United States

Department of

Agriculture

National Agricultural

Statistics Service [ UPDATED JUNE 2006 ]

Agriculture

Counts

K - 12

Lesson Plans

 Featuring agricultural statistics

from the

USDA

 National Agricultural Statistics Service
NASS - Fact Finders for Agriculture

An Equal Opportunity Employer

U nite d S ta te s

De pa rtm e nt of

A gric ulture

National

Agricultural

Statistics

Service

Dear Agriculture Educator:

We are happy to provide you with a copy of the Agriculture Counts Lesson Plans which

are designed to incorporate agriculture into your curriculum. The lessons are structured

for grades kindergarten through 12. Our goal is to create fun lessons that incorporate

agriculture into English, math, geography, science, and social studies.

These lessons use surveys and censuses as the basis for showing why agricultural

statistics are important in today’s world. As information becomes more important in our

daily lives, we must continue to teach each other where to nd prime sources of reliable

and complete data. The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is the

best choice for agricultural data. Agricultural operators, agribusinesses, elected

ocials, and government and private agenci es use the ocial statistics produced by

NASS for making decisions that aect all of us.

NASS is the agency responsible for conducting hundreds of weekly, monthly, quarterly

and annual surveys on production, economic and environmental topics. NASS prepares

reports covering virtually every facet of U.S. agriculture. The abundance of information

produced has earned NASS the title, “The Fact Finders of Agriculture.”

One of the major reports produced by NASS, the 5-year census of agriculture, is the

only source of uniform, comprehensive data about American agriculture at the national

state, and county level. The strength of the census is its provision of local statistics,

including facts about minor crops and livestock specialties, economic structure, and

operator demographics.

We would like to give special thanks to Pat Thompson, Curriculum Coordinator,

Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom, Oklahoma State University for creating the lesson

plans.

If you need further census or survey data or assistance, please call our Agricultural

Statistics Hotline at(800) 727-9540 or visit our web site at www.nass.usda.gov.

These lesson plans and more are available on the web site. Thank you for including the

lesson plans in your instructional plans, and for helping to show our future leaders that

Agriculture Counts!

Sincerely,

R. Ronald Bosecker

Administrator
AGRICULTURE COUNTS

LESSON PLANS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Introduction

II. Lessons

A. Agriculture Counts (Grades K-3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

B. Where Does It Come From? (Grades 4-6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

C. This Land is Our Land (Grades 7-8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

D. The Fact Finders (Grades 9-12) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

E. Arthur Young and the President (Grades 9-12, Language Arts) . . . . . . . . .57

F. Making Sense of the Census (Grades 9-12, Math) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

III. Glossary of Terms

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

AGRICULTURE COUNTS

LESSON PLANS

INTRODUCTION

During the Civil War, the U.S.

Department of Agriculture (USDA) collected and distributed crop and livestock

statistics to help farmers assess the value

of the goods they produced. At that time,

commodity buyers usually had more current and detailed market information than

did farmers. This circumstance often prevented farmers from getting a fair price

for their goods. Producers in today's marketplace would be similarly handicapped

were it not for the information provided

by the USDA‛s National Agricultural

Statistics Service (NASS).

NASS conducts weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual surveys and the five-year

census of agriculture. Surveys provide current information about production, economics and environmental topics.

The five-year census of agriculture is

the most comprehensive, detailed information-gathering program for agriculture. It

is a complete accounting of agricultural

production in the United States and is the

only source of uniform, comprehensive

agricultural data for every county in the

nation. From 1840 to 1920 the census of

agriculture was taken every 10 years. Since

1925 the census has been taken every five

years (currently in the years ending in 2

and 7) to coincide with other economic

censuses covering manufacturing, mining

and construction.

The 2002 Census of Agriculture is the

nation's 26th census. Anyone who receives

a census report form is required by law to

complete and return it.

NASS requests information from farm

operators on the following subjects:

• Land use and ownership.

• Irrigated land.

• Crop acreage and quantities harvested.

• Livestock and poultry.

• Value of products sold.

• Product contracts and landlord

shares.

• More detailed farm-related

income.

• Computer and Internet use.

• Multiple operator characteristics.

Twenty-five percent of the report forms

include additional questions on the following:

• Production expenses.

• Fertilizer and chemicals.

• Machinery and equipment

• Market value of land and buildings.

• Income from farm-related sources.

Report forms are tailored for various

parts of the country and are specific to

the crops grown in a farmer's particular

area.

Besides helping the farmer get a fair

price for the goods produced on his or her

farm, census of agriculture data helps all

of us as we plan for the future sustained

by a safe and secure food supply.
Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

Agribusinesses use census data to

develop market strategies and to determine the most effective locations for service to agricultural producers. Farm organizations use it to evaluate and propose programs and policies that can help agricultural producers. Our elected representatives

use census data to develop programs to

protect and promote U.S. agriculture. Rural

electric companies use the data to forecast future energy needs for agricultural

producers and their communities. Colleges

and universities use it in research programs to develop new and improved methods to increase agricultural production.

State departments of agriculture use census data to plan for operations during

drought and emergency outbreaks of diseases or infestations of pests.

HISTORY OF THE U.S. CENSUS OF

AGRICULTURE

In 1791, President George Washington

received a letter from an Englishman

named Arthur Young, who had written to

several farmers requesting information on

land values, crops, yields, livestock prices,

and taxes. By personally conducting a mail

survey and compiling the results,

Washington was able to gather enough

information to reply fully to his English

correspondent. This was, in effect, the

nation's first agricultural survey.

Between September 24 and November

18, 1791, Washington sent Young three

letters that provided agricultural statistics on an area extending roughly 250

miles from north to south and 100 miles

from east to west. The strip ran through

an area which is today Pennsylvania, West

Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and the

District of Columbia, where most of the

young country's population lived.

In 1796, Washington tried to establish

a National Board of Agriculture to collect

data about our nation’s agriculture.

Congress rejected the idea at that time.

In 1839 Henry Ellsworth, Commissioner

of Patents, asked Congress to designate

$1,000 from the Patent Office Fund for

"collecting and distributing seeds, carrying

out agricultural investigations, and procuring agricultural statistics." Congress

approved his request, and in 1840 the first

official census of agriculture provided a

nationwide inventory of production. When

the 1840 census information arrived,

Ellsworth was able to combine it with

other information to estimate production

by states and territories. His estimates,

made yearly through 1844, established the

general pattern of annual agricultural

reports that continues to this day.

THE BEGINNING OF THE USDA

USDA was established by Abraham

Lincoln in 1862. The first USDA crop

report appeared in July, 1863. NASS

traces its roots all the way back to 1863,

when USDA established a Division of

Statistics.

The creation of USDA's Crop Reporting

Board in 1905 (now called the Agricultural

Statistics Board) was another landmark in

the development of a nationwide statistical

service for agriculture. A USDA reorganization in 1961 led to the creation of the

Statistical Reporting Service, known today

as NASS. The Agricultural Statistics Board 

is a part of this agency.

The Board prepares and releases the

NASS reports. It consists of a permanent

chairperson and secretary, and other

NASS staff members chosen to partici-
Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

pate in the preparation of a specific

report based on their detailed knowledge

of a particular topic.

Each year, NASS conducts hundreds of

surveys and prepares reports covering

everything about agriculture in the United

States— production and supplies of food

and fiber, prices paid and received by

farmers, farm labor and wages, chemical

use, and other various aspects of the

farming and ranching industry. In addition,

NASS' 45 State Statistical Offices publish data about many of the same topics

for their individual states. 

NASS publications cover a wide range

of subjects, from traditional crops, such

as corn and wheat, to specialties, such as

mushrooms and flowers; from calves born

to hogs slaughtered; from agricultural

prices to land in farms. Because of the

amount of information produced by the

agency, NASS has earned the title, "The

Fact Finders of Agriculture."

THE LESSONS

The enclosed lessons are intended as a

starting point, to help you, as educators,

discover the abundant learning opportunities available through exploration of the

NASS data.

The six lessons were developed for students in grades K-3, 4-6, 7-8 and 9-12.

One lesson is designed specifically for secondary level (9-12) language arts classes

and one for secondary level math classes.

All the data needed for completing the

central part of each lesson is available

with this packet, but for further exploration, additional data is available on the

NASS Web site: www.nass.usda.gov.

Information is power, as farmers during

the Civil War discovered when they were

provided with the information they needed

to get fair prices for their goods. The

same will be true for your students as they

learn where to find the reliable information they need to make good choices as

consumers and citizens.
GUIDE FOR NAVIGATING THE NASS WEB SITE 

Below are step-by-step instructions for locating some survey and census data 

from the NASS Web site www.nass.usda.gov/ 

Survey - Potatoes Report [Example: Potatoes, 2004] 

At the NASS Web site, on the grey menu bar near the top, click on 

“Publications”, then in the box to the right, click on “Title.” Scroll until you 

get to the report title [Potatoes], click on “Potatoes” [ PDF ] for report by 

month, day, and year “09.22.05," then scroll down to page 13. 

Census - Complete Volume 1 publication [U.S., State, and county level data] 

At the NASS Web site, on the grey menu bar near the top, click on “Census”. 

[Note: for 2002 U.S. Summary or State level data, click on “U.S. by Table” or 

“All States by Table.” For 2002 State or county level data, click on “State 

Level by Table” or “All Counties by State by Table.”] 

Census - County Summary Highlights [Highlights for 2002 data] 

At the NASS Web site, on the grey menu bar at the top, click on “Census”, 

click on All Counties by State by Table.” Select and click on your state (from 

the map or the state listing below the map), then click on the PDF Table 1 

State Summary Highlights: 2002 

Census - U.S. Agricultural Atlas Maps [Multi-color pattern and dot maps] 

At the NASS Web site, on the grey menu bar near the top, click on “Census”, 

then under “Specialty Products and Special Studies” click on “U.S. 

Agricultural Atlas Maps.” Scroll down until you get to your map choice, then 

click on the map title desired. 

Census - Ranking of State for Market Value of Agricultural Products Sold 

At the NASS Web site, on the grey bar near the top, click on “Census”, then 

under “Specialty Products and Special Studies,” click on “Ranking: Market 

Value of Ag Products,” Select and click on your state (from the map or state 

listing next to the map). 

Agriculture Counts – www.nass.usda.gov/ 
Agriculture Counts Lesson Plans, 

available in .PDF format, can be 

located on the NASS Web site at 

www.nass.usda.gov. In the box 

to the right, click on Visit the 

NASS Kids Site, then click on 

Ag for Teachers. 

The Agriculture Counts Lesson 

Plans are provided by grade and 

subject series. 

MATERIALS

Large bag of animal crackers

Snack mix (pretzels, peanuts, rice

cereal, corn cereal,

sunflower seeds,

raisins)

8-10 paper plates

9

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

AGRICULTURE COUNTS

GRADES: K-3

SUBJECTS: Math, Reading, Social Studies, Visual Arts

OBJECTIVE: Students will read a story about our nation‛s first

survey of agriculture, discuss reasons for counting things and gain

practice by sorting and counting a variety of objects related to

agriculture.

BACKGROUND

Do you remember when you first learned to count? For most

people, counting is one of the first things their parents teach

them. So if you‛re like most people you‛ve been counting things

almost as long as you‛ve been talking.

Why do we count things? What kinds of things do we count? In

ancient times people used tokens made from clay to keep count of

things. If they wanted to remember how many sheep they had,

they would gather as many of the tokens as they had sheep and

place them in a safe place. Over time people began to keep count

by making marks on the walls of caves to designate numbers. Some

people think this was the first writing.

Why would ancient people need to remember how many sheep

they had? They might need to keep track of them so they would

know if any had wandered off. In that case they would need to go

look for the one that was missing.

What are some of the things that you count? Maybe your mom

tells you you can have three cookies. Or maybe you know you have

25 baseball cards and want to make sure your little brother didn‛t

take any. Or maybe you know you will need 75 cents to buy a can

of pop, and you need to know if you have enough money before you

go to the store.

Counting is a very important part of all of our lives. The people

who grow our food have to count very closely and keep very good

records. They have to know how many acres to plant. They need to

know how much seed and fertilizer they will need. And they need

to know how many bushels of wheat or soybeans or peanuts their

fields produced during the year. They keep careful records so

they can make sure they are earning enough money to pay their
expenses. Those who raise animals need to know how many offspring their animals produce so they will know how much food to

buy and how many they can sell. They need to know how much

money they can expect to make, so they can plan for the coming

year. Counting is a very important part of the farmer‛s job.

Our government needs to keep a good count of crops and farm

animals so they will know what kind of help the farmers need to

make sure we have enough food to eat. The U.S. Department of

Agriculture‛s National Agricultural Statistics Service is the government agency responsible for keeping count.

ACTIVITY

1. Ask students why they count things. What kinds of things do

they count? Write answers on the chalkboard.

2. Share background material, and read the story about Arthur

Young and the President on Student Worksheet A.

3. Tell students they will be conducting their own agricultural census. Divide them into groups of four or five. Provide each group

with a plate of animal crackers and a copy of the chart on

Student Worksheet B.

4. Show students how to use tally marks to keep count. Explain

that this is similar to the way ancient people kept count by

drawing pictures on the walls of caves.

5. Have students draw pictures of the different animal crackers in

separate columns on their worksheets. Then have students sort

the animal crackers and use tally marks in the appropriate

columns to count them.

6. Have students translate their tally marks into numbers, and ask

one person from each group to make a “livestock report.”

7. Draw a classroom chart on the chalkboard and record the data

as the groups report it.

8. Repeat the process with the snack mix. Explain to students that

the different ingredients in the mix represent different crops.

Show students what each ingredient represents, and have students write the names of the different crops at the top of the

columns on the chart on Student Worksheet C. Have students

sort, count, record and report, as in steps five through seven.

9. Provide extra snack mix and animal crackers for students to

eat.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

1. Provide students with other assortments to sort and count—

VOCABULARY

agriculture

census

livestock

crop

fertilizer

expenses

counting

token

acre

10

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov
Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

11 mixed seeds, mixed beans, mixed grains, variety candy mixes,

crayons, bags of plastic farm animals, etc.

2. On a map of the U.S., have students locate the area surveyed in

the story of Arthur Young and George Washington.

3. Have students make a mural like ancient cave drawings showing

their animal cracker count. Use the classroom chart you made,

and assign one animal to each of the groups. Students should

make simple drawings to represent the animals they counted.

Use brown paper and tempera paint in earth tones to make the

mural look more like a cave drawing. 

4. Make copies of the worksheets at the end of the lessons to

give students additional practice counting.

EXTRA READING

Demi, One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folk Tale, Scholastic,

1996.

Mitsumasa Anno. Anno's Counting Book, HarperTrophy, 1986 

Mitsumasa Anno. Anno's Mysterious Multiplying Jar, Paper Star,

1999.
Agriculture Counts A

Arthur Young and the President

In January of 1791, President George Washington received a letter from

an Englishman named Arthur Young. Arthur Young had many questions about

America.

