Top States in Farm

Expenditures ($ bil)

California 34.2

Iowa 26.3

Texas 23.9

Nebraska 21.7

Kansas 17.7

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 

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 

http://go.usa.gov/x27WH.

Access all farm expenditure data 

through the Quick Stats database 

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

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service www.nass.usda.gov

U.S. Farm Production 

Expenditures, 2016

NASS Highlights August 2017 • No. 2017-5

Expenditures down

4.4 percent

Both total and per farm production expenditures in the United States were 

lower in 2016 than in recent years. Expenditures were down in every region, 

in every economic class, and in 12 of 17 spending categories. Both crop and 

livestock farm expenditures were down.

Total Farm Expenditures

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

$346.9 billion in 2016, down 4.4 percent from $362.8 billion in 2015 and down 

12.8 percent since 2014. (Fig. 1) As Table 1 shows, five expenditure categories 

Fig. 1. U.S. Total Farm Expenditures, 2006 – 2016 ($ billions)

237.8

2006

283.5

2007

307.0

2008

287.4

2009

289.1

2010

318.7

2011

360.1

2012

367.3

2013

397.6

2014

362.8

2015

346.9

2016

Source: USDA NASS.

Table 1. Farm Expenditures, by Category, 2016 ($ billion and percent)

$ billion %

Feed 55.6 16.0 

Farm Services 41.7 12.0 

Livestock, poultry, and related expenses 40.0 11.5 

Labor 34.1 9.8 

Rent 29.8 8.6 

Fertilizer, lime, and soil conditioners 23.5 6.8 

Seeds and plants 21.8 6.3 

Farm supplies and repairs 17.6 5.1 

Agricultural chemicals 15.2 4.4 

Farm improvements and construction 14.5 4.2 

Taxes 11.9 3.4 

Fuel 11.3 3.3 

Other expenses 29.9 8.6 

Total 346.9 100.0

Source: USDA NASS.

At $55.6 billion, 

feed was the largest 

expense item, 

accounting for 16 

percent of farm 

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

(feed, farm services, livestock/poultry and related 

expenses, labor, and rent) accounted for 57.9 percent of 

2016 farm expenditures. Twelve categories accounted for 

91.4 percent of the total. "Other" includes tractors, trucks/

autos, other machinery, interest, and miscellaneous 

capital expenses.

The largest total decrease was in livestock, poultry, 

and related expenses (down $5.4 billion between 2015 

and 2016), followed by feed (down $2.9 billion). Five 

categories had expenditure increases: labor (up $2.3 

billion), followed by agricultural chemicals, seeds and 

plants, farm services, and miscellaneous capital expenses. 

Between 2015 and 2016, expenditures by crop farms 

declined 1.8 percent and expenditures by livestock farms 

declined 6.9 percent. In 2016, crop farm expenditures 

($177.0 billion) exceeded livestock farm expenditures 

($169.9 billion). (Fig. 2)

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

2006 – 2016 ($ billion)

100.0

140.0

180.0

220.0

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

 Crop Farms Livestock Farms

Source: USDA NASS.

Per Farm Average Expenditures

Per farm average expenditures in 2016 were $169,035, 

down 4.1 percent from 2015. But they were higher for 

crop farms ($187,948) than for livestock farms ($152,995). 

(Fig. 3) 

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

2006 – 2016 ($ per farm)

$187,948

$152,995

75,000

100,000

125,000

150,000

175,000

200,000

225,000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

 Crop Farms Livestock Farms

Source: USDA NASS.

Per Farm Average Expenditures, 

Selected States, 2016 

($ per farm)

Nebraska 448,760 

California 445,893 

Iowa 302,816 

Kansas 296,980 

Minnesota 234,720 

Washington 225,766 

Illinois 219,044 

North Carolina 215,208 

Arkansas 188,488 

Indiana 178,000 

Georgia 170,574 

Wisconsin 158,806 

Florida 125,265 

Missouri 107,180 

Texas 98,965 

Source: USDA NASS.

Regional Shares of U.S. Farm Production Expenditures, 2016

(not including Alaska and Hawaii)

U.S. = $346.9 billion

Midwest 31%

Plains 26%

West 21%

Atlantic 12%

South 10%

Source: USDA NASS.

Of fifteen large

agricultural 

states, Nebraska 

had the highest 

per farm 

expenditures, 

and Texas had 

the lowest.

The Midwest region 

accounted for 31 

percent of farm 

expenditures; 

the South had the 

smallest share.