 2008 Census of Agriculture is available from the NASS website free of charge in multiple formats, including Quick Stats 2.0 - an online database to retrieve customized tables with Census data at the national, state and county levels. The 2012 Census of Agriculture provides information on a range of topics, including agricultural practices, conservation, organic production, as well as traditional and specialty crops.

Payments made by the Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency to US agricultural producers participating in Farm Bill programs including commodity, price support, disaster assistance and conservation. Payments may be searched by payee, program, year, commodity, state, county, farm, payment date and amount paid.

The Census of Agriculture is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Even small plots of land - whether rural or urban - growing fruit, vegetables or some food animals count if $1,000 or more of such products were raised and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the Census year. The Census of Agriculture, taken only once every five years, looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures. For America's farmers and ranchers, the Census of Agriculture is their voice, their future, and their opportunity. The Census Data Query Tool (CDQT) is a web-based tool that is available to access and download table level data from the Census of Agriculture Volume 1 publication. The data found via the CDQT may also be accessed in the NASS Quick Stats database. The CDQT is unique in that it automatically displays data from the past five Census of Agriculture publications. The CDQT is presented as a "2017 centric" view of the Census of Agriculture data. All data series that are present in the 2017 dataset are available within the CDQT, and any matching data series from prior Census years will also display (back to 1997). If a data series is not included in the 2017 dataset, then data cells will remain blank in the tool. For example, one of the data series had a label change from "Operator" to "Producer." This means that data from prior Census years labelled "Operator" will not show up where the label has changed to “Producer” for 2017. The new Census Data Query Tool application can be used to query Census data from 1997 through 2017. Data are searchable by Census table and are downloadable as CSV or PDF files. 2017 Census Ag Atlas Maps are also available for download. Resources in this dataset:Resource Title: 2017 Census of Agriculture - Census Data Query Tool (CDQT). File Name: Web Page, url: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/CDQT/chapter/1/table/1 The Census Data Query Tool (CDQT) is a web based tool that is available to access and download table level data from the Census of Agriculture Volume 1 publication. The data found via the CDQT may also be accessed in the NASS Quick Stats database. The CDQT is unique in that it automatically displays data from the past five Census of Agriculture publications. The CDQT is presented as a "2017 centric" view of the Census of Agriculture data. All data series that are present in the 2017 dataset are available within the CDQT, and any matching data series from prior Census years will also display (back to 1997). If a data series is not included in the 2017 dataset, then data cells will remain blank in the tool. For example, one of the data series had a label change from "Operator" to "Producer." This means that data from prior Census years labelled "Operator" will not show up where the label has changed to "Producer" for 2017. Using CDQT:

Upon entering the CDQT, a data table is present. Changing the parameters at the top of the data table will retrieve different combinations of Census Chapter, Table, State, or County (when selecting Chapter 2). For the U.S., Volume 1, US/State Chapter 1 will include only U.S. data; Chapter 2 will include U.S. and State level data. For a State, Volume 1 US/State Level Data Chapter 1 will include only the State level data; Chapter 2 will include the State and county level data. Once a selection is made, press the “Update Grid” button to retrieve the new data table. Comma-separated values (CSV) download, compatible with most spreadsheet and database applications: to download a CSV file of the data as it is currently presented in the data grid, press the "CSV" button in the "Export Data" section of the toolbar. When CSV is chosen, data will be downloaded as numeric. To view the source PDF file for the data table, press the "View PDF" button in the toolbar.