“How much does it cost to buy land in America?” Arthur wrote.

“What kinds of crops grow there? How much does the land produce?”

“What kinds of animals do you raise on your farms? When you sell them,

how much do you get paid?

President Washington didn’t know the answers to all these questions, but

he wanted to help. He thought as president of the new country he needed

to know the answers to those questions.

But how could he find out what he needed to know?

He thought and thought and finally got an idea. He decided to send letters to all the farmers in the land and ask them the questions Arthur Young

had asked him. This was our country’s first agricultural survey.

At that time nine of every ten of the citizens of our country were farmers. Most lived and farmed in what is today Pennsylvania, West Virginia,

Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Washington sent the letters out and waited. The mail was much slower in

1791 than it is today. There were no airplanes or even trucks to deliver the

mail across country. There were barely roads. And certainly there were no

telephones, e-mail or fax machines.

Finally, after several months had passed, President Washington started

getting letters back from the farmers. When he got all the information

back, he put it together.

Between September 24 and November 18, 1791, President Washington

sent three letters to Arthur Young. These were our country’s first crop

reports.

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov
Name _____________________________________________________________

Agriculture Counts B

My Census of Agriculture

Livestock

Picture of animal Count Total

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov
Name _____________________________________________________________

Agriculture Counts C

My Census of Agriculture

Crops

Name of Crop Count Total

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov
Name _____________________________________________________________

Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom,

1995

Agriculture Counts D

Count and write the number.

1.

______trees

2.

_______shoes

4.

_______tractors

_______trucks

_______bugs

3.

_______vegetables

5.

Agriculture Counts—www.usda.gov/nass/
Name _____________________________________________________________

Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom, 1995

Agriculture Counts E

Count and write the number.

1.

_______barn

2.

3. 4.

_______brushes

_______pennies _______ducklings

5.

_______belts

_______ice cream cones

6.

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov
MATERIALS

(for 30 students)

5 small bags of

corn chips (corn)

5 small bags of

potato chips

(potatoes)

5 small bags of

apple chips or individual containers

of applesauce

(apples)

5 small packages

of beef jerky

(beef)

5 small packages

of pretzels

(wheat)

5 small packages

of string cheese

large paper bag

classroom map of

the U.S.

colored map pins,

one color per group

map pencils

17

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

WHERE DOES IT COME

FROM?

GRADES: 4-6

SUBJECTS: Social Studies (Economics, Geography), Math,

Language Arts

OBJECTIVE: Students will interpret U. S. Department of

Agriculture‛s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

data to discover where the agricultural commodities used in some

common snacks were grown.

BACKGROUND

Different parts of our country are better for raising different agricultural commodities. Many of the fresh fruits and vegetables we eat grow in temperate parts of the country, like

California, Florida and parts of Texas. That‛s because the growing

season is longer in those parts of the continent. Wheat, barley,

corn and other grain crops grow well in our country‛s midsection,

in what once was grass land. In some parts of the country the

land is not suitable for growing crops but provides good grazing

land for cattle and other livestock. Potatoes grow best in cooler

climates, so they are a good crop for mountainous regions where

it stays cool longer in the spring. Some crops require a great deal

of rain, and some need plenty of sunshine. We are able to produce

many different kinds of products in our country because we have

so many different climates.

Because of modern technology for storing, moving, and processing agricultural crops, we are able to have just about any kind

of food we want to eat at any time of year.

The census of agriculture gathers numbers to help us know

what grows best in which part of the country.

ACTIVITY

1. Share background material, and explore the meanings of the

words “commodity,” “product,” “end product,” and “byproduct.”

To illustrate, bring to class some examples of end products

and the agricultural commodities from which they were made,
VOCABULARY

statistics

agriculture

survey

analyze

data

production

yield

commercial

commodity

crop

product

end product

byproduct

cwt

irrigate

dormant

18

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

e.g., cotton ball (or raw cotton boll, if available) and cotton

shirt, dry beans and bean dip, tomato and tomato sauce, apple

and apple cider. Ask students to differentiate between the

commodity and the end product.

2. Ask students to name their favorite foods. Write the foods on

the chalkboard. Now ask students if they know what agricultural commodity these foods are made from and where the

commodities grow. Write the guesses on the chalkboard.

3. Place all the snacks in a large paper bag, and have students

draw from the bag to determine which group they will work

with. Explain that each snack represents a major agricultural

commodity grown in the U.S. Write the words “corn,” “potatoes,” “apples,” “beef,” “wheat,” and “milk” on the chalkboard.

Lead a class discussion to help students determine what product each snack represents.

4. For each group, make copies of the information about the specific agricultural commodity the group will be studying, the

survey form, the data about their product and the map of the

U.S. Have students read the information and answer questions

on the survey form. Have the groups use the NASS data in

the tables to determine where their assigned food grows and

record that information on the survey form, using the questionnaire provided. Then have students locate the top five

states where their snacks grow on the maps of the U.S. and

color in those states.

5. Provide each group with a different color of map pins. Have

each group report on its findings and mark the states where

the designated food grows on a classroom map. Students

should also report on growing conditions necessary for each

product.

6. Lead a discussion in which you ask students what factors

determine what is grown (climate, availability of land, transportation, storage capacities) in which states and how much is

produced (climate, size of state, soil type).

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

1. If you have internet access for your students, have the

groups compare their results with the “Inventory by County”

maps on the NASS Web site. Go to the NASS Web site. Click

on “Census of Agriculture.” Click on “Agricultural Atlas Maps.”

Scroll down to find the appropriate commodity, e.g. Map # 139

for milk cows inventory, map # 144 for beef cows inventory.
19

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

2. Have students keep records for a week of what foods are

served in the cafeteria. Have them research to find out what

raw materials are used in the foods. Use the data to find out

where the food is grown.

3. Have students interview those responsible for buying the food

used in the cafeteria and determine how much, if any, local

food is used in preparing meals.

4. Have each student choose a favorite food and research the

three main ingredients in the food and where the ingredients

are produced.

5. Data on NASS tables is presented in thousands. Have students multiply numbers or add zeroes to find the actual numbers of selected data.

6. Have students stay in their groups and research the states in

which their ingredients were grown to find size, climate, population, other crops grown, etc. Then have each group choose a

presentation method to report their findings to the class—

skits, posters, etc.

7. Have students write as many statements as they can about

the data and information provided.

EXTRA READING

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell, Black Potatoes: The Story of the

Great Irish Famine, 1845-1850. Houghton-Mifflin, 2001.

Bial, Raymond, Corn Belt Harvest, Houghton Mifflin, 1991.

Corcoran, Barbara, Potato Kid, Macmillan, 1989.

Johnson, Sylvia, Wheat, Lerner, 1990.

Lauber, Patricia, Cowboys and Cattle Ranching Yesterday and

Today, Thomas Y. Crowell, 1973.

Sabin, Louis, Agriculture, Troll, 1985.

Slawson, Michele Benoit, Apple Picking Time, Crown, 1994.

Watts, Barrie, Potato, Silver Burdett, 1988.

Name _____________________________________________________________

Where Does It Come From?

1. My snack is__________________

2. The main agricultural commodity used to make this snack is__________

3. Name some states where you think this commodity might be grown.

_________________ ________________ ________________

4. Make a check mark next to the growing condition that comes closest to

describing what your agricultural commodity needs.

a.__ Cool conditions.

b.__ Not too wet.

c.__ Sunny mild days when in bloom; plenty of rain mid summer.

d.__ Sometimes raised on land that cannot be used for other purposes.

e.__ Plenty of pasture and plenty of water.

f.__ Plenty of water.

5. Look at the chart. Find the top five states where the main ingredient in

your snack is produced.

1.__________________ 2.__________________

3.________________ 4.________________

5.________________

6. Count the states listed._______ Are all 50 states represented? yes no

7. Is the state where you live on the list? yes no

If so, write the number showing how much of this agricultural product was

produced in your state. _______________

8. List some products this agricultural commodity is used to make.

________________ __________________

________________ __________________

Name _____________________________________________________________

Where Does It Come From?

Beef

We get meat from beef cattle and milk from dairy cattle. Although

females from all cattle breeds produce milk and meat, some cattle are

better at giving milk and some are better at providing meat.

In a cow/calf operation, the farmer keeps cows for the calves they will

produce. The mother cow carries the baby calf for a little longer than one

school year. At birth the average calf will weigh 75-100 pounds, about the

size of you and one of your friends. Calves grow by drinking milk from their

mothers and by eating green grass from pastures. During the winter, calves stay in feed

lots and eat grain. Sometimes they graze on wheat fields before it is time to let the

wheat grow tall.

When the calves are big enough, about 800 pounds, they are sold to feed lots, where

they are kept and fed.

From beef animals we get steaks, roasts and hamburgers. We also get leather for

shoes, belts, baseball gloves and footballs. Gelatin in products such as ice cream and

yogurt are made from the bones of the cow. Even chewing gum has an ingredient that

comes from a cow. Here are some other products we get just from the fats and proteins produced by cattle.

makeup detergent floor wax

crayons toothpaste perfume

Cattle and calves for beef are produced in every state in the nation. They can be

raised in many different climates and on many different kinds of land. In the West, cattle are often grazed on land that cannot be used for other purposes. This is land that

erodes easily or is too rocky or dry. As long as the beef producer

doesn‛t keep the animals for too long on one section of land, grazing

animals help keep this land healthy. They fertilize the land with their

droppings while their hooves break up the surface of the soil so tender

grass can poke through.
CATTLE AND CALVES 

 Inventory -- 2002

Thousand Head

Alabama. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,438

Alaska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Arizona. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 841

Arkansas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,842

California. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5,234

Colorado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,656

Connecticut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Delaware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Florida. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,739

Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,272

Hawaii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

Idaho. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,990

Illinois. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,359

Indiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 862

Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,536

Kansas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,321

Kentucky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,395

Louisiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 856

Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241

Massachusetts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Michigan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 998

Minnesota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,266

Mississippi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,073

Missouri. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,460

Montana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,397

Nebraska. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,203

Nevada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460

New Hampshire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

New Jersey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

New Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,591

New York. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,453

North Carolina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 848

North Dakota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,873

Ohio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,241

Oklahoma. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,324

Oregon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,361

Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,633

Rhode Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

South Carolina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432

South Dakota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,696

Tennessee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,234

Texas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,979

Utah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877

Vermont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284

Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,623

Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1, 100

West Virginia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404

Wisconsin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,338

Wyoming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,270

U.S. (Total) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95,498

Source: USDA, NASS, 2002 Census of Ag
Name _____________________________________________________________

Where Does It Come From?

Potatoes

The potato is not a root but a storage area, which is part of the plant‛s underground

stem. The roots collect more water and food than the growing plant can use at one time.

The plant stores the excess food in oval packages, called tubers

(the potato). When the greenery starts to wither and turn

brown, the potatoes are ready to harvest.

Potatoes produce more pounds of protein per acre than corn,

rice, wheat or oats. The average American eats about 125 pounds of potatoes and potato

products each year.

Potatoes were first grown by ancient tribes living in the Andes Mountains of Bolivia

and Peru as early as 200 AD. Archaeologists have found pictures of potato plants in

designs on ancient pottery. The tribespeople preserved the potatoes by trampling them

and then drying them.

Even though potatoes were first grown in South America, people in North America

did not start eating them until after they became a popular food in Europe. European

explorers carried potatoes from South America to Europe in 1570. About 150 years

later the rulers of several European countries ordered their people to start growing

potatoes. In Ireland, potatoes became the main food for the people. In the 1840's 

disease wiped out the potato crop in Ireland for two years in a row. Many Irish people

moved to America then, because they had no food to eat.

Most of the world‛s potatoes today are grown in Europe. Potatoes are a truck crop

grown in all 50 of the United States. A truck crop is a crop that is grown on a farm and

taken to the market by truck.

Before they go to market, potatoes are graded according to size and quality. The

price of the potato depends on how it looks and how much it weighs.

Potatoes grow best in cool weather and are an important crop in mountainous parts of

the country, where the growing season is short.

From potatoes we get some of our favorite foods—French fries, mashed potatoes,

potato chips and more.
POTATOES 

Production – 2004 

Thousand Cwt* 

Alabama ............................................................................................................................................228 

Arizona ..........................................................................................................................................1,767 

California ...................................................................................................................................17,661 

Colorado ...................................................................................................................................25,786 

Delaware .........................................................................................................................................806 

Florida ..........................................................................................................................................9,246 

Idaho ........................................................................................................................................131,970 

Illinois ...........................................................................................................................................1,992 

Indiana ..........................................................................................................................................1,120 

 Kannsas ........................................................................................................................................1,360 

Maine .........................................................................................................................................19,065 

Maryland ......................................................................................................................................1,196 

Massachusetts .............................................................................................................................800 

Michigan ...................................................................................................................................13,650 

Minnesota .................................................................................................................................18,920 

Missouri .......................................................................................................................................1,992 

Montana .......................................................................................................................................3,551 

 Nebraska ....................................................................................................................................9,288 

Nevada .........................................................................................................................................2,881 

New Jersey ...................................................................................................................................594 

New Mexico ...............................................................................................................................2,060 

New York ....................................................................................................................................5,184 

North Carolina ..........................................................................................................................2,700 

North Dakota .........................................................................................................................26,765 

Ohio ...............................................................................................................................................1,080 

Oregon .......................................................................................................................................19,775 

Pennsylvania ...............................................................................................................................2,640 

Rhode Island .................................................................................................................................145 

Texas ............................................................................................................................................6,429 

 Virginia .........................................................................................................................................1,200 

Washington .............................................................................................................................93,810 

 Wisconsin ................................................................................................................................30,450 

U.S. (Total) ...........................................................................................................................456,041 

*Cwt a unit of weight in the U.S. Customary System equal to 100 pounds. 

Source: USDA, NASS 
Name _____________________________________________________________

Where Does It Come From?

Apples

Scientists say apples have been around for 750,000

years. In North America, the first apple orchard was

planted in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1625.

As our country was settled, nearly every farm grew

some apples. Most of the early varieties would be considered poor today. Of nearly 8,000 varieties known around

the world, about 100 are grown in commercial quantity in

the U.S.

Apples come in lots of colors and shapes. Each apple is

loaded with minerals, vitamins and fiber. Apples are in

the Pome family—a fruit whose seeds are embedded in

the core of the fruit. The rose is also in this family. The average apple tree will bear

fruit in three years, with full production coming in 8-10 years. A standard apple tree

lives an average of 100 years. 

Growing an apple takes all year. In the winter, while the trees are dormant, apple

growers begin pruning—sawing off limbs and clipping branches to let the sunshine in.

Pruning helps the tree produce better fruit.

About the time when frost ends in spring, the buds begin to swell. With the opening

of the "King" blossom (the largest and centermost of the five blossom clusters), it is

time for pollination to begin. Bee colonies rented from bee keepers must be moved in

quickly. Sunny mild days are needed during bloom to encourage strong bee activity.

