Vegetable Production

ACH17-5/October 2019

Highlights U.S. vegetable sales up 16 percent since 2012; vegetable acreage down

United States Department of Agriculture

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

Number and Location

Ten states accounted for 79 percent 

of U.S. vegetable sales in 2017, with 

California alone accounting for 42 

percent. Four of the top five U.S. 

counties in vegetables sales are in 

California, with Monterey County 

accounting for 14 percent of the U.S. 

total (one third of California’s). With $2.8 

billion in vegetable sales, Monterey 

County had more vegetable sales than 

any state except California.

Farms produce vegetables for the 

fresh market and for processing, which 

refers to altering the commodity by 

heat, pressure, or freezing. Some farms 

produce for both markets, others 

specialize in one or the other. In 2017, of 

the 74,276 farms producing vegetables, 

68,377 farms grew fresh market 

vegetables and 11,901 farms grew 

vegetables for processing. The number 

of farms in 2012 was 72,045.

With 1.2 million harvested vegetable 

acres in 2017, California had the largest 

total acreage for both fresh market and 

processing vegetables.

U.S. vegetable sales (including melons) in 2017 were $19.6 billion, 5.0 percent 

of total U.S. agriculture sales. This was an increase of $2.7 billion, or 16 

percent, since 2012, the last time the Census of Agriculture was conducted. The 

number of farms growing vegetables increased, but acreage for vegetables 

declined from 4.5 million acres in 2012 to 4.4 million acres in 2017. Vegetable 

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

74,276

farms

4.4 million 

acres

$19.6 billion

sales 

Vegetable Sales as Percent of Agriculture Sales, by County, 2017

< 1

1 - 4

5 - 9

10 - 24

25 + U.S. = 5.0

Top States in Vegetable Harvested Acres, 2017 (total acres and fresh market/processing shares)

California 74% 26% 1,170,573

Idaho 58% 42% 354,278

Washington 24 76% 325,634

Wisconsin 77% 251,094

Florida 84% 245,375

Minnesota

13

87% 212,474

Fresh market Processing

Top States ($ mil)

California 8,167.8

Florida 1,284.1

Idaho 1,147.1

Washington 1,094.9

Arizona 1,009.1

Georgia 566.4

North Carolina 533.4

Wisconsin 543.0

Oregon 539.2

Michigan 535.1

California ranked first in both 

vegetable categories: fresh 

market (870,274 acres) and 

processing (300,299 acres). 

Florida and Idaho followed in 

fresh market vegetables, and 

Washington and Wisconsin 

followed in processing 

vegetables.
Source: USDA NASS, 2017 Census of Agriculture.

Producer Characteristics

Farm Characteristics

Average Farm

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

59 

$16.3 billion

The percent of vegetable producers farming 11 years or more.

The total production expenses of farms specializing in vegetable production.

SNAPSHOT

Vegetable Producers, 2017

Number = 80,603*

Vegetable All U.S.

(percent)

Sex

Male 61 64

Female 39 36

Age

<35 13 8

35 - 64 62 58

65+ 25 34

Years farming

10 or less 41 27

11 or more 59 73

Lived on their farm 74 74

Worked off farm

No days 38 39

1 to 199 days 28 21

200+ days 34 40

Primary occupation

Farming 50 42

Other 50 58

Hispanic 5 3

With military service 9 11

Average age (years) 53.9 57.5

 * Producers on 45,165 specialized vegetable farms as 

defined by the North American Industry Classification 

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

growing vegetables and melons. Data collected for up to 

four producers per farm. 

harvested

acres

Potatoes 1,133,128

Sweet corn 496,096

Lettuce 342,965

Tomatoes grown in the open 335,348

Snap beans 219,373

Sweet potatoes 172,983

Onions, dry 163,982

Green peas 147,791

Broccoli 135,185

Watermelons 129,790

Cucumbers 119,655

Economic Class

Vegetable

Farms All Farms

(sales and government payments) (percent of total)

< $10,000 49 55

$10,000 - $99,999 33 26

$100,000 - $499,999 9 11

$500,000 - $999,999 3 4

$1,000,000 + 6 4

Vegetable 

Farms All Farms

Avg. acres 206 441

Avg. sales $436,877 $190,245

Avg. government payments $16,439 $13,906

Avg. expenses $360,015 $159,821

Avg. net cash farm income $88,205 $43,053

Among Vegetable Farms 

79% Have internet access

36% Hire farm labor

95% Are family farms

59% Have net positive income

On average, farms specializing in 

vegetable production have fewer 

acres than U.S. farms overall, but 

higher sales, greater production 

expenses, and higher net income.

Half of farms specializing in 

vegetable production had sales 

and government payments of less 

than $10,000 in 2017. A third had 

sales and payments ranging from 

$10,000 to $99,999, compared 

with 26 percent of all farms.

Producers on farms specializing in vegetable 

production were, on average, younger (53.9 

years) than U.S. producers overall (57.5 

years). They were more likely to be relatively 

new farmers (41 percent had been farming 

10 years or fewer) than U.S. producers overall 

(27 percent) and more likely to have farming 

as their primary occupation (50 percent 

versus 42 percent). Thirty-nine percent were 

female, compared with 36 percent for all U.S. 

producers. 

Top Vegetables

Of the top vegetables, potatoes ranked first 

in 2017 harvested acres overall (1.1 million 

acres) and first in harvested acres for both 

the fresh market (535,792 acres) and the 

processing (597,336 acres) categories. 

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. 

www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus