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.

From 1921 until 1970, the number of people migrating away from farms was higher than the number of people moving to farms in almost every year. The only times where the farming population saw higher immigration than emigration were during the Great Depression and after the Second World War.

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.

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.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the data for the Farmer, SD population pyramid, which represents the Farmer population distribution across age and gender, using estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. It lists the male and female population for each age group, along with the total population for those age groups. Higher numbers at the bottom of the table suggest population growth, whereas higher numbers at the top indicate declining birth rates. Furthermore, the dataset can be utilized to understand the youth dependency ratio, old-age dependency ratio, total dependency ratio, and potential support ratio.

Key observations

• Youth dependency ratio, which is the number of children aged 0-14 per 100 persons aged 15-64, for Farmer, SD, is 173.9.
• Old-age dependency ratio, which is the number of persons aged 65 or over per 100 persons aged 15-64, for Farmer, SD, is 4.3.
• Total dependency ratio for Farmer, SD is 178.3.
• Potential support ratio, which is the number of youth (working age population) per elderly, for Farmer, SD is 23.0.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Age groups:

• Under 5 years
• 5 to 9 years
• 10 to 14 years
• 15 to 19 years
• 20 to 24 years
• 25 to 29 years
• 30 to 34 years
• 35 to 39 years
• 40 to 44 years
• 45 to 49 years
• 50 to 54 years
• 55 to 59 years
• 60 to 64 years
• 65 to 69 years
• 70 to 74 years
• 75 to 79 years
• 80 to 84 years
• 85 years and over

Variables / Data Columns

• Age Group: This column displays the age group for the Farmer population analysis. Total expected values are 18 and are define above in the age groups section.
• Population (Male): The male population in the Farmer for the selected age group is shown in the following column.
• Population (Female): The female population in the Farmer for the selected age group is shown in the following column.
• Total Population: The total population of the Farmer for the selected age group is shown in the following column.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Farmer Population by Age. You can refer the same here

Graph and download economic data for Employment Level - Agriculture and Related Industries (LNU02034560) from Jan 1948 to Aug 2025 about agriculture, 16 years +, household survey, employment, industry, and USA.

Texas was by far the leading U.S. state in terms of total number of farms, with about 231 thousand farms by the end of 2024. Iowa was ranked second, among the leading ten states, with 86.7 thousand farms as of 2023. Farms classification In the United States farms are classified based on the farm income and government payments into six sales classes. According to the USDA, about half of all farms in the U.S. were classified in the 1,000 to 9,999 U.S. dollars sales class in 2023. Farming sector in the U.S. The total number of farms in the United States has decreased steadily since 2007. As of 2022, there were about 1.89 million farms in the U.S., down slightly from 1.9 million in the previous year. Contrastingly, the average farm acreage in the United States has increased in the past few years. The number of employees, including both part-time and full-time workers, in this sector was over 965 thousand as of 2019.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the Farmer population distribution across 18 age groups. It lists the population in each age group along with the percentage population relative of the total population for Farmer. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population distribution of Farmer by age. For example, using this dataset, we can identify the largest age group in Farmer.

Key observations

The largest age group in Farmer, SD was for the group of age Under 5 years years with a population of 22 (34.38%), according to the ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. At the same time, the smallest age group in Farmer, SD was the 15 to 19 years years with a population of 0 (0%). Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates

Age groups:

• Under 5 years
• 5 to 9 years
• 10 to 14 years
• 15 to 19 years
• 20 to 24 years
• 25 to 29 years
• 30 to 34 years
• 35 to 39 years
• 40 to 44 years
• 45 to 49 years
• 50 to 54 years
• 55 to 59 years
• 60 to 64 years
• 65 to 69 years
• 70 to 74 years
• 75 to 79 years
• 80 to 84 years
• 85 years and over

Variables / Data Columns

• Age Group: This column displays the age group in consideration
• Population: The population for the specific age group in the Farmer is shown in this column.
• % of Total Population: This column displays the population of each age group as a proportion of Farmer total population. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Farmer Population by Age. You can refer the same here

Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in United States was reported at 1.5696 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