Apples need more than one variety of pollen for the cross-pollination that ensures good

fruit set. 

Fruit size and firmness are affected by the moisture the apple trees receive in mid

summer. If the weather is too dry, producers must irrigate.

August is the last growing month before the apples begin to ripen. Red apples need

cool nights during harvest to trigger an enzyme which increases the amount of color or

"blush." Apples bruise easily and must be hand picked. Picking begins around the end of

August and ends in October.

Besides fresh apples for eating, apples give us applesauce, apple cider, apple juice,

apple pie and other delicious baked treats.
APPLES 

Total Production - 2004 

Million Pounds 

Arizona .............................................................................................................................................22.2 

California ......................................................................................................................................370.0 

Colorado ...........................................................................................................................................31.0 

Connecticut ....................................................................................................................................15.0 

Georgia ............................................................................................................................................ 14.0 

Idaho ................................................................................................................................................80.0 

Illinois ..............................................................................................................................................49.0 

Indiana .............................................................................................................................................50.0 

Iowa ......................................................................................................................................................2.1 

Kentucky .............................................................................................................................................5.5 

Maine .................................................................................................................................................31.5 

Maryland ..........................................................................................................................................41.0 

Massachusetts ..............................................................................................................................28.5 

Michigan .......................................................................................................................................790.0 

Minnesota .......................................................................................................................................22.0 

Missouri ...........................................................................................................................................49.0 

New Hampshire .............................................................................................................................18.0 

New Jersey ....................................................................................................................................45.0 

New York ..................................................................................................................................1,040.0 

North Carolina ...........................................................................................................................145.0 

Ohio ...............................................................................................................................................102.0 

Oregon ..........................................................................................................................................140.0 

Pennsylvania ................................................................................................................................455.0 

Rhode Island ....................................................................................................................................1.8 

 South Carolina .................................................................................................................................4.0 

 Tennessee .........................................................................................................................................8.5 

 Utah .................................................................................................................................................38.0 

 Vermont............................................................................................................................................32.5 

 Virginia ..........................................................................................................................................300.0 

 Washington .............................................................................................................................5,800.0 

 West Virginia ................................................................................................................................87.0 

 Wisconsin .......................................................................................................................................52.0 

 U.S. (Total) .............................................................................................................................9,869.6 

 Source: USDA, NASS 
Name _____________________________________________________________

Where Does It Come From?

Wheat

Wheat is one of the oldest foods known to man. There are six classes and

more than 30,000 varieties of wheat. The six classes are hard red winter,

hard red spring, soft red winter, durum, hard white and soft white. They all

have origins in seeds that were carried to the U.S. by European farm immigrants.

Since there are so many varieties of wheat, it can be grown in many different climates. Somewhere in the world wheat is being harvested every month of the

year.

Planting of winter wheat begins before September in the northern U.S. and

continues through October in the southern regions. The wheat will sprout and

grow in the fall until a winter freeze occurs. It will then become dormant until spring,

when it will mature until harvest. Winter wheat is harvested in May in the southern

regions. Harvest continues through July in the north.

Too much rain creates problems at all stages of growth. Spring wheat may rot before

sprouting. If planting is delayed because the ground is too wet, it may not mature. 

If the plant does not have enough moisture, it will grow weak, and the wheat head

won‛t produce plump kernels. 

Hard wheat flours provide a variety of bread products. Durum semolina and flour are

used to make pasta. Soft wheat is used to make crackers, cookies, cereals, cakes and

pancakes. Wheat is also used to make wallpaper glue and other building products.
WHEAT

Production -- 2002

Thousand Bushels

Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,278

Arizona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,601

Arkansas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34,968

California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33,591

Connecticut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Colorado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37,529

Delaware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,605

Florida. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212

Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,664

Idaho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78,507

Illinois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27,923

Indiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,345

Iowa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 962

Kansas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262,980

Kentucky. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,448

Louisiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,708

Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10,625

Michigan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28,249

Minnesota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64,610

Mississippi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,980

Missouri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34,889

Montana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112,450

Nebraska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50,300

Nevada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384

New Jersey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,718

New Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,212

New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,640

North Carolina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,927

North Dakota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215,655

Ohio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46,929

Oklahoma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102,004

Oregon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34,080

Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,937

South Carolina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,710

South Dakota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42,414

Tennessee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,061

Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75,132

Utah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,848 

Vermont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,213

Washington. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128,411

West Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304

Wisconsin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,693

Wyoming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,213

U.S. (Total). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,577,005

Source: USDA, NASS, 2002 Census of Ag
Name _____________________________________________________________

Where Does It Come From?

Corn

The corn plant is an American native. It was first grown by farmers

in Mexico around 7,000 years ago. 

Corn is an annual plant that grows seven to ten feet tall. It is actually

a type of grass. Strong roots called prop roots help support the cornstalk.

A tassel grows at the top and contains hundreds of small flowers that produce pollen.

Producers in the U.S. feed the largest part of the corn crop to cattle, hogs, sheep

and poultry. The number of bushels of corn produced in the U.S. measures more than

double that of any grain crop.

The different types of corn include dent corn, flint corn, sweet corn, popcorn and

flour corn. Dent corn and flint corn are commonly called “field corn” because they are

fed to animals. Sweet corn, popcorn and flour corn are used for human food.

Corn is planted in the early spring using a corn planter. The machine drops the kernels into rows and then presses the soil around each kernel. Before planting, the planter

places fertilizer in the soil. The rest is up to the weather. Rain is extremely important

because the corn plant needs a lot of water to grow.

Sometime between late September and November the corn will be dry enough to be

harvested. Corn is harvested by a large combine. The machine cuts off the corn plant,

removes the ear of corn and separates the kernels from the corn cob. Parts of the corn

plant are left in the field to protect the soil for the next year.

There are more than 3,500 different uses for corn products, and more uses are

being found each day. Corn makes oil, syrup, cereal, starch and more than 1,000 other

products you can buy in the grocery store.

Corn kernels are used to make fructose, a liquid sugar used to sweeten soda pop and

bakery goods. Cornstarch is also made from corn. It can be used to produce packaging

materials which help protect the environment. Ethanol is made from corn and is used as

fuel for cars, trucks and buses. 
 CORN

Production -- 2002

 Thousand Bushels

Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,240

Arizona. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.128

Arkansas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31,747

California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28,396

Colorado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102,653

Connecticut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362

Delaware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,369

Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,457

Georgia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,720

Hawaii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203

Idaho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,562

Illinois. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,418,566

Indiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 696,156

Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,851,276

Kansas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280,682

Kentucky. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108,721

Louisiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54,945

Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296

Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,042

Massachusetts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347

Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234,709

Minnesota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 989,888

Mississippi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58,488

Missouri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268,225

Montana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,584

Nebraska. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 908,360

New Hampshire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

New Jersey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,031

New Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,509

New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42,768

Nevada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

North Carolina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58,918

North Dakota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111,380

Ohio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254,818

Oklahoma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23,642

Oregon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,097

Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52,645

Rhode Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

South Carolina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,148

South Dakota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295,167

Tennessee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64,081

Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197,109

Utah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,134

Vermont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 625

Virginia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,659

Washington. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,156

West Virginia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,057

Wisconsin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385,057

Wyoming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,789

U.S. (Total). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,613,062

Source: USDA, NASS, Census of Ag
Name _____________________________________________________________

Where Does It Come From?

Milk

Just as beef cattle are raised mostly for their meat,

dairy cattle are raised for their milk. The main breeds of

dairy cows in the U.S. are Holstein, Guernsey, Jersey,

Brown Swiss and Ayrshire. Some breeds produce more milk

than others, and some produce richer milk than others.

A dairy cow weighs about 1,500 pounds. The average cow

spends 6-10 hours a day eating. That‛s about 90 pounds of food. She eats hay (dried

grass), grains (feed), and silage (chopped green grasses and green corn or beans). She

drinks 25-50 gallons of water each day. That‛s nearly a bathtub full.

Cows that eat only grass produce about 48 glasses of milk a day.

Cows that eat grass and feed or silage produce 100 glasses a day.

Cows make milk to feed their calves, but they are such big animals that they make

much more milk than a calf needs. A dairy cow must have one calf a year, or

she will stop producing milk. The cows must be milked twice a day and

sometimes three times a day.

Dairy farmers are careful to keep the milk clean and avoid exposing it to the open

air, which would contaminate it. The cow‛s udder is washed before she is milked to keep

the milk clean.

Before modern milk delivery, when people traveled and wanted milk, they had to take

their cows with them. Today a tanker truck picks up milk from the dairy each day and

delivers it to the milk processing plant. At the dairy plant, the milk is pasteurized to kill

any disease-causing bacteria.

The milk is processed into many different foods and dairy products, including butter, chocolate milk, ice cream, yogurt, cheese and more.
 MILK

Production -- 2003

 Million Pounds

Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252

Alaska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16.7

Arizona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,552

Arkansas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354

California. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35,437

Colorado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,153

Connecticut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413

Delaware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,161

Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,444

Hawaii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Idaho. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,774

Illinois. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,047

Indiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,939

Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,810

Kansas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,130

Kentucky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,465

Louisiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512

Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 624

Maryland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,215

Massachusetts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332

Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,375

Minnesota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,258

Mississippi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423

Missouri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,886

Montana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345

Nebraska. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1, 129

Nevada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485

New Hampshire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305

New Jersey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216

New Mexico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,666

New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 ,952

North Carolina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,044

North Dakota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520

Ohio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,490

Oklahoma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,312

Oregon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,177

Pennsylvania. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,338

Rhode Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22.1

South Carolina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318

South Dakota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,330

Tennessee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,205

Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,630

Utah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,622

Vermont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,637

Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,731

Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,581

West Virginia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216

Wisconsin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,266

Wyoming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

U.S. (Total) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170,394

Puerto Rico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .820

Source: USDA, NASS


Where Does It Come From?

(answers)

1. Beef jerky: 2. beef; 3. student determined; 4. d; 5. Texas, Kansas, Nebraska,

Oklahoma, California; 6. 50 states; 7. specific to your state; 8. makeup, crayons, steaks,

roasts, hamburgers, ball gloves, footballs, shoes, belts, ice cream, yogurt, chewing gum,

detergent, toothpaste, floor wax, medicine.

1. Potato chips: 2. potatoes; 3. student determined; 4. a; 5. Idaho, Washington,

Wisconsin, North Dakota, Colorado; 6. 33 states; 7. specific to your state; 8. French

fries, mashed potatoes, potato chips.

1. Apple chips or applesauce: 2. apples; 3. student determined; 4. c; 5. Washington, New

York, Michigan, California, Pennsylvania; 6. 35 states; 7. specific to your state; 8. applesauce, apple pie and other desserts, fresh apples for eating, apple cider, apple juice.

1. Pretzels: 2. wheat; 3. student determined; 4. b; 5. Kansas, North Dakota, Washington,

Montana, Oklahoma; 6. 44 states; 7. specific to your state; 8. pasta, crackers, cookies,

cereals, cakes, pancakes, wallpaper glue and other building products.

1. Corn chips: 2. corn; 3. student determined; 4. f; 5. Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska,

Indiana; 6. 49 states; 7. specific to your state; 8. oil, syrup, cereal, starch, soda pop,

bakery goods, cornstarch, fructose, ethanol, packaging materials.

1. String cheese: 2. milk; 3. student determined; 4. e; 5. California, Wisconsin, New York,

Pennsylvania, Idaho; 6. 50 states; 7. specific to your state; 8. butter, chocolate milk,

ice cream, yogurt, cheese and more.

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

MATERIALS

1 large apple

1 sharp knife

a small cutting

board

35

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

THIS LAND IS OUR

LAND

GRADES: 7-8

SUBJECTS: Math, Social Studies

OBJECTIVE: Students will interpret NASS data to determine

loss or gain of farm land and compare land in production and crop

production over a 50-year period.

BACKGROUND

All living things depend on soil to live. If we had no soil we

would have nothing to eat. Soil that can be used for growing food

is called arable land. Every year we lose thousands of acres of

arable land. Between 1993 and 2003 we lost 30 million acres

of arable land in the U.S. Some of the land is lost because

people need places to live and build houses on it. Large portions

get paved over every year for parking lots and shopping malls.

Some is poisoned by industrial waste and other pollutants. Some

of the land blows or washes away, and some of it just gets used

up because it has been producing food year after year for many

years.

Ever since George Washington conducted the first agricultural survey in our nation by gathering information about agricultural practices from his fellow farmers, conservation of farm land

has been a primary concern. In 1788 he wrote, in a letter to

Charles Carter, that improving “instead of exhausting our lands

. . . ought to be the pursuit of every farmer. On this ground

every experiment is a treasure, and the authors of them valuable

members of society.”

It took many years and loss of much valuable topsoil before

American farmers learned the lesson George Washington had 

urged on them in 1788. The most dramatic loss occurred during

the early 20th Century, when wheat shortages during World

War I caused the price of wheat to rise. Because farmers could

make quite a bit of money on wheat, and because the U.S. government encouraged them to do so, farmers on the fragile southern Great Plains plowed up the natural grass cover that had pro-
VOCABULARY

arable

conservation

agriculture

survey

drought

ecosystem

bushel

acre

36

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

tected the soil for centuries and planted winter wheat. The area

suffered severe drought between 1934 and 1937. With large

areas of plowed land having no grassroot system to anchor it,

much of the soil simply blew away. The dust storms and sand

storms buried roads and houses. Clouds of dust reached as far

east as Washington, DC.

In response to the disaster, the federal government created

the Soil Erosion Service and the Civilian Conservation Corps to

recover the land. Workers replanted grass, planted tree windbreaks and shelter belts and showed farmers scientific agricultural methods to help them protect the fragile ecosystem of the

Southern Plains.

Farmers today are conservationists. They have to be. The

land is their livelihood. Decades of conservation measures

have started to pay off. The erosion rate by water on U.S. croplands has been reduced by 24 percent in the last 15 years. As of

May, 2001, farmers had enrolled 31.4 million acres of farmland in

the Conservation Reserve Program.

Although the total amount of land used for agriculture grows

smaller every year, American farmers still are able to feed many

more people on much less land than was possible in 1788 when

George Washington was farming in Virginia. Back then one farm

produced just about enough food for the family that lived on it

and worked it. Today one farmer can produce enough to feed 135

people. In 1830 a farmer could produce 100 bushels of wheat on

five acres of land. Today‛s farmer can produce the same amount

on three acres, with far fewer labor hours. In 1850 the farmer

could produce 100 bushels of corn on 2 1/2 acres. Today‛s farmer

can produce the same amount on one acre.

ACTIVITY

1. Use this demonstration to help students understand the

importance of keeping track of land use. Tell students the

apple represents the world. Use the diagram that follows to

cut up the apple and explain distribution of land.

2. Divide students into five groups, and provide each group with

the total land use data. Make sure students understand that

the numbers are recorded per 1,000 acres. (Multiply each

number by 1,000 to get the actual acreage.) Assign one

decade to each group, and have the groups graph acres in

agricultural use over the past 50 years. 

3. Have the groups discuss their findings and write statements
37

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

about the decades they studied to share with the class. Lead

a class discussion about land use. What does the data reveal

about agriculture in the U.S.? Once the numbers went down

did they ever go up again? Were there years when the numbers decreased at a greater rate than in previous years?

4. Have groups research the decades to which they were

assigned and find factors that might have determined agricultural land use, e.g., economy, war, weather patterns, politics,

etc.

5. Provide students with the charts on Student Worksheets B

and C showing acres planted and production of wheat and

corn. Have students graph this data. Are there years in which

the production rate goes up even though the acres planted is

down? Have students discuss possible reasons.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

1. Have students solve this problem: If one American farmer

can feed 135 people, and there are 6 billion people in the

world, how many American farmers would it take to feed all

the people in the world?

2. Have students research population growth in the U.S.

between 1950 and 2003 and graph those numbers with the

data for land in agricultural production. Ask students to

brainstorm in groups and make proposals to answer the question, “How can we continue to feed our growing population as

agricultural land decreases?”

3. Have students figure the rate of agricultural land lost over

the past 50 years and project rate of loss over the next 50

years. Do the same with population.

4. Have students research 1970 Nobel Prize winner Norman

Borlaug and the Green Revolution to find one reason farmers

are able to grow more food on less land. Students may look in

the library for books and articles or use an internet search

engine to find the information.

5. Have students research hydroponics and experiment with

growing plants using this method.

EXTRA READING

Andryszewski, Tricia, The Dust Bowl: Disaster on the Plains,

Millbrook, 1993.

Bial, Raymond, Corn Belt Harvest, Houghton Mifflin, 1991. 

Brandenburg, Jim, An American Safari: Adventures on the North
38

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

American Prairie, Walker Co., 1996.

Farris, John, The Dust Bowl, Lucent, 1989.

Hesse, Karen, Out of the Dust, Scholastic, 1998

Johnson, Sylvia, Wheat, Lerner, 1990

Sabin, Louis, Agriculture, Troll, 1985.

Staub, Frank, America's Prairies, Carolrhoda, 1996.
This Land is Our Land

desert, swamps, mountains, Arctic, Antarctic

(1/8th)

ocean

(1/4th)

ocean

(1/4th)

ocean

(1/4th)

soil available for

agricultural production

(Cut apple peel of

the section available for development.)

available for

development by

people for housing, shopping

malls, parking

lots, etc. (1/32nd)

rocky, poor soil

(1/32nd)

too wet

(1/32nd)

too hot

(1/32nd)

Cut apple as shown below

to represent land use.

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom, 1994
U.S. Land in Farms, 1950-2005 

Thousand Acres 

1950 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,202,019 

1951 ...................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,203,500 

1952 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,204,930 

1953 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,205,740 

1954 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,206,355 

1955 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,201,900 

1956 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1, 197,070 

1957...................................................................................................................................................................................1, 191,340 

1958 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1, 184,944 

1959 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1, 182,563 

1960 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1, 175,646 

1961....................................................................................................................................................................................1, 167,699 

1962 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1, 159,383 

1963...................................................................................................................................................................................1, 151,572 

1964...................................................................................................................................................................................1, 146,106 

1965 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1, 139,597 

1966...................................................................................................................................................................................1, 131,844 

1967 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1, 123,456 

1968...................................................................................................................................................................................1, 115,231 

1969...................................................................................................................................................................................1, 107,811 

1970...................................................................................................................................................................................1, 102,371 

1971....................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,096,863 

1972 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,092,065 

1973...................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,087.923 

1974...................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,084.433 

1975...................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,059.420 

1976 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,054,075 

1977 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,047,785 

1978 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,044,790 

1979...................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,042,015 

1980 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,038,885 

1981....................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,034,190 

1982 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,027,795 

1983 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,023,425 

1984...................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,017,803 

1985...................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,012,073 

1986 ..................................................................................................................................................................................1 ,005,333 

1987.......................................................................................................................................................................................998,923 

1988.......................................................................................................................................................................................994,423 

1989.......................................................................................................................................................................................990,723 

1990.......................................................................................................................................................................................986,850 

1991........................................................................................................................................................................................981,736 

1992.......................................................................................................................................................................................978,503 

1993.......................................................................................................................................................................................968.845 

1994.......................................................................................................................................................................................965,935 

1995 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 962,515 

1996 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 958,675 

1997 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 956,010 

1998 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 952,080 

1999 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 948,460 

2000 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 945,080 

2001 ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 942,070 

2002 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 940,300 

2003 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 938,650 

2004 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 936,295 

2005 ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 933,400 

 Source: USDA, NASS 
Wheat Planted and Produced in the U.S., 1950-2005 

 

 Wheat planted Wheat produced 

 Thousand Acres Thousand Bushels 

1950 71,287 1,019,344 

1951 78,524 988,161 

1952 8,645 1,306,440 

1953 78,931 1,173,071 

1954 62,539 983,900 

1955 58,246 937,094 

1956 60,655 1,005,397 

1957 49,843 955,740 

1958 56,017 1,457,435 

1959 56,706 1,117,735 

1960 54,906 1,354,709 

1961 55,707 1,232,359 

1962 49,274 1,091,958 

1963 53,364 1,146,821 

1964 55,672 1,283,371 

1965 57,361 1,315,603 

1966 49,613 1,304,889 

1967 67,264 1,507,598 

1968 61,860 1,556,635 

1969 53,450 1,442,679 

1970 48,739 1,351,558 

1971 53,822 1,618,636 

1972 54,913 1,546,209 

1973 59,254 1,710,787 

1974 71,044 1,781,918 

1975 74,900 2,126,927 

1976 80,395 2,148,780 

1977 75,410 2,045,527 

1978 65,989 1,775,524 

1979 71,424 2,134,060 

1980 80,788 2,380,934 

1981 88,251 2,785,357 

1982 86,232 2,764,967 

1983 76,419 2,419,824 

1984 79,213 2,594,777 

1985 75,535 2,424,115 

1986 71,998 2,090,570 

1987 65,829 2,107,685 

1988 65,529 1,812,201 

1989 76,615 2,036,618 

1990 77,041 2,729,778 

1991 69,881 1,980,139 

1992 72,219 2,466,798 

1993 72,168 2,396,440 

1994 70,349 2,320,981 

1995 69,031 2,182,708 

1996 75,105 2,277,388 

1997 70,412 2,481,466 

1998 65,821 2,547,321 

1999 62,714 2,299,010 

2000 62,549 2,228,160 

2001 59,432 1,947,453 

2002 60,318 1,605,878 

2003 62,141 2,344,760 

2004 59,674 2,158,245 

2005 57,229 2,104,690 

Source: USDA, NASS 
Corn Planted and Produced in the U.S., 1950 – 2005 

 Corn planted Corn produced 

 Thousand Acres Thousand Bushels 

1950 82,859 2,764,071 

1951 83,275 2,628,937 

1952 82.230 2,980,793 

1953 81,574 2,881,801 

1954 82,185 2,707,913 

1955 80,932 2,872,959 

1956 77,828 3,075,336 

1957 73,180 3,045,355 

1958 73,351 3,356,205 

1959 82,742 3,824,598 

1960 81,425 3,906,949 

1961 65,919 3,597,803 

1962 65,017 3,606,311 

1963 68,771 4,019,238 

1964 65,823 3,484,253 

1965 65,171 4,102,867 

1966 66,347 4,167,608 

1967 71,156 4,860,372 

1968 65,126 4,449,542 

1969 64,264 4,687,057 

1970 66,863 4,152,243 

1971 74,179 5,646,260 

1972 67,126 5,579,832 

1973 72,253 5,670,712 

1974 77,935 4,701,402 

1975 78,719 5,840,757 

1976 84,588 6,289,169 

1977 84,328 6,505,041 

1978 81,675 7,267,927 

1979 81,394 7,928,139 

1980 84,043 6,639,396 

1981 84,097 8,118,650 

1982 81,857 8,235,101 

1983 60,207 4,174,251 

1984 80,517 7,672,130 

1985 83,398 8,875,453 

1986 76,580 8,225,764 

1987 66,200 7,131,300 

1988 67,717 4,928,681 

1989 72,322 7,531,953 

1990 74,166 7,934,028 

1991 75,957 7,474,765 

1992 79,311 9,476,698 

1993 73,239 6,337,730 

1994 78,921 10,050,520 

1995 71,479 7,400,051 

1996 79,229 9,232,557 

1997 79,537 9,206,832 

1998 80,165 9,758,685 

1999 77,386 9,430,612 

2000 79,551 9,915,051 

2001 75,702 9,502,580 

2002 78,894 8,966,787 

2003 78,603 10,089,222 

2004 80,929 11,807,086 

2005 81,759 11,112,072 

Source: USDA, NASS 
43

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

THE FACT FINDERS

GRADES: 9-12

SUBJECTS: Social Studies (American History, Economics)

OBJECTIVE: Students will interpret various tables from the

NASS data to address contemporary issues in agriculture and

compare them with historical issues.

BACKGROUND

In 1791, President George Washington received a letter from

an Englishman named Arthur Young. Young had written to several

farmers in the United States, requesting information on land values, crops, yields, livestock prices, and taxes. By personally conducting a mail survey and compiling the results, Washington was

able to gather enough information to reply fully to his English

correspondent. This was, in effect, the nation's first agricultural

survey.

Between September 24 and November 18, 1791, Washington

sent Young three letters that provided agricultural statistics on

an area extending roughly 250 miles from north to south and 100

miles from east to west. The strip ran through an area which is

today Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and the

District of Columbia, where most of the young country's population lived.

Washington‛s reports to Young reflect some of the same concerns farmers have today. He worried that prices weren‛t keeping up with the cost of raising crops. He worried that some farmers weren‛t taking care of their land. He worried about the cost

of transporting agricultural goods to markets and improving those

routes.

Washington‛s legacy of surveying and reporting on the state

of agriculture in our country continued during the Civil War, when

the U.S. Department of Agriculture collected and distributed

crop and livestock statistics to help farmers assess the value of

the goods they produced. At that time, commodity buyers usually

had more current and detailed market information than did farmers. This circumstance often prevented farmers from getting a

fair price for the goods they produced on their farms. Producers

in today's marketplace would be similarly handicapped were it not
VOCABULARY

statistics

agriculture

survey

analyze

data

comprehensive

uniform

index

44

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

for the information provided by USDA‛s National Agricultural

Statistics Service (NASS).

The five-year census of agriculture is the most comprehensive, detailed information-gathering program for agriculture. It is

a complete accounting of agricultural production in the United

States and is the only source of uniform, comprehensive agricultural data for every county in the nation. From 1840 to 1920 the

census of agriculture was taken every 10 years. Since 1925 the

census has been taken every five years (currently in the years

ending in 2 and 7) to coincide with other economic censuses covering manufacturing, mining and construction. The 2002 Census

of Agriculture is the nation's 26th census. Anyone who receives a

census report form is required by law to complete and return it.

NASS requests information from farm operators on the following subjects:

Land use and ownership.

Irrigated land.

Crop acreage and quantities harvested.

Livestock and poultry.

Value of products sold.

Product contracts and landlord shares.

More detailed farm-related income.

Computer and Internet use.

Multiple operator characteristics.

Twenty-five percent of the report forms include additional questions on the following:

Production expenses.

Fertilizer and chemicals.

Machinery and equipment.

Market value of land and buildings.

Income from farm-related sources.

Report forms are tailored for various parts of the country and

are specific to the crops grown in a farmer's particular area.

Besides helping the farmer get a fair price for the goods produced on the farm, NASS survey and census data helps all of us

as we plan for the future sustained by a safe and secure food

supply.

Agribusinesses use the data to develop market strategies and

to determine the most effective locations for service to agricultural producers. Farm organizations use it to evaluate and propose programs and policies that can help agricultural producers.

Your elected representatives use census data to develop pro-
45

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

grams to protect and promote agriculture in the United States.

Rural electric companies use the data to forecast future energy

needs for agricultural producers and their communities. Colleges

and universities use it in research programs to develop new and

improved methods to increase agricultural production. State

departments of agriculture use census and survey data to plan

for operations during drought, and emergency outbreaks of diseases or infestations of pests.

NASS publications cover a wide range of subjects, from traditional crops, such as corn and wheat, to specialties, such as

mushrooms and flowers; from calves born to hogs slaughtered;

from agricultural prices to land in farms. Because of the amount

of information produced by the agency, NASS has earned the

title, "The Fact Finders of Agriculture."

ACTIVITY

1. Share background information, and discuss data collection.

Show students Tables A and B under Issue # 1, and explain

the use of index numbers for reporting data. Explain that the

tables show index numbers for the prices farmers paid out

and received in the years 1993-2000. Rather than show actual

prices, the numbers show how the prices paid and received

between 1993 and 2000 compare with prices paid and received

between between 1990 and 1992. In the table, 100 stands for

the average prices paid and received between 1990 and 1992,

and the numbers for 1993-2000 show how the prices paid and

received compare with the 1990-92 numbers. Have students

use the chart to answer the following question: If farmers

paid an average $50 per bushel for feed in the years 1990-

1992, how much did they pay for a bushel of feed in 1993?

(100=$50; price in 1993=$50 X 104 percent)

2. Divide students into three groups, and assign one of the following topics to each group: “Prices Received by Farmers vs.

Prices Spent;” “Cost of Labor vs. Land Value;” “Caring for the

Land.” Students will use the NASS data provided to prepare

group statements that provide modern-day comparisons with

the statements about agriculture in the United States that

George Washington made in 1791.

3. Have each group share its findings with the class and prepare

questions about the issues they are examining to lead class

discussions on the assigned topics. If necessary, use some of

the questions below to help keep the discussions going.
46

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

Why was agriculture so important to President

Washington, as leader of a new nation, that he personally

conducted a survey to gather information about it?

Washington told Arthur Young that, at that time, labor

was more valuable to the American farmer than land. Who

were the laborers? What special circumstances existed

then that do not exist today? (slavery) Who are today‛s

agricultural laborers? (often migrant, or immigrant work -

ers) What special issues surrounding labor exist today?

What has happened since 1791 to change farm labor and

the value of land in our country? (industrial revolution,

mechanization of much farm labor, population growth mak -

ing land more valuable, westward expansion)

If farmers cannot earn enough money to make a living or

even cover their costs, who will feed us?

In George Washington‛s time, nearly everyone had to farm

in order to survive. Advances in technology since then have

made it possible for fewer farmers to feed more people,

freeing the rest of us for other pursuits—medicine, art,

information technology, etc. Yet poor agricultural practices

continue to be blamed for degradation of our soil, water

and air. What are the solutions? Should everyone go back

to growing his or her own food? Should we encourage more

research to develop more measures like those shown in the

data?

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

1. Have students watch the media for stories about agriculture

and go to the NASS Web site—www.nass.usda.gov —to check

the facts.

2. Much of Washington‛s report is concerned with wheat production. What are the top wheat-producing states in our nation

today? (See NASS Web site.) Are any of the states included

in Washington‛s report top wheat-producing states today?

Why?
Name _____________________________________________________________

The Fact Finders

ISSUE # 1: PRICES RECEIVED BY FARMERS VS. PRICES SPENT

In a letter to Englishman Arthur Young in 1791, George Washington expressed a concern that foreshadows one felt by farmers today, the difficulty of making enough

money on the sale of their crops and stock to pay for the cost of producing them.

". . . although our agriculture, manufactures and commerce are progressing;

although our taxes are light; although our laws are in a fair way of being administered well, and our liberties and properties secured on a solid basis by the general

government having acquired more and more consistency strength and respectability as it moves on; yet, that no material change in the prices of (lands, stock, and

grain) has taken place, except in a few instances of land, under peculiar advantages; nor is it probable there will be in the latter whilst there is such an

immense territory back of us for the people to resort to."

Based on the data shown, what statement can you make about the trends in prices

received for products and the costs of production? How are contemporary trends different from those George Washington reported? How are they the same?

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov
ISSUE # 1 (A)

INDEXES OF PRICES RECEIVED BY FARMERS, UNITED STATES, 1993-2000

PRICES RECEIVED (1990-92=100)

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

ALL FARM PRODUCTS 101 100 102 1 12 107 102 96 96

ALL CROPS 102 105 1 12 127 1 15 107 96 96

Food Grains 105 1 19 134 157 128 103 90 86

Feed Grains & Hay 99 106 1 12 146 1 17 100 86 86

Cotton 89 109 127 122 1 12 107 85 82

Tobacco 101 102 103 105 104 104 102 107

Oil-Bearing Crops 108 1 10 104 128 131 107 83 85

Fruit & Nuts 93 90 97 1 18 1 10 1 13 1 12 99

Commercial Vegetables 1 17 109 121 111 1 18 123 1 10 123

Potatoes & Dry Beans 107 1 10 107 1 14 90 99 100 93

All Other Crops 103 105 106 108 108 108 108 108

Livestock & Products 100 95 92 99 98 97 95 97

Meat Animals 100 90 85 87 92 79 83 94

Dairy Products 98 99 98 1 14 102 1 19 1 10 94

Poultry & Eggs 105 106 107 120 1 13 1 17 1 10 107

Food Commodities 102 98 99 108 105 101 96 97

Source: NASS, USDA

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov/
ISSUE # 1 (B)

INDEXES OF PRICES PAID BY FARMERS, UNITED STATES, 1993-2000

PRICES PAID (1990-92=100)

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

PRICES PAID BY FARMERS FOR

COMMODITIES & SERVICES,

INTEREST, TAXES,

& WAGE RATES 104 106 109 1 15 1 18 1 15 1 15 120

PRODUCTION ITEMS 104 106 108 1 15 1 19 1 13 111 1 16

Feed 102 106 103 129 125 1 10 100 102

Livestock & Poultry 104 94 82 75 94 88 95 1 10

Seed 101 108 1 10 1 15 1 19 122 121 124

Fertilizer 96 105 121 125 121 1 12 105 109

Agricultural Chemicals 109 1 12 1 16 1 19 121 122 121 120

Fuels 93 89 89 102 106 84 93 134

Farm Supplies & Repairs 107 109 1 12 1 15 1 18 1 19 121 124

Autos & Trucks 107 111 1 15 1 18 1 19 1 19 1 19 1 19

Farm Machinery 107 1 13 120 125 128 132 135 140

Building Materials 106 109 1 14 1 15 1 18 1 18 120 121

Farm Services 1 10 1 10 1 15 1 16 1 16 1 15 1 16 1 19

Rent 100 108 1 17 128 136 120 1 13 1 10

INTEREST 87 94 102 106 105 104 106 1 12

TAXES 108 106 109 1 12 1 15 1 19 120 123

WAGE RATES 108 111 1 14 1 17 123 129 135 140

PRODUCTION ITEMS,

INTEREST, TAXES &

WAGE RATES 103 106 108 1 15 1 18 1 14 1 13 1 18

Source: NASS, USDA

Agriculture Counts—www.usda.gov/nass/
Name _____________________________________________________________

The Fact Finders

ISSUE # 2: COST OF LABOR VS. LAND VALUE

President George Washington to Arthur Young, 1791 (in response to questions about

agriculture in the U.S.)

An English farmer must entertain a contemptible opinion of our husbandry, or a

horrid idea of our lands, when he shall be informed that not more than 8 or 10

bushels of wheat is the yield of an acre; but this low produce may be ascribed,

and principally too, to a cause which I do not find touched by either of the

Gentlemen whose letters are sent to you, namely, that the aim of the farmers in

this country (if they can be called farmers) is not to make the most they can

from the land, which is, or has been cheap, but the most of the labor, which is

dear, the consequence of which has been, much ground has been scratched over

and none cultivated or improved as it ought to have been; whereas a farmer in

England, where land is dear and labor cheap, finds it his interest to improve and

cultivate highly, that he may reap large crops from a small quantity of ground. 

Compare land and labor costs in the different regions shown in the following charts.

Where are labor costs highest? Lowest? Where are land values highest? Lowest? What

conclusion can you draw about the value of land vs. the value of labor today as compared

with Washington‛s time? What other trends do you notice in the data?

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov
 ISSUE # 2 (A) 

HIRED WORKERS: WAGE RATES BY REGION AND UNITED STATES, 2001-2005 

 

 Dollars per hour 

Region and State 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 

 

NORTHEAST 9.06 9.46 10.03 10.10 11.04 

 CT, ME, MA, NH, 

 NY, RI, VT 

 

NORTHEAST II 8.47 8.87 9.83 9.26 10.56

DE, MD. NJ, PA 

APPALACHIAN I 8.34 8.72 9.34 9.16 10.29 

NC, VA 

APPALACHIAN II 7.18 7.29 7.98 9.16 9.61

KY, TN, WV 

SOUTHEAST 7.88 8.08 8.87 8.10 9.45 

AL, GA, SC 

FLORIDA 8.29 9.02 8.81 8.85 9.55

LAKE STATES 9.53 9.91 10.54 10.68 10.7 

MI, MN, WI 

CORN BELT I 10.10 9.75 9.72 10.70 11.33

IL, IN, OH 

CORN BELT II 9.05 9.74 9.50 10.15 11.50

IA, MO 

DELTA STATES 7.73 7.95 8.63 9.03 8.68 

AR, LA, MS 

NORTHERN PLAINS 9.11 9.00 10.00 9.75 10.31 

 KS, NE, ND, SD 

SOUTHERN PLAINS 7.98 8.05 8.85 8.43 8.89 

 OK, TX 

MOUNTAIN I 8.63 8.34 8.53 8.92 8.99 

ID, MT, WY 

MOUNTAIN II 8.72 9.15 9.66 9.80 9.32

CO, NV, UT 

MOUNTAIN III 7.72 8.42 8.12 8.37 9.35

AZ, NM 

PACIFIC 9.06 9.21 9.71 9.82 10.25 

OR, WA 

CALIFORNIA 8.75 9.15 9.38 9.46 10.36 

HAWAII 10.66 10.90 11.04 11.11 11.95 

U.S. 8.65 8.96 9.32 9.41 10.11 

Source: USDA, NASS

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov 
 ISSUE # 2 (B) 

NUMBER OF HIRED AGRICULTURAL WORKERS: 2000-2005 

 

 (1,000) 

Region and State 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 

 

NORTHEAST 48 50 40 45 38 

 CT, ME, MA, NH, 

 NY, RI, VT 

 

NORTHEAST II 45 41 34 35 39

DE, MD. NJ, PA 

APPALACHIAN I 40 42 45 41 36 

NC, VA 

APPALACHIAN II 29 36 38 38 24

KY, TN, WV 

SOUTHEAST 37 33 38 31 37 

AL, GA, SC 

FLORIDA 51 57 49 52 42

LAKE STATES 74 64 72 72 72 

MI, MN, WI 

CORN BELT I 57 42 45 47 50

IL, IN, OH 

CORN BELT II 41 25 26 22 29

IA, MO 

DELTA STATES 43 38 31 33 34 

AR, LA, MS 

NORTHERN PLAINS 41 34 35 44 35 

 KS, NE, ND, SD 

SOUTHERN PLAINS 68 58 54 44 64 

OK, TX 

MOUNTAIN I 27 30 33 29 29 

ID, MT, WY 

MOUNTAIN II 21 16 20 19 22

CO, NV, UT 

MOUNTAIN III 17 19 18 23 25

AZ, NM 

PACIFIC 89 77 76 68 76 

OR, WA 

CALIFORNIA 223 265 230 200 181 

HAWAII 8 8 7 8 7 

U.S. 959 935 891 851 840 

Source: USDA, NASS 

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov 
 ISSUE # 2 (C) 

Farm Real Estate: Average Value Per Acre, by Region and State, January 2001-2005 

 

 Region and State 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 

 Dollars Dollars Dollars Dollars Dollars 

NORTHEAST 2,830 3,000 3,200 3,550 4,020 

 CT 7,700 8,500 9,500 10,200 10,800 

 DE 3,400 3,700 4,000 6,000 8,400 

 ME 1,500 1,600 1,750 1,850 1,950 

 MD 3,800 4,000 4,150 5,700 7,900 

 MA 7,300 8,100 9,300 9,900 10,500 

 NH 2,550 2,800 3,100 3,250 3,450 

 NJ 8,100 8,600 9,100 9,750 10,300 

 NY 1,520 1,610 1,700 1,780 1,880 

 PA 3,000 3,250 3,450 3,650 4,000 

 RI 7,700 8,300 9,300 10,200 11,200 

 VT 1,800 1,900 2,050 2,150 2,300 

LAKE STATES 1,700 1,870 2,010 2,220 2,480 

 MI 2,280 2,470 2,680 2,920 3,150 

 MN 1,400 1,500 1,600 1,800 2,030 

 WI 1,950 2,150 2,300 2,500 2,850 

CORN BELT 1,950 2,030 2,130 2,300 2,550 

 IL 2,290 2,350 2,430 2,610 2,900 

 IN 2,350 2,460 2,570 2,770 3,050 

 IA 1,850 1,920 2,010 2,200 2,490 

 MO 1,300 1,380 1,470 1,580 1,740 

 OH 2,470 2,600 2,740 2,930 3,180 

NORTHERN PLAINS 556 576 594 632 704 

 KS 645 665 685 715 800 

 NE 735 760 775 825 910 

 ND 410 415 425 455 500 

 SD 405 430 460 500 570 

APPALACHIAN 2,120 2,250 2,370 2,560 2,860 

 KY 1,750 1,830 1,900 2,000 2,200 

 NC 2,680 2,900 3,100 3,300 3,570 

 TN 2,200 2,300 2,400 2,500 2,700 

 VA 2,380 2,530 2,700 3,200 3,900 

 WV 1,270 1,330 1,400 1,500 1,600 

SOUTHEAST 2,030 2,140 2,270 2,420 2,740 

 AL 1,640 1,700 1,760 1,860 2,050 

 FL 2,600 2,720 2,900 3,100 3,700 

 GA 1,900 2,050 2,200 2,350 2,590 

 SC 1,800 1,900 2,050 2,150 2,330 

DELTA STATES 1,330 1,390 1,460 1,580 1,710 

 AR 1,350 1,410 1,480 1,650 1,820 

 LA 1,380 1,440 1,500 1,580 1,680 

 MS 1,270 1,330 1,400 1,480 1,580 

SOUTHERN PLAINS 715 755 788 832 900 

 OK 655 680 705 745 805 

 TX 730 775 810 855 925 

MOUNTAIN 471 500 523 550 599 

 AZ 1,250 1,400 1,500 1,600 1,750 

 CO 675 700 730 775 845 

 ID 1,200 1,240 1,280 1,360 1,480 

 MT 350 370 390 410 445 

 NV 450 465 480 500 550 

 NM 240 250 260 265 290 

 UT 975 1,040 1,100 1,150 1,230 

 WY 270 285 300 315 350 

PACIFIC 2,120 2,240 2,350 2,480 2,700 

 CA 3,200 3,400 3,600 3,800 4,160 

 OR 1,100 1,150 1,200 1,250 1,350 

 WA 1,300 1,390 1,480 1,530 1,650 

Source: USDA, NASS 
Name _____________________________________________________________

The Fact Finders

ISSUE # 3: CARING FOR THE LAND

President George Washington to Arthur Young, 1791 (in response to questions about

agriculture in the U.S.)

An English farmer must entertain a contemptible opinion of our husbandry, or a horrid idea of our lands, when he shall be informed that not more than 8 or 10 bushels

of Wheat is the yield of an Acre; but this low produce may be ascribed, and principally too, to a cause which I do not find touched by either of the gentlemen whose

letters are sent to you, namely, that the aim of the farmers in this country (if they

can be called farmers) is not to make the most they can from the land, which is, or

has been cheap, but the most of the labor, which is dear, the consequence of which

has been, much ground has been scratched over and none cultivated or improved as it

ought to have been; Whereas a farmer in England, where land is dear and labor

cheap, finds it his interest to improve and cultivate highly, that he may reap large

crops from a small quantity of ground. That the last is the true, and the first an

erroneous policy, I will readily grant, but it requires time to conquer bad habits, and

hardly anything short of necessity is able to accomplish it. That necessity is

approaching by pretty rapid strides.

Washington criticizes farmers of his day for taking the abundance of land available for

granted and not caring for it properly. American farmers had to learn the hard way that

this resource was not limitless, although it may have seemed so in Washington’s time.

Look at the charts that follow and prepare a statement about the American farmer’s

conservation practices,* compared with those Washington reports in his letter.

Based on the information here, how are agricultural practices different today? How are

they different?

*The charts report use of Integrate Pest Management (IPM) practices for different

crops. IPM is a system of pest management aimed at reducing agricultural losses caused

by pests using methods that cause minimal environmental damage and little or no health

risk.

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov
Issue # 3

Percent of U.S. Farms Receiving Integrated Pest Management Practices, 2000

Fruits and Nuts Cotton Vegetables Soybeans

PREVENTION PRACTICES

Tillage/etc. to manage pests 47 65 49 48

Remove or plow down crop residue 22 58 49 21

Clean implements after fieldwork 27 69 31 47

Water management practices 20 43 34 15

AVOIDANCE PRACTICES

Adjust planting/harvesting dates 12 42 13 15

Rotate crops to control pests 6 48 67 75

Alternate planting locations 4 36 34 24

Grow trap crop to control insects 4 16 4 2

MONITORING PRACTICES

Scouted for pests 51 72 50 44

Records kept to track pests 24 56 15 18

Field mapping of weed problems 11 27 17 20

Soil analysis to detect pests 15 32 14 19

Pheromones to monitor pests 16 35 5 1

Weather monitoring 35 39 26 25

SUPPRESSION PRACTICES

Scouting used to make decisions 29 49 11 21

Biological pesticides 19 36 19 5

Beneficial organisms 17 21 22 2

Maintain ground cover

or physical barriers 26 22 40 19

Adjust planting methods 10 7 27 14

Alternate pesticides 44 58 43 34

Pheromones to disrupt mating 10 15 3 *

*Insufficient reports to publish data

Source: NASS, USDA

The Fact Finders (possible answers)

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

Issue # 1: Based on the data shown, what statement can you make about the trends in

prices received for products and the costs of production? How are contemporary trends

different from those George Washington reported? How are they the same?

