Top States

Hispanic Producers, 2017

Texas 41,143

California 14,597

New Mexico 12,212

Florida 7,121

Colorado 3,765

Washington 2,947

Oklahoma 2,621

Oregon 2,083

Arizona 1,482

Missouri 1,407

Idaho 1,258

Kansas 1,253

Hispanic Producers

ACH17-10/October 2019

Highlights Farms up 8 percent; sold $21.8 billion in agricultural products in 2017

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus

112,451 

producers

32 million 

acres

$21.8 billion 

agriculture sales 

In 2017, the United States had 112,451 producers who identified as Hispanic, 

Latino, or Spanish origin, accounting for 3.3 percent of the country’s 3.4 

million producers. The majority of Hispanic producers were in Texas, 

California, New Mexico, and Florida. They were younger and more likely to 

have recently started farming than U.S. producers overall. They may be of 

any race, but are largely white. Hispanic-operated farms accounted for 5.6 

percent of U.S. agriculture sales and 3.6 percent of U.S. farmland.

Number and Location

The 2017 Census of Agriculture revised 

the demographic data collected to 

better capture the contributions of 

all persons involved in agricultural 

production. In response to detailed 

questions about farm decision 

making, more farms reported multiple 

individuals involved in farm operations.

As a result of the new approach to 

counting producers, the total number 

of U.S. producers increased 7 percent 

between 2012 and 2017. The increase in 

the number of Hispanic producers was 

13 percent. Hispanic-operated farms 

increased 8 percent between 2012 and 

2017 to 86,278 farms.

In Texas, with more Hispanic producers 

than any other state, Hispanic producers 

are 10 percent of the state’s total 

producers. They made up a larger share 

of total producers in New Mexico, where 

30 percent of all producers identified 

as Hispanic, and in California, where 12 

percent of all producers identified as 

Hispanic. 

Number of Producers and Farms, Hispanic and All U.S. 

2012 2017 % change

Producers 99,734 112,451 +13

Hispanic 3,180,074 3,399,834 +7

All U.S.

Farms

Hispanic-operated 79,807 86,278 +8

All U.S. 2,109,303 2,042,220 -3

In six Texas counties, 

80 percent or more of 

farms were Hispanicoperated: 

Starr (96 percent), 

Zapata (94 percent), 

Brooks (88 percent), 

Jim Hogg (84 percent), 

Duval (81 percent), and 

Webb (80 percent).

Hispanic-operated Farms as Percent of Total Farms, by County, 2017

< 5

5 - 9

10 - 24

25 - 49

50 + U.S. = 4.2

60 The percent of Hispanic producers 

who live in the top three states.
Producer Characteristics

Hispanic producers are younger on average than U.S. producers overall 

(55.0 years compared with 57.5 in 2017), and more likely to be a beginning farmer 

(36 percent of Hispanic producers had farmed 10 years or 

fewer, compared with 27 percent of all producers). Fewer 

Hispanic producers (65 percent) lived on their farm or ranch 

than U.S. producers overall (74 percent). 

SNAPSHOT

Hispanic Producers, 2017

Number = 112,451*

Hispanic All U.S.

(percent)

Sex

Male 65 64

Female 35 36

Age

<35 9 8

35 - 64 65 58

65+ 26 34

Years farming

10 or less 36 27

11 or more 64 73

Lived on their farm 65 74

Worked off farm

No days 31 39

1 to 199 days 28 21

200+ days 41 40

Primary occupation

Farming 40 42

Other 60 58

Race

American Ind/Alaska Native 2.2 1.7

Asian 1.0 0.6

Black/African American 0.9 1.3

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Isl 0.5 0.1

White 93.6 95.4

More than one race 1.8 0.8

With military service 11 11

Average age (years) 55.0 57.5

*Data collected for up to four producers per farm.

Source: USDA NASS, 2017 Census of Agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Farm Characteristics

Hispanic-operated farms sold $21.8 billion in agricultural products in 2017, with 59 percent 

($12.8 billion) in crop sales and 41 percent ($9.0 billion) in sales of livestock and livestock 

products. These farms accounted for 5.6 percent of total U.S. agriculture sales. They received 

$158 million in government payments in 2017.

Farm Specializationa

Twenty-one percent of Hispanic-operated 

farms specialized in production of specialty 

crops, compared with 9 percent of all U.S. 

farms.

% of 

farms

Oilseeds and grains 4

Specialty crops 21

 Vegetables and melons 3

 Fruits, tree nuts, berries 14

 Greenhouse, nursery, floriculture 4

Other crops 15

Cattle and dairy 36

Sheep and goats 9

Other animals 15

Farms and Land

Hispanic-operated farms accounted for 32 

million acres of farmland, 3.6 percent of the 

U.S. total. The majority (61 percent) of these 

farms were less than 50 acres in size. The 

average size of Hispanic-operated farms was 

372 acres.

Farm Size

in Acres

 HispanicoperatedAll 

U.S.

(percent of total)

1 to 9 26 13

10 to 49 35 29

50 to 179 20 28

180 to 499 10 15

500 + 9 15

More than three-fourths (78 percent) of 

Hispanic-operated farms were operated by 

farmers who own all the land they farm, 

7 percent by farmers who rent all the land. 

a Refers to the North American Industry Classification System 

(NAICS). More than half of a farm’s sales come from the 

commodity.

3.3 

The percent of total U.S.

producers who are Hispanic.

Fifty-seven percent 

of Hispanicoperated farms 

had sales and 

government 

payments of less 

than $5,000; 16 

percent had sales 

and payments of 

$50,000 or more, 

compared with 25 

percent of all farms.

Hispanic-operated and U.S. Farms by Economic Class, 2017 (percent)

(sales and government payments combined)

33

23

24

21

11

11

16

20

16

25

All

Hispanic-operated

< $1,000

$1,000 to $4,999

$5,000 to $9,999

$10,000 to $49,999

$50,000 +

70The percent of Hispanic-operated 

farms with internet access.

About the Census

The Census of Agriculture, conducted 

once every five years, is a complete 

count of U.S. farms and ranches and 

the people who operate them. Results 

from the 2017 and earlier censuses 

are available at national, state, and 

county levels. 

See the searchable database Quick 

Stats, the new Census Data Query Tool, 

downloadable PDF reports, maps, and 

a variety of topic-specific products 

including profiles by race, ethnicity, 

and sex.

www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus

11,699 

The number of Hispanic-operated 

farms specializing in fruit, tree nut, 

and berry production.