Top States in Farm

Expenditures ($ billion)

California 42.2

Iowa 34.0

Texas 26.0

Nebraska 24.5

Kansas 22.6

About this Survey

Data presented here are based 

on the survey of farm production 

expenditures the National Agricultural 

Statistics Service conducts annually in 

the 48 contiguous states as part of the 

Agricultural Resource Management 

Survey (ARMS). 

ARMS provides annual data on the 

financial health of the farm sector and 

farm household finances. For more on 

the information ARMS provides, go to 

www.nass.usda.gov/go/arms. 

Access all farm expenditure data 

through the Quick Stats database 

(https://quickstats.nass.usda.gov).

U.S. Farm Production 

Expenditures, 2021

NASS Highlights July 2022 • No. 2022-6

Total and average

per farm expenditures 

are up

Total and average per farm production expenditures in the United States 

increased again in 2021. Both crop and livestock farms had increased 

expenditures in 2021 compared to 2020.

Total Farm Expenditures

Total expenditures by U.S. farms (not including Alaska and Hawaii) were 

$392.9 billion in 2021, up 7.3% from $366.2 billion in 2020. (Fig. 1) As 

Table 1 shows, five expenditure categories (feed, farm services, livestock/

poultry/related expenses, labor, and rent) accounted for 56.4% of 2021 farm 

expenditures. 

Fig. 1. U.S. Total Farm Expenditures, 2012–2021 ($ billion)

2012

360.1

2013

367.3

2014

397.6

2015

362.8

2016

346.9

2017

357.8

2018

354.0

2019

357.8

2020

366.2

392.9

2021

Table 1. Farm Expenditures, by Category, 2021

($ billion and percent of total)

$ billion percenta

Feed 65.2 16.6

Farm services 45.0 11.5

Livestock, poultry, and related expenses 42.4 10.8

Labor 36.8 9.4

Rent 32.0 8.1

Fertilizer, lime, and soil conditioners 29.5 7.5

Seeds and plants 22.3 5.7

Farm supplies and repairs 20.2 5.1

Agricultural chemicals 17.8 4.5

Taxes 14.7 3.7

Farm improvements and construction 14.5 3.7

Tractors & Self Propelled Machinery 17.6 4.5

Other Expenses 34.9 8.9

Total 392.9 100

a

May not add to 100% due to rounding.

Feed, at $65.2 

billion, was the 

largest expense 

item, accounting 

for 16.6% of farm 

expenditures.

www.nass.usda.gov

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service
Twelve categories accounted for 91.1% of the total. 

“Other expenses” includes fuel, interest, miscellaneous 

capital expenses, other machinery, and trucks/autos. 

Feed (up $8.4 billion), fertilizer, lime, and soil conditioners 

(up $5.1 billion), as well as tractors and self-propelled 

farm machinery (up $3.9 billion) were the three 

categories with the largest increases between 2020 and 

2021.

Between 2020 and 2021, expenditures by crop farms 

increased by 6.2% and expenditures by livestock farms 

increased 8.5%. In 2021, crop farm expenditures

($207.6 billion) exceeded livestock farm expenditures 

($185.3 billion). (Fig. 2)

Fig. 2. Total Farm Expenditures, Crop and Livestock Farms,

2012–2021 ($ billion)

 Crop Livestock

50.0

100.0

150.0

200.0

250.0

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

207.6

185.3

Per Farm Average Expenditures

Per farm average expenditures in 2021 were $196,087, up 

7.7% from 2020. Expenditures were higher for crop farms 

($219,593) than for livestock farms ($175,092). (Fig. 3)

Fig. 3. Per Farm Average Expenditures, Crop and Livestock Farms, 

2012–2021 ($ thousands)

 Crop Livestock

50.0

100.0

150.0

200.0

250.0

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

219.6

175.1

Per Farm Average Expenditures, 

Selected States, 2021 

($ per farm)

California 611,087 

Nebraska 547,321 

Iowa 400,353 

Kansas 384,812 

Minnesota 299,258 

North Carolina 257,317 

Washington 256,799 

Illinois 245,557 

Arkansas 202,024 

Indiana 200,454 

Georgia 197,458 

Wisconsin 181,591 

Florida 166,316 

Missouri 122,368 

Texas 105,445 

Regional Shares of U.S. Farm Production Expenditures, 2021

(not including Alaska and Hawaii)

Of 15 large 

agricultural 

states, California 

had the highest 

per farm 

expenditures 

and Texas had 

the lowest.

In 2021, the Midwest region accounted for 

32% of U.S. total production expenditures, 

with expenses of $124.9 billion, up 10.8% 

from 2020. In the Plains region, 2021 

expenses were $99.2 billion, up 16.2% 

from 2020. In the West region, 2021 

expenses were $86.7 billion, up 0.7%

from 2020. The Atlantic had expenses

of $42.9 billion, down 2.9% from 2020. The 

South had expenses of $39.2 billion, up 

3.8% from 2020.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. 

www.nass.usda.gov

U.S. = $392.9 billion

Midwest 32%

West 22%

Plains 25%

Atlantic 11%

South 10%