Prices received for products have gone down while the costs of production have gone

up. The largest decrease in prices received was for food grains. The largest increase

in expenses was for farm machinery and wage rates.

Issue # 2: Based on the data shown, where are labor costs highest? Lowest? Where are

land values highest? Lowest? What conclusion can you draw about the value of land vs.

the value of labor today as compared with Washington‛s time? What other trends do you

notice in the data?

Labor costs are highest in Hawaii, the Corn Belt, and the Northeast. They are lowest

in the Delta states of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi, the Southern Plains of

Oklahoma and Texas, and the Mountain states of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.

Farm real estate is highest in the Northeastern states of Rhode Island,

Connecticut and Massachusetts and lowest in the Northern Plains states and

Mountain states. Wages paid to workers and the total number of workers have risen

slightly. The cost of real estate has risen. Mechanization of much farm work has

reduced the need for labor. Land is probably worth more than labor today, as com -

pared with Washington‛s time.

Issue # 3: Look at the data and prepare a statement about the American farmer‛s conservation practices, compared with those Washington reports in his letter.

Some American farmers have started to use practices that help conserve the soil,

although in most cases, according to the data presented, it is less than 50 percent of

all farmers. Scouting for pests was the most popular conservation practice, especially

among cotton producers. Cotton producers were also most likely to use prevention

practices like tillage and cleaning implements after field work. Soybean producers

were most likely to rotate crops.

57

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

ARTHUR YOUNG AND

THE PRESIDENT

GRADES: 9-12

SUBJECT: Language Arts

OBJECTIVE: Students will translate NASS data into prose for a

variety of purposes.

BACKGROUND

In 1791, President Washington received a letter from an

Englishman named Arthur Young, who had written to several

farmers requesting information on land values, crops, yields, livestock prices, and taxes. By personally conducting a mail survey

and compiling the results, Washington was able to gather enough

information to reply fully to his English correspondent. This was,

in effect, the Nation's first agricultural survey. 

Between September 24 and November 18, 1791, Washington

sent Young three letters that provided agricultural statistics on

an area extending roughly 250 miles from north to south and 100

miles from east to west. The strip ran through an area, which is

today Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and the

District of Columbia, where most of the young country's population lived.

Washington asked Congress to establish a National Board of

Agriculture in 1776, but Congress rejected the idea at that time. 

The issue wasn‛t raised again until 1839, when Commissioner

of Patents Henry Ellsworth persuaded Congress to designate

$1,000 from the Patent Office Fund for "collecting and distributing seeds, carrying out agricultural investigations, and procuring agricultural statistics." 

In 1840, the first census of agriculture collected detailed

agricultural information to provide the first nationwide inventory

of agricultural production.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was established

by Abraham Lincoln in 1862, and its first crop report appeared in

July, 1863. The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

traces its roots all the way back to 1863, when USDA estab-
VOCABULARY

yield

survey

cwt

bale

bushel

58

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

lished a Division of Statistics. 

During the Civil War, USDA collected and distributed crop

and livestock statistics to help farmers assess the value of the

goods they produced. At that time, commodity buyers usually had

more current and detailed market information than did farmers,

a circumstance that often prevented farmers from getting a fair

price for their goods. Producers in today's marketplace would be

similarly handicapped were it not for the information provided by

NASS.

NASS publishes reports covering everything about agriculture

in the U.S.— production and supplies of food and fiber, prices

paid and received by farmers, farm labor and wages, farm

aspects of the industry. In addition, NASS' 45 Field Offices

publish data about many of the same topics for their

individual states.

NASS publications cover a wide range of subjects, from traditional crops, such as corn and wheat, to specialties, such as

mushrooms and flowers; from calves born to hogs slaughtered;

from agricultural prices to land in farms. 

Because of the amount of information produced by the

agency, NASS has earned the title, "The Fact Finders of

Agriculture."

ACTIVITY

1. Ask students how they get information to friends who they

don‛t see every day. Record responses on the chalk board.

Does anyone communicate by writing letters?

2. Share background information about the correspondence

between George Washington and Englishman Arthur Young

and the first agricultural surveys. Ask students where they

would go to find the kind of information Arthur Young asked

George Washington to provide. Why did the President of the

United States think the questions were important enough to

personally gather the information and reply?

3. Provide each student with the data on the following pages and

a copy of the letter, a modern day version of the letter

Arthur Young might have written to George Washington. Have

students use the data to compose a reply. Students should

cover the following topics in their letters: land value, crops,

yields, and livestock prices.

4. Divide students into groups, and have each group select

either a commodity or a state or region and use the data to
59

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

develop promotional brochures and posters and to make oral

presentations, using technology (Power Point) when available.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

1. Provide students with excerpts from George Washington‛s

letters to Arthur Young and others at the end of this lesson,

and have them rewrite them in modern English.

2. Have students explore additional data on the National

Agricultural Statistics Service Web site, www.nass.usda.gov.

Have them choose a region or agricultural commodity and

write news releases or reports. 

3. Have students design surveys gathering specific information

about their school to share with someone from another

school, state or country. After students gather the information, have them use it to write letters to the other schools.

Have students present the information to local audiences in a

variety of forms—charts, graphs, prose, oral presentations,

etc.

4. Have students design surveys about the agriculture in another

country. Make arrangements to connect with an overseas

classroom via e-mail. Divide your class into two groups, and

have one group correspond overseas via e-mail and another

using traditional mail service. Compare the results. Discuss

advantages and disadvantages of both means of communication.

Name _____________________________________________________________

Arthur Young and the President

[Date]

Dear ___________,

It was nice to get your letter and to hear all about your school, your town and

your friends. I loved the photos you sent of your family‛s camping trip. What a beautiful

place!

It‛s always interesting to hear about life in your country. I hope I get to visit

there someday. I would also love for you to come visit me. As you know, my family has a

farm, and when I am not in school, I am usually helping with that. 

What is farming like in your country? What kinds of crops grow there? Are there

some crops that your country produces more than any other? How much is produced in a

year? What kind of livestock do you raise? How much is it sold for? How much does

farm land cost? Is it more expensive in certain parts of the country? Does the price

stay the same, or does it go up and down from one year to the next?

As you can see, I have many questions. Thank you again for your letter. I look forward to hearing from you again.

Your Friend,

Pat

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov
 

Farm Real Estate: Average Value Per Acre, by Region and State, January 2001-2005 

 

 Region and State 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 

 Dollars Dollars Dollars Dollars Dollars 

NORTHEAST 2,830 3,000 3,200 3,550 4,020 

 CT 7,700 8,500 9,500 10,200 10,800 

 DE 3,400 3,700 4,000 6,000 8,400 

 ME 1,500 1,600 1,750 1,850 1,950 

 MD 3,800 4,000 4,150 5,700 7,900 

 MA 7,300 8,100 9,300 9,900 10,500 

 NH 2,550 2,800 3,100 3,250 3,450 

 NJ 8,100 8,600 9,100 9,750 10,300 

 NY 1,520 1,610 1,700 1,780 1,880 

 PA 3,000 3,250 3,450 3,650 4,000 

 RI 7,700 8,300 9,300 10,200 11,200 

 VT 1,800 1,900 2,050 2,150 2,300 

LAKE STATES 1,700 1,870 2,010 2,220 2,480 

 MI 2,280 2,470 2,680 2,920 3,150 

 MN 1,400 1,500 1,600 1,800 2,030 

 WI 1,950 2,150 2,300 2,500 2,850 

CORN BELT 1,950 2,030 2,130 2,300 2,550 

 IL 2,290 2,350 2,430 2,610 2,900 

 IN 2,350 2,460 2,570 2,770 3,050 

 IA 1,850 1,920 2,010 2,200 2,490 

 MO 1,300 1,380 1,470 1,580 1,740 

 OH 2,470 2,600 2,740 2,930 3,180 

NORTHERN PLAINS 556 576 594 632 704 

 KS 645 665 685 715 800 

 NE 735 760 775 825 910 

 ND 410 415 425 455 500 

 SD 405 430 460 500 570 

APPALACHIAN 2,120 2,250 2,370 2,560 2,860 

 KY 1,750 1,830 1,900 2,000 2,200 

 NC 2,680 2,900 3,100 3,300 3,570 

 TN 2,200 2,300 2,400 2,500 2,700 

 VA 2,380 2,530 2,700 3,200 3,900 

 WV 1,270 1,330 1,400 1,500 1,600 

SOUTHEAST 2,030 2,140 2,270 2,420 2,740 

 AL 1,640 1,700 1,760 1,860 2,050 

 FL 2,600 2,720 2,900 3,100 3,700 

 GA 1,900 2,050 2,200 2,350 2,590 

 SC 1,800 1,900 2,050 2,150 2,330 

DELTA STATES 1,330 1,390 1,460 1,580 1,710 

 AR 1,350 1,410 1,480 1,650 1,820 

 LA 1,380 1,440 1,500 1,580 1,680 

 MS 1,270 1,330 1,400 1,480 1,580 

SOUTHERN PLAINS 715 755 788 832 900 

 OK 655 680 705 745 805 

 TX 730 775 810 855 925 

MOUNTAIN 471 500 523 550 599 

 AZ 1,250 1,400 1,500 1,600 1,750 

 CO 675 700 730 775 845 

 ID 1,200 1,240 1,280 1,360 1,480 

 MT 350 370 390 410 445 

 NV 450 465 480 500 550 

 NM 240 250 260 265 290 

 UT 975 1,040 1,100 1,150 1,230 

 WY 270 285 300 315 350 

PACIFIC 2,120 2,240 2,350 2,480 2,700 

 CA 3,200 3,400 3,600 3,800 4,160 

 OR 1,100 1,150 1,200 1,250 1,350 

 WA 1,300 1,390 1,480 1,530 1,650 

Source: USDA, NASS 
 Crop Summary: Production, United States, 2005 

 Crop Units 2005 

 (Thousand) 

GRAIN & HAY 

 Barley Bushel 211,896 

 Corn for Grain Bushel 11,112,072 

 Corn for Silage Ton 106,311 

 Hay, All Ton 150,590 

 Alfalfa Ton 75,771 

 All Other Ton 74,819 

 Oats Bushel 114,878 

 Proso Millet Bushel 13,545 

 Rice Cwt 223,235 

 Rye Bushel 7,537 

 Sorghum for Grain Bushel 4,218 

 Sorghum for Silage Ton 2,104,690 

 Wheat, All Bushel 1,499,129 

 Winter Bushel 101,105 

 Durum Bushel 504,456 

 Other Spring 

OILSEEDS 

 Canola Pounds 1,580.985 

 Cottonseed Tons 8,501

 Flaxseed Bushels 19,695 

 Mustard Seed Pounds 35,114 

 Peanuts Pounds 4,821,250 

 Rapeseed Pounds 3,000 

 Safflower Pounds 192,545 

 Soybeans for Beans Bushels 3,086,432 

 Sunflower Pounds 4,018,355 

COTTON, TOBACCO & SUGAR CROPS 

 Cotton, All Bales 23,719.0 

 Upland Bales 23,064.0 

 Amer-Pima Bales 655.0 

 Sugarbeets Tons 27,654 

 Sugarcane Tons 27,134 

 Tobacco Pounds 639,709 

 

DRY BEANS, PEAS & LENTILS 

 Austrian Winter Peas Cwt 307 

 Dry Edible Beans Cwt 27,222 

 Dry Edible Peas Cwt 14,003 

 Lentils Cwt 5,163 

 Wrinkled Seed Peas Cwt 755 

POTATOES & MISC. 

 Coffee (HI) Pounds 6,400 

 Ginger Root (HI) Pounds 5,100 

 Hops Pounds 59,914.5 

 Peppermint Oil Pounds 6,980 

 Potatoes, All Cwt 420,879 

 Winter Cwt 4,892

 Spring Cwt 18,724 

 Summer Cwt 16,237 

 Fall Cwt 381,026 

 Spearmint Oil Pounds 1,933 

 Sweet Potatoes Cwt 15,747 

 Taro (HI) Pounds 4,000 

Source: USDA, NASS 
Livestock: Average Prices Received by States, 2004 

 Dollars per cwt 

Lambs Hogs Beef Cattle

Alabama 43.90 80.70 

Alaska 73.00 90.00 

Arizona 95.00 59.30 101.00 

Arkansas 47.40 82.60 

California 90.40 49.50 68.70 

Colorado 101.00 52.70 104.00 

Connecticut 45.50 65.00 

Delaware 44.70 80.00 

Florida 43.70 63.20 

Georgia 50.30 66.10 

Hawaii 87.00 45.30 

Idaho 95.60 49.00 78.00 

Illinois 100.00 50.80 85.50 

Indiana 102.00 48.90 72.20 

Iowa 94.90 49.90 86.80 

Kansas 95.80 47.40 84.80 

Kentucky 48.10 84.30 

Louisiana 44.10 63.70 

Maine 45.50 78.00 

Maryland 44.60 80.00 

Massachusetts 45.50 70.00 

Michigan 94.00 45.90 68.70 

Minnesota 94.70 49.80 76.20 

Mississippi 46.70 70.60 

Missouri 101.00 46.10 92.30 

Montana 112.00 52.30 91.00 

Nebraska 98.30 50.80 88.70 

Nevada 98.00 45.80 89.40 

N ENG (1) 125.00 

New Hampshire 45.50 75.00 

New Jersey 41.80 52.00 

New Mexico 100.00 48.30 482.00 

New York 114.00 43.80 47.70 

North Carolina 50.60 79.80 

North Dakota 103.00 51.40 89.80 

Ohio 98.50 49.30 77.70 

Oklahoma 96.00 44.10 96.60 

Oregon 94.40 51.60 82.30 

Pennsylvania 115.00 46.70 73.30 

Rhode Island 45.50 65.00 

South Carolina 49.00 81.20 

South Dakota 115.00 50.40 89.30 

Tennessee 47.30 77.90 

Texas 110.00 44.90 86.50 

Utah 101.00 53.90 90.00 

Vermont 45.50 70.00 

Virginia 101.00 46.60 79.20 

Washington 96.00 48.90 94.00 

West Virginia 102.00 46.10 67.20 

Wisconsin 92.50 46.30 65.00 

Wyoming 114.00 46.70 98.80 

Other ST (2) 96.00 

U.S. Average 101.00 49.30 85.90 

(1) Includes CT, ME, MA, NH, RI & VT 

(2) Other States include: AL< AK< AR< DE< FL, GA< HI, KY, LA< MD, MS, NJ, NC, SC & TN 

Source: USDA, NASS 
Arthur Young and the President

Back before telephones, e-mail and fax machines, people relied heavily on letters for

sharing all kinds of information. The following are quotes from letters George

Washington wrote to an English agriculturalist, Arthur Young, and others. Read the

quotes, and then rewrite them in modern English, as though you were writing them to a

friend today. Try to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words by reading them in context.