The Census of Agriculture, produced by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA), provides a complete count of America's farms, ranches and the people who grow our food. The census is conducted every five years, most recently in 2017, and provides an in-depth look at the agricultural industry.This layer summarizes farm and ranch sales plus the number and value of machines and trucks owned by operators from the 2017 Census of Agriculture at the county level.This layer was produced from data downloaded using the USDA's QuickStats Application. The data was transformed using the Pivot Table tool in ArcGIS Pro and joined to the county boundary file provided by the USDA. The layer was published as feature layer in ArcGIS Online. Dataset SummaryPhenomenon Mapped: Farm and Ranch Sales, Machinery and Truck inventory and ValueCoordinate System: Web Mercator Auxiliary SphereExtent: United States including Hawaii and AlaskaVisible Scale: All ScalesSource: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service QuickStats ApplicationPublication Date: 2017AttributesThis layer provides values for the following attributes. Note that some values are not disclosed (coded as -1 in the layer) to protect the privacy of producers in areas with limited production.Number of Operations - AnimalsSales in US Dollars - AnimalsNumber of Operations - CropsSales in US Dollars - CropsTotal Value in US Dollars - MachineryTractors - InventoryTrucks Including Pickups - InventoryAdditionally attributes of State Name, State Code, County Name and County Code are included to facilitate cartography and use with other layers.What can you do with this layer?This layer can be used throughout the ArcGIS system. Feature layers can be used just like any other vector layer. You can use feature layers as an input to geoprocessing tools in ArcGIS Pro or in Analysis in ArcGIS Online. Combine the layer with others in a map and set custom symbology or create a pop-up tailored for your users. For the details of working with feature layers the help documentation for ArcGIS Pro or the help documentation for ArcGIS Online are great places to start. The ArcGIS Blog is a great source of ideas for things you can do with feature layers. This layer is part of ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World that provides an easy way to find and explore many other beautiful and authoritative layers, maps, and applications on hundreds of topics.

Hay and crop farmers have experienced a healthy five years of growth since 2019. Industry revenue has been bolstered in the current period primarily by a rising agricultural price index, making industry products more expensive. This growth has also been built up by heightened demand for livestock feed and steady population growth. Industry revenue has increased at a CAGR of 2.0% and is expected to reach $44.7 billion in 2024 as revenue rises an estimated 0.8%. Growth in prices for industry products and the rising demand from beef cattle production have provided the foundation for the industry's expansion in the current period. As agricultural prices have grown, fueled by bottlenecked supply chains and lower yield for core industry crops, industry farmers have charged more for their products and generated more revenue. A higher demand for beef has translated to increased beef cattle production and a growing need for livestock feed, of which hay is a major input. However, a decrease in exports has limited industry growth because a pricey US dollar makes domestic crops relatively expensive for international buyers. Industry profit hasn't grown in line with revenue and dropped from 11.6% to 9.6% due to inflationary pressures in the agricultural industry at large and significant spikes in essential resources for farm operations like crude oil. The coming years don't look as promising for the industry, as revenue is set to decline. The strong agricultural price index that has kept revenue for industry farmers so strong in the current period will start to drop in 2025 as supply chain issues of previous years abate and demand for agricultural products from China decreases. The depreciation of the US dollar will help prevent imports and encourage exports of US-grown crops, but not enough to offset larger negative revenue pressures. Revenue is forecast to drop at a CAGR of 1.4% to reach $41.7 billion in 2029.

The 1992 Census of Agriculture presents statistics for States and the United States. The census has taken a census every fifth year after 1983 covering the prior year. This adjustment in timing established the agriculture census on a 5-year cycle collecting data for years ending in 2 and 7. In keeping with the provisions of Title 13, United States Code, no data are published that would disclose the operations of an individual farm. However, the number of farms in a given size category or othe r classification, such as size of farm, is not considered a release of confidential information and is provided even though other information is withheld. The census of agriculture is the leading source of statistics about the Nation's agricultural production and the only source of consistent, comparable data at the county, State, and national levels. Census statistics are used by Congress in developing and changing farm programs and for determining the effects of these programs. Many national and State programs are designed or allocated on the basis of census data, such as funds for extension services, research, and soil conservation projects. The current CD contains Farms by ZIP code (1992) Census and Farms by ZIP code ( (1987) census.

Note to Users: This CD is part of a collection located in the Data Archive of the Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The collection is located in Room 10, Manning Hall. Users may check the CDs out subscribing to the honor system. Items can be checked out for a period of two weeks. Loan forms are located adjacent to the collection.

This map shows where crops exist in the US. It also shows the quantity of farm workers along with their annual income. This is shown by metro and nonmetro areas.The layers within this map can be found in ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World:USA Cropland (requires an ArcGIS Online subscription) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Employment and WagesBureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) Occupation Employment Statistics (OES) seriesThe basemap was designed from the Light Gray Canvas basemap. Minor changes were made using the Vector Style Editor within Map Viewer.