United States Employment: Non Agriculture data was reported at 161,866.000 Person th in Apr 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 161,160.000 Person th for Mar 2025. United States Employment: Non Agriculture data is updated monthly, averaging 107,090.500 Person th from Jan 1948 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 928 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 161,866.000 Person th in Apr 2025 and a record low of 49,088.000 Person th in May 1949. United States Employment: Non Agriculture data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G: Current Population Survey: Employment.

a The total number of farms or population occurring within each of seven farm/population-size bins. Data from Table 19, 2012 U.S. Census of Agriculture [16].b Grand totals for the farm and population data types representing the total number of swine farms and total swine population for the entire U.S.The number of swine farms is not confidential information and is published for all hierarchical levels of the Census of Agriculture. In contrast, the number of individual pigs can reveal socioeconomic information about individual farms and can be redacted, most commonly for county totals and subtotals due to fewer farms in these finer resolution categories.

United States Employment: Farming, Fishing & Forestry data was reported at 1,079.000 Person th in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,056.000 Person th for May 2018. United States Employment: Farming, Fishing & Forestry data is updated monthly, averaging 1,051.500 Person th from Jan 1983 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 426 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,410.000 Person th in Jul 1983 and a record low of 782.000 Person th in Jan 2010. United States Employment: Farming, Fishing & Forestry data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.G013: Current Population Survey: Employment.

Livestock distribution in the United States (U.S.) can only be mapped at a county-level or worse resolution. We developed a spatial microsimulation model called the Farm Location and Agricultural Production Simulator (FLAPS) that simulated the distribution and populations of individual livestock farms throughout the conterminous U.S. Using domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) as an example species, we customized iterative proportional-fitting algorithms for the hierarchical structure of the U.S. Census of Agriculture and imputed unpublished state- or county-level livestock population totals that were redacted to ensure confidentiality. We used a weighted sampling design to collect data on the presence and absence of farms and used them to develop a national-scale distribution model that predicted the distribution of individual farms at a 100 m resolution. We implemented microsimulation algorithms that simulated the populations and locations of individual farms using output from our imputed Census of Agriculture dataset and distribution model. Approximately 19% of county-level pig population totals were unpublished in the 2012 Census of Agriculture and needed to be imputed. Using aerial photography, we confirmed the presence or absence of livestock farms at 10,238 locations and found livestock farms were correlated with open areas, cropland, and roads, and also areas with cooler temperatures and gentler topography. The distribution of swine farms was highly variable, but cross-validation of our distribution model produced an area under the receiver-operating characteristics curve value of 0.78, which indicated good predictive performance. Verification analyses showed FLAPS accurately imputed and simulated Census of Agriculture data based on absolute percent difference values of < 0.01% at the state-to-national scale, 3.26% for the county-to-state scale, and 0.03% for the individual farm-to-county scale. Our output data have many applications for risk management of agricultural systems including epidemiological studies, food safety, biosecurity issues, emergency-response planning, and conflicts between livestock and other natural resources.

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.

United States Employment: Agriculture data was reported at 2,176.000 Person th in Apr 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2,251.000 Person th for Mar 2025. United States Employment: Agriculture data is updated monthly, averaging 3,251.500 Person th from Jan 1948 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 928 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9,058.000 Person th in Jun 1949 and a record low of 1,889.000 Person th in Feb 2005. United States Employment: Agriculture data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G: Current Population Survey: Employment.

From 1920 until 1970, the workforce of the United States grew from approximately 27 million people to 79 million people. Despite this growth, the share of the workforce employed in agriculture fell, dropping from around 11 to 3.5 million people. In 1920, there were approximately three nonagricultural workers in the U.S. for every two agricultural workers; by 1970, this ratio had shifted to roughly 22 to one. Employment in nonagricultural sectors grew in most years, yet there were regular declines that coincided with recessions or war; the largest dip came during the Great Depression in the early-1930s. Agricultural employment peaked at 11.5 million in 1907, but went into decline thereafter, with the sharpest fall coming after the Second World War.