Also notice the punctuation, capitalization and spelling that is different from what is

considered correct today.

1. I have a prospect of introducing into this Country a very excellent race of animals

also, by means of the liberality of the King of Spain. One of the Jacks which he

was pleased to present to me (the other perished at sea) is about 15 hands high,

his body and Limbs very large in proportion to his height; and the Mules which I

have had from him appear to be extremely well formed for Service. I have likewise a Jack and two Jennets from Malta, of a very good size, which the Marquis

de la Fayette sent to me. The Spanish Jack seems calculated to breed for heavy,

slow draught; and the other for the Saddle or lighter carriages. From these, altogether, I hope to secure a race of extraordinary goodness, which will stock the

Country. Their longevity and cheap keeping will be circumstances much in their

favor. I am convinced, from the little experiments I have made with ordinary

Mules, (which perform as much labor, with vastly less feeding than horses) that

those of a superior quality will be of the best cattle we can employ for the harness. And indeed, in a few years, I intend to drive no other in my carriage: having

appropriated for the sole purpose of breeding them, upwards of 20 of my best

Mares.

George Washington

(Letter to Arthur Young, December 4, 1788)

2. Every improvement in husbandry should be gratefully received and peculiarly fostered in this Country, not only as promoting the interests and lessening the labour

of the farmer, but as advancing our respectability in a national point of view; for

in the present State of America, our welfare and prosperity depend upon the cultivation of our lands and turning the produce of them to the best advantage. 

George Washington

(Letter to Samuel Chamberlain, April 3, 1788) 

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov
3. When I speak of a knowing farmer, I mean one who understands the best course

of crops; how to plough, to sow, to mow, to hedge, to Ditch and above all, Midas

like, one who can convert everything he touches into manure, as the first transmutation towards Gold; in a word one who can bring worn out and gullied lands into

good tilth in the shortest time. 

George Washington

(Letter to George William Fairfax, June 30, 1785) 

4. To tell a farmer. . . that his Cattle & ca. Ought to be regularly penned in summer

and secured from bad weather in winter, and the utmost attention paid to the

making of manure for the improvement of his fields at both seasons; that his

oxen should be well attended to, and kept in good and fit condition, thereby

enabling them to perform the labor which they must undergo; to remind him of

these things would, I say, be only observing what every Farmer must be thoroughly sensible of his duty enjoins... 

George Washington

(Letter to William Pearce, September 23, 1793) 

5. I think it would be no unsatisfactory experiment to fat one bullock altogether

with Potatoes; another, altogether with Indian meal; and third with a mixture of

both: keeping an exact account of the time they are fatting, and what is eaten of

each, and of hay, by the different steers; that a judgement may be formed of

the best and least expensive mode of stall feeding beef for market, or for my

own use.

George Washington

(Letter to William Pearce, December 7, 1794) 

6. No wheat that has ever yet fallen under my observation, exceeds the White

which some years ago I cultivated extensively; but which, from inattention during

my absence from home of almost nine years has got mixed or degenerated as

scarcely to retain any of its original characteristic properties. But if the march

of the Hessian Fly, Southerly, cannot be arrested. . .this White Wheat must yield

the palm to the yellow bearded, which alone, it seems, is able to resist the depredations of that destructive insect. This makes your present of it to me more valuable. It shall be cultivated with care. 

George Washington

(Letter to John Beale Bordley, August 17, 1788) 

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov
67

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

MAKING SENSE OF THE

CENSUS

GRADES: 9-12

SUBJECT: Math

OBJECTIVE: Students will compare properties of the mean and

the median using NASS data.

BACKGROUND

During the Civil War, the U.S. Department of Agriculture

(USDA) collected and distributed crop and livestock statistics to

help farmers assess the value of the goods they produced. At

that time, commodity buyers usually had more current and

detailed market information than did farmers. This circumstance

often prevented farmers from getting a fair price for their

goods. Producers in today's marketplace would be similarly handicapped were it not for the information provided by the USDA‛s

National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

NASS conducts weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual surveys

and the five-year census of agriculture. Surveys provide current

information about production, economics and environmental topics.

The five-year census of agriculture is the most comprehensive, detailed information-gathering program for agriculture. It is

a complete accounting of agricultural production in the United

States and is the only source of uniform, comprehensive agricultural data for every county in the nation. From 1840 to 1920 the

census of agriculture was taken every 10 years. Since 1925 the

census has been taken every five years (currently in the years

ending in 2 and 7) to coincide with other economic censuses covering manufacturing, mining and construction. The 2002 Census

of Agriculture is the nation's 26th census. Anyone who receives a

census report form is required by law to complete and return it.

NASS requests information from farm operators on the following subjects:

• Land use and ownership.

• Irrigated land.
VOCABULARY

statistics

mean

median

central tendency

data

uniform

consistent

assess

goods

commodity

68

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

• Crop acreage and quantities harvested.

• Livestock and poultry.

• Value of products sold.

• Product contracts and landlord shares.

• More detailed farm-related income.

• Computer and Internet use.

• Multiple operator characteristics.

Twenty-five percent of the report forms include additional questions on the following:

• Production expenses.

• Fertilizer and chemicals.

• Machinery and equipment.

• Market value of land and buildings.

• Income from farm-related sources.

Report forms are tailored for various parts of the country and

are specific to the crops grown in a farmer's particular area.

Besides helping the farmer get a fair price for the goods produced on his or her farm, census of agriculture data helps all of

us as we plan for the future sustained by a safe and secure food

supply.

Agribusinesses use census data to develop market strategies

and to determine the most effective locations for service to

agricultural producers. Farm organizations use it to evaluate and

propose programs and policies that can help agricultural producers. Our elected representatives use census data to develop programs to protect and promote U.S. agriculture. Rural electric

companies use the data to forecast future energy needs for agricultural producers and their communities. Colleges and universities use it in research programs to develop new and improved

methods to increase agricultural production. State departments

of agriculture use census data to plan for operations during

drought and emergency outbreaks of diseases or infestation of

pests.

NASS survey and census data would just be a sea of numbers

without tools for interpreting it. Statistics is the branch of

mathematics that collects, organizes, and analyzes data. Various

statistical operations can be performed on data such as those

collected in a survey or census. One such operation is measures

of central tendency. Measures of central tendency show averages. Median and mean are two types of central tendencies.

The median is a measure of the "middle" of the data. For an
69

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

odd number of data points arranged in ascending order, the median is actually the middle value. For an even number of data points

it is the value halfway between the two middle data points. For

example, census data for 2002 reports the number of farms for

Payne County, Oklahoma, as being 1 ,1 15 in 1992; 1,281 in 1997;

and 1,445 in 2002. In this set, the median, the middle number, is

1,281 . Another set of data, for the entire U.S., shows 2,197,690

in 1994; 2,196,400 in 1995; 2,190,500 in 1996; and 2,190,510 in

1997. In this set, since there is an even number of data points,

the median would be 2,193,450 (the halfway point between

2,196,400 and 2,190,500).

The mean is computed by adding all the numbers in the set

(1 ,1 15, 1,281, and 1445 in the case of number of farms in

Payne County, Oklahoma) and dividing the sum by the number of

elements added (3). So the mean number of farms for Payne

County, Oklahoma, from 1992 to 2002, would be 1,280.

ACTIVITY

1. Ask students what they know about statistics. How do statistics affect their daily lives? For example, those who are athletes might think of how statistics help them know how well

they are performing.

2. Share background information about the census of agriculture. Ask students why it would be important to gather statistical information about agriculture. Explain that learning to

interpret statistics can help them make good decisions as consumers and citizens.

3. Hand out the data showing statistical information about the

number of farms in the U.S. between 1982 and 2002. Explain

median and mean. (See background information.) On the chalkboard, write the number in the bottom right corner of each

chart indicating the total number of farms in the U.S. for the

years 1982-2002. As a class, find the median and the mean

from that set of numbers.

4. Divide students into groups. Assign one region to each group,

and hand out the worksheets. Have students work in groups to

complete a worksheet for each region.

5. Have students report their findings and discuss what the

numbers say about trends in agriculture for each region. Are

farms growing larger as the total number of farms decrease?

6. Discuss central tendency. Ask which would be least influenced

by a change in one of the individual numbers—mean or median?
70

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

What sorts of changes in a data set make the mean change?

What sorts of changes in a data set make the median change?

Discuss how these changes would affect interpretation of the

census data.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

1. Have students look for examples in the popular press where

the mean of a data set is cited and other examples where the

median is cited. Why do you think the authors of those articles chose to cite those particular measures of center? Would

readers have received a different impression of the data

under discussion if other (or additional) measures of center

had been reported? 

2. If computers and Internet connections are available, direct

students to the NASS Web site, www.usda.gov/nass/. For

Census of Agriculture data, go to “Census of Agriculture, then

click on "All Counties by State by Table" find your state, then 

your county. Have students find data for your state or county

showing number of farms and economic sales classes for 1982

through 2002. Using the mean and median, have students

describe the trends for farms in your county.

3. On the NASS Web site, have students find the top three

crops grown in your state and county. Students may use NASS

survey data, which provide more current estimates, or census

information data, which provide information that is more comprehensive and is the only source of uniform agricultural data

for every county in the United States.

4. Instruct students to find 10 other states or counties that

grow the same crops as those grown in your state, and create

a graph that shows the median and mean for production levels.

Ask students “If you wanted to build a processing plant to add

value to that crop, how might this historical data be useful?”
Name _____________________________________________________________

Making Sense of the Census

Region___________________________

Total number of farms

1982______ 1987______ 1992______ 1997____ 2002_____

Median__________ Mean____________

Farms earning $1,000-9,999

1982______ 1987______ 1992______ 1997____ 2002_____

Median__________ Mean____________

Farms earning $10,000-99,999

1982______ 1987______ 1992______ 1997____ 2002_____

Median__________ Mean____________

Farms earning $100,000 and over

1982______ 1987______ 1992______ 1997____ 2002_____

Median__________ Mean____________

Did the total number of farms increase or decrease between 1982 and 2002?

Did the total number of farms earning $1,000-9,999 increase or decrease between

1982 and 2002?

Did the total number of farms earning $10,000-90,999 increase or decrease between

1982 and 2002?

Did the total number of farms earning $100,000 or more increase or decrease between

1982 and 2002?

What conclusions can you draw about this region from the statistics?
NUMBER OF FARMS: ECONOMIC SALES CLASS BY STATE, REGION, AND UNITED STATES, 1982