This dataset shows the long-run projections for the US agricultural sector to 2030 includes assumptions for the US and international macroeconomic conditions and projections for major commodities, farm income, and U.S. agricultural trade value. Values are from the publication USDA Agricultural Projections to 2031, August 2022.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations (LNU04032223) from Jan 2000 to Aug 2025 about forestry, fishing, occupation, agriculture, 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

These data were drawn from three separate U.S. censuses--1860, 1870, and 1880--for the state of Missouri, and pertain to six Missouri townships. The data were linked to form a pooled cross-section time-series, in which multiple observations for individuals are linked together. There is one record for each enumerated person in the sample from the population schedules, and each slave and farm has its own record as well. Agricultural data in the collection provide information on a variety of topics, such as the amount and dollar value of livestock, including cows, sheep, and pigs, agricultural commodities, such as wheat, oats, and barley, and dairy products like cheese and butter. Information about the value of orchards, farm land, and equipment is also included. Part 1, the agricultural census data for 1860, also provides information on the number of slaves in households, giving the number of male and female slaves in specific age groups (adults, teens, children, and babies). The agricultural census data for 1870 in Part 2 supply additional demographic variables, including U.S. citizen status, voting status, parents' birthplaces, and whether the person could write. Part 3, the agricultural census data for 1880, provides more in-depth information on livestock, including the number of sheep and cattle that were sold, slaughtered, born, or died. Other variables relate to the acreage of crops planted in corn, rice, wheat, and barley. Demographic variables common to all three agricultural censuses include age, sex, race, occupation, birthplace, literacy, and number of males and females in the household for all age groups (adults, teens, children, and babies). The U.S. Census population manuscript data offer demographic information similar to the demographic variables from the agricultural census data, and also include whether the person attended school. In addition, Part 6, Population Manuscript Data, 1870, covers citizen status, voting status, parents' birthplaces, and whether the person was deaf, dumb, blind, or insane. The 1880 population data in Part 7 provide variables for various health conditions: sick, blind, deaf, idiocy, insanity, and whether the person was maimed. Parents' birthplace and the person's relationship with the head of the household and head of the family are also included. Part 4, Panel Data: Farms Reported in Two or More Census Years, and Part 8, Panel Data: Household Heads and Other Males Enumerated in Two or More Census Years, supply data on farms and individuals who were enumerated in two or more census years. These two files provide information similar to that presented above.

From 1910 until 1941, net income from farming fluctuated greatly. Income peaked at 8.8 billion U.S. dollars in the late 1910s, after the U.S. joined the First World War in 1917, which caused agricultural demand to skyrocket. Production then rose to meet this demand, but the war's end resulted in a surplus of goods which drove down crop prices and led to a farming crisis in the early-1920s.

Great Depression After recovery in the late-1920s, the Great Depression saw agricultural and rural sectors become some of the hardest-hit industries in the economy, as crop prices fell once more and international trade tariffs were raised. A scenario emerged where returns were so low that farmers were losing money by taking their goods to market - a large share of agricultural produce spoiled or was destroyed as a result, all while much of the population was going hungry. This was compounded by a series of droughts and sandstorms (known as the Dust Bowl) in the South and Midwest, which led to crop failure in many areas. Many farmers' homes were foreclosed, and rural eviction rates were high. This saw the concept of the penny auction emerging - this was where neighbors would go to home auctions, intimidate potential buyers, purchase the house, and return it to its original owner - however, most farmers were not lucky enough to have this support, especially Black sharecroppers, and many families migrated westward or to urban areas in search of opportunities.

Recovery Federal relief via the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) helped stabilize the agricultural sector after 1933, as part of the New Deal. The AAA granted subsidies for farmers who limited their production, therefore increasing crop prices and rejuvenating the agricultural sector (although this system unintentionally favored larger landowners over sharecroppers). The government also bought large numbers of livestock for slaughter, as a means of rapidly injecting capital into the industry. Initially, a tax was levied against large companies that processes agricultural produce (namely food, textile, and cigarette companies) in order to fund the AAA, but the Supreme Court ruled this as unconstitutional in 1936, and the government funded these subsidies from 1938 onward.