$1 ,000- $10,000- $100,000 Total

9.999 99,999 & Over

NORTHEAST

Connecticut 1 ,560 1 ,033 562 3,155

Maine 2,722 1 ,960 916 5,598

Massachusetts 2,203 1 ,760 658 4,621

New Hampshire 1 ,222 641 277 2,140

New Jersey 3,597 2,565 1,111 7,273

New York 13,585 15,572 7,396 36,553

Pennsylvania 20,986 19,959 7,241 48,186

Rhode Island 295 202 69 566

Vermont 1 ,792 2,276 1 ,341 5,409

TOTAL 47,962 45,968 19,571 1 13,501

NORTH CENTRAL

Illinois 23,198 47,398 23,467 94,063

Indiana 27,027 32,777 11 ,794 71,598

Iowa 18,638 63,724 29,832 1 12,194

Kansas 21,028 37,416 10,514 68,958

Michigan 23,645 21,812 6,639 52,096

Minnesota 49,320 42,057 9,154 100,531

Missouri 51,892 50,077 6,861 108,830

Nebraska 9,766 34,121 147,051 190,938

North Dakota 5,651 23,575 6,340 35,566

Ohio 34,705 34,899 8,832 78,436

South Dakota 6,384 23,305 6,225 35,914

Wisconsin 20,123 43,195 13,880 77,198

TOTAL 261,214 454,198 290,785 1 ,006,197

SOUTH

Arkansas 22,562 12,670 8,169 43,401

Delaware 928 1, 158 1 ,022 3,108

Florida 14,738 10,085 4,707 29,530

Georgia 20,408 13,603 7,751 41,762

Kentucky 52,227 37,928 4,159 94,314

Louisiana 13,522 7,542 3,978 25,042

Maryland 6,271 5,343 2,782 14,396

Mississippi 20,412 8,833 4,842 34,087

North Carolina 30,421 24,250 9,019 63,690

Oklahoma 33,742 24,410 5,080 63,232

South Carolina 11 ,641 6,233 2,344 20,218

Tennessee 53,563 21,945 3,524 79,032

Texas 91,533 49,972 13,804 155,309

Virginia 27,164 14,030 3,920 45, 1 14

West Virginia 10,976 2,330 474 13,780

TOTAL 410,108 240,332 75,575 726,015

WEST

Alaska 353 82 26 461

Arizona 2,698 1 ,637 1 ,587 5,922

California 28,227 23,819 15,745 67,791

Colorado 8,607 10,654 4,423 23,684

Hawaii 2,222 1 ,422 360 4,004

Idaho 7,605 10,003 4,731 22,339

Montana 5,951 11 ,223 4,343 21,517

Nevada 991 926 436 2,353 

New Mexico 5,604 3,788 1 ,477 10,869

Oregon 15,791 7,973 3,840 27,604

Utah 6,151 4,430 1 ,341 11 ,922

Washington 13,898 9,451 6,203 29,552

Wyoming 2,550 4,047 1 ,369 7,966

TOTAL 100,648 89,455 45,881 235,984

US 819,932 829,953 431,812 2,081,697
NUMBER OF FARMS: ECONOMIC SALES CLASS BY STATE, REGION, AND UNITED STATES, 1987

$1 ,000- $10,000- $100,000 Total

9.999 99,999 & Over

NORTHEAST

Connecticut 1 ,437 958 529 2,924

Maine 2,625 1 ,719 902 5,246

Massachusetts 2,584 1 ,779 720 5,083

New Hampshire 1, 176 540 264 1 ,980

New Jersey 4,039 2,41 1 1 ,088 7,538

New York 12,070 13,323 7,299 32,692

Pennsylvania 19,227 19,293 7,614 46,134

Rhode Island 299 175 75 549

Vermont 1 ,772 1 ,891 1 ,394 5,057

TOTAL 45,229 42,089 19,885 107,203

NORTH CENTRAL

Illinois 21,595 43,040 19,647 84,282

Indiana 24,829 29,533 10,953 65,315

Iowa 18,767 55,844 26,787 101,398

Kansas 21,313 33,349 9,379 64,041

Michigan 20,414 17,784 6,396 44,594

Minnesota 20,641 41,956 16,406 79,003

Missouri 45,783 40,904 8,892 95,579

Nebraska 11 ,515 32,909 13,979 58,403

North Dakota 5,917 22,350 5,947 34,214

Ohio 31,687 31,320 8,541 71,548

South Dakota 6,714 21,496 6,782 34,992

Wisconsin 18,576 26,392 15,357 60,325

TOTAL 247,751 396,877 149,066 793,694

SOUTH

Alabama 22,390 9,490 4,486 36,366

Arkansas 21,313 12,302 9,100 42,715

Delaware 827 751 1, 108 2,686

Florida 15,008 9,871 4,796 29,675

Georgia 19,080 11 ,215 6,896 37,191

Kentucky 49,261 30,485 3,547 83,293

Louisiana 11 ,985 6,889 3,709 22,583

Maryland 5,872 4,196 2,586 12,654

Mississippi 16,796 7,551 4,417 28,764

North Carolina 26,205 17,603 8, 1 18 51,926

Oklahoma 32,325 23,584 5,071 60,980

South Carolina 10,204 4,777 1 ,905 16,886

Tennessee 46,446 18,292 3,464 68,202

Texas 91,516 52,415 143,931

Virginia 23,21 1 12,025 2,577 37,813

West Virginia 10, 1 13 2,764 486 13,363

TOTAL 402,522 224,210 62,266 689,028

WEST

Alaska 270 128 39 437

Arizona 2,631 18,732 1 ,707 23,070

California 26,997 25,786 17,071 69,854

Colorado 8,325 10,678 4,409 23,412

Hawaii 2,171 1 ,674 375 4,220

Idaho 7,566 9,214 4,453 21,233

Montana 6,302 11 ,671 4,197 22,170

Nevada 1,1 14 973 504 2,591

New Mexico 5,660 4,028 1 ,615 11 ,303

Oregon 14,997 7,863 3,845 26,705

Utah 5,870 4,549 1 ,389 11 ,808

Washington 12,667 9,347 5,940 27,954

Wyoming 2,522 3,892 1 ,583 7,997

TOTAL 97,092 108,535 47,127 252,754

US 792,624 771,71 1 278,344 1 ,698,748
NUMBER OF FARMS: ECONOMIC SALES CLASS BY STATE, REGION, AND UNITED STATES, 1992

$1 ,000- $10,000- $100,000 Total

9.999 99,999 & Over

NORTHEAST

Connecticut 1 ,379 943 446 2,768

Maine 2,371 1 ,622 903 4,896

Massachusetts 1 ,987 1 ,634 741 4,362

New Hampshire 1 ,070 583 266 1 ,919

New Jersey 3,858 2,564 1 ,060 7,482

New York 10,193 10,730 7,327 28,250

Pennsylvania 15,624 16,355 9,012 40,991

Rhode Island 268 197 77 542

Vermont 1 ,742 1 ,527 1 ,465 4,734

TOTAL 38,492 36,155 21,297 95,944

NORTH CENTRAL

Illinois 17,555 33,735 22,186 73,476

Indiana 21,210 24,632 12,056 36,688

Iowa 15,956 46,242 30,882 93,080

Kansas 17,569 29,796 11 ,669 59,034

Michigan 17,173 16,598 7,075 40,846

Minnesota 17,086 33,837 19,102 70,025

Missouri 41,217 36,613 10,600 88,430

Nebraska 8,672 26,081 16,191 50,944

North Dakota 4,424 16,752 8,678 29,854

Ohio 26,333 28,283 9,674 64,290

South Dakota 5,783 18, 1 14 8,714 32,61 1

Wisconsin 16,654 28,783 17,313 62,750

TOTAL 188,422 339,466 174,140 702,028

SOUTH

Alabama 18,638 8,915 4,885 32,438

Arkansas 18,526 11 ,402 9,720 39,648

Delaware 656 685 1 ,091 2,432

Florida 13,079 9,837 5,108 28,024

Georgia 17,207 10,256 7,048 34,51 1

Kentucky 42,621 35,496 5,030 83,147

Louisiana 10,900 6,412 4,161 21,473 

Maryland 4,814 3,822 2,710 11 ,346

Mississippi 15,450 7,048 4,624 27,122

North Carolina 21,260 15,678 9,342 46,280

Oklahoma 29,578 23,645 5,993 59,216

South Carolina 9,667 4,666 2,021 16,354

Tennessee 41,558 20,410 3,937 65,905

Texas 84,300 53,074 17,051 154,425

Virginia 20,793 12,614 4,214 37,621

West Virginia 10,025 3,127 619 13,771

TOTAL 359,072 227,087 87,554 673, 713

WEST

Alaska 224 125 34 383

Arizona 2,193 1 ,726 1 ,463 5,382

California 22,21 1 22,583 17,817 62,61 1

Colorado 8,318 10,250 4,895 23,463

Hawaii 2,255 1 ,638 439 4,332

Idaho 6,842 7,889 4,890 19,621

Montana 5,560 9,992 4,861 20,413

Nevada 1 ,013 889 482 2,384

New Mexico 5,634 4,029 1 ,804 11 ,467

Oregon 14,066 7,924 4,175 26,165

Utah 5,552 4,445 1 ,500 11 ,497

Washington 10,604 8,058 6,659 25,321

Wyoming 2,269 3,662 1 ,855 7,786

TOTAL 86,741 83,210 50,874 220,825

US 672,727 685,918 333,865 1 ,472,068
NUMBER OF FARMS: ECONOMIC SALES CLASS BY STATE, REGION, AND UNITED STATES, 1997

$1 ,000- $10,000- $100,000 Total

9.999 99,999 & Over

NORTHEAST

Connecticut 1 ,588 1 ,003 464 3,055

Maine 2,397 1 ,626 767 4,790

Massachusetts 2,092 1 ,728 859 4,679

New Hampshire 1 ,389 693 275 2,357

New Jersey 3,946 2,386 1, 161 7,493

New York 10,544 10,277 6,865 27,686

Pennsylvania 15,406 14,978 9,598 39,982

Rhode Island 275 246 97 618

Vermont 2,097 1 ,632 1 ,333 5,062

TOTAL 39,734 34,569 21,419 95,722

NORTH CENTRAL

Illinois 15,853 26,615 23,170 65,638

Indiana 17,766 20,542 12,063 50,371

Iowa 14,416 35,690 31,456 81,562

Kansas 16,007 25,354 13,436 54,797

Michigan 15,650 15,348 7,273 38,271

Minnesota 16,257 26,642 20,639 63,538

Missouri 41,292 33,193 10,685 85,170

Nebraska 7,972 21,700 18,205 47,877

North Dakota 4,363 14,264 8,659 27,286

Ohio 24, 1 17 25,132 10,742 59,991

South Dakota 5,042 14,621 9,447 29, 1 10

Wisconsin 15,961 24,485 15,772 56,218

TOTAL 194,696 283,586 181,547 659,829

SOUTH

Alabama 20,374 8,185 4,694 33,253

Arkansas 19,451 10,457 10,032 39,940

Delaware 577 639 1 ,078 2,294

Florida 13,298 9,565 5,177 28,040

Georgia 16,058 8,776 7,170 32,004

Kentucky 36,751 30,570 5,601 72,922

Louisiana 10,203 5,390 4,192 19,785

Maryland 4,265 3,474 2,597 10,336

Mississippi 14,084 5,945 4,521 24,550

North Carolina 19,953 12,704 10,146 42,803

Oklahoma 34,060 23,388 6,296 63,744

South Carolina 9,21 1 3,980 2,280 15,471

Tennessee 42,232 17,380 3,908 63,520

Texas 93,908 47,979 17,000 158,887

Virginia 19,731 12,018 4,121 35,870

WestVirginia 10,622 3,042 633 14,297

TOTAL 364,778 203,492 89,446 657,716

WEST

Alaska 210 173 47 430

Arizona 2,005 1 ,594 1 ,348 4,947

California 19,613 21,912 19,727 61,252

Colorado 8,944 10,107 4,764 23,815

Hawaii 2,362 1 ,847 448 4,657

Idaho 7,132 7,148 4,791 19,071

Montana 6, 1 15 9,594 5,357 21,066

Nevada 947 956 510 2,413

NewMexico 5,526 3,750 1 ,726 11 ,002

Oregon 15,300 8,443 4,568 28,31 1

Utah 5,736 4,547 1 ,637 11 ,920

Washington 10,222 7,307 6,753 24,282

Wyoming 2,398 3,880 1 ,900 8,178

TOTAL 86,510 81,258 53,576 221,344

US 685,718 602,905 345,988 1 ,634,61 1
NUMBER OF FARMS: ECONOMIC SALES CLASS BY STATE, REGION, AND UNITED STATES, 2002

NORTHEAST

CT 2

ME 2

MA 2

NH 2

NJ 2

NY

PA

RI 2

VT 2

Other States 1

TOTAL

NORTH CENTRAL

IL

IN

IA

KS

MI

MN

MO

NE

ND

OH

SD

WI

TOTAL

SOUTH

AL

AR

DE 2

FL

GA

KY

LA

MD 2

MS

NC

OK

SC

TN

TX

VA

WV 2

Other States 3

TOTAL

WEST

AK 2

AZ 2 5

CA

CO

HI 2

ID

MT

NV 2

NM 5

OR

UT

WA

WY 2

Other States 4

TOTAL

US

$1,000-$9,999

2,850

5,100

3,850

2,500

6,900

19,300

34,400

490

4,050

79,440

27,300

31,600

28,100

28,000

31,700

35,400

59,800

13,100

8,600

45,000

8,800

37,000

354,400

31,000

26,600

1,020

27,600

32,100

56,500

17,300

7,500

29,800

33,700

52,000

18,500

66,000

157,000

31,200

17,200

605,020

330

7,300

34,200

17,200

3,100

14,900

11,800

1,650

12,100

26,800

9,700

20,200

3,700

162,980

1,201,840

$10,000-$99,999

11,000

14,500

7,860

33,360

25,000

18,000

34,200

24,700

15,100

26,200

36,800

19,700

12,600

23,500

12,800

22,000

270,600

9,300

11,500

11,000

10,800

25,000

6,500

7,900

11,500

25,000

4,300

17,500

56,000

12,400

6,050

214,750

25,300

9,900

6,100

10,500

4,000

8,900

4,100

8,900

8,160

85,860

604,570

$100,000 & Over

6700

9300

4650

20650

20900

10700

28300

8800

6500

19300

10400

16600

9300

9300

10200

18000

171100

4700

9400

5400

6400

5500

3700

4500

9000

6500

1700

4000

16000

4000

3630

84430

20200

4300

4000

5600

1600

4300

1500

6900

4370

52770

328950

Total

4,200

7,200

6,100

3,400

9,900

37,000

58,200

850

6,600

133,450

73,000

60,300

90,600

64,500

53,300

80,900

107,000

49,400

30,500

77,800

31,800

77,000

796,100

45,000

47,500

2,400

44,000

49,300

87,000

27,500

12,200

42,200

54,200

83,500

24,500

87,500

229,000

47,600

20,800

904,200

610

10,300

79,700

31,400

5,500

25,000

27,900

3,000

17,700

40,000

15,300

36,000

9,200

301,610

2,135,360
1 CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ, RI, and VT.

2 Estimates not available for all sales classes.

3 DE, MD, and WV.

4 AK, AZ, HI, NV, and WY.

5 Includes some accounting for individual farms on reservation land.

Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

AGRICULTURE COUNTS

LESSON PLANS

GLOSSARY

acre—A unit of area in the U.S. Customary

System, used in land measurement equal to

4,840 square yards, or 43,560 square

feet—about the size of a football field.

agriculture—The science, art, and business

of cultivating soil, producing crops, and

raising livestock; farming or ranching.

analyze—To examine methodically by separating into parts and studying their interrelations.

arable—Fit for cultivation, as by plowing.

assess—To determine the value of.

appraise—To estimate the quality, amount,

size, and other features of.

bale—A large package of raw or finished

material tightly bound with twine or wire

and often wrapped.

bushel—A unit of volume or capacity in the

U.S. Customary System, used in dry measure and equal to 4 pecks, 2,150.42 cubic

inches, or 35.24 liters—about the size of a

round laundry basket.

byproduct—Something produced in the

making of something else.

census—An official, usually periodic enumeration of every person or item (e.g.,

farm) in a population, often including the

collection of related demographic information.

central tendency—Statistical operations

that measure averages (mean, median).

commercial—Of, relating to, or being

goods, often unrefined, produced and distributed in large quantities for use by

industry.

commodity—An article of trade or commerce, especially an agricultural or mining

product that can be processed and resold.

comprehensive—Large in scope or content.

conservation—The protection, preservation, management, or restoration of

wildlife and of natural resources such as

forests, soil, and water. 

consistent—Being in agreement with itself;

coherent and uniform.

count—To name or list (the units of a

group or collection) one by one in order to

determine a total.

crop— Cultivated plants or agricultural

produce, such as grain, vegetables, or

fruit, considered as a group.

cwt—A unit of weight in the U.S.

Customary System equal to 100 pounds.
Agriculture Counts—www.nass.usda.gov

data—Factual information, especially information organized for analysis or

used to reason or make decisions.

drought—A long period of abnormally low

rainfall, especially one that adversely

affects growing or living conditions.

dormant—In a condition of biological rest

or inactivity.

ecosystem—A system of relationships

between organisms and their environment.

end product—The result of a completed

series of processes or changes. 

expenses—An expenditure of money; a

cost.

fertilizer—Any of a large number of natural and synthetic materials, including

manure and nitrogen, phosphorus, and

potassium compounds, spread on or worked

into soil to increase its capacity to support

plant growth.

goods—Articles of trade or commerce,

especially agricultural products that can be

transported.

index—A number indicating change in magnitude of price relative to the magnitude

at some specified point, usually taken as

100.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)—A

system of pest management aimed at

reducing agricultural losses caused by

pests using methods that cause minimal

environmental damage and little or no

health risk.

irrigation—The act of supplying with water

by means of ditches, pipes or streams.

livestock—Domestic animals, such as cattle

or horses, raised for home use or for profit, especially on a farm.

mean—The value obtained by dividing the

sum of a set of quantities by the number

of quantities in the set. Also called average.

median—The middle value in a distribution,

above and below which lie an equal number

of values.

product—Something produced by human or

mechanical effort or by a natural process.

production—The act or process of making a

product.

semolina—The gritty, coarse particles of

wheat left after the finer flour has passed

through the bolting machine, used for

pasta.

statistics—The mathematics of the collection, organization, and interpretation of

numerical data.

survey—A gathering of a sample of data or

opinions considered to be representative

of a whole.

uniform—Always the same.

token—Something serving as an indication

of something else.

yield—An amount produced; a product.