Fruit, Tree Nut, and Berry Production

ACH17-6/October 2019

Highlights Fruit acres down, tree nut and berry acres up, since 2012

United States Department of Agriculture

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

Number and Location

Ten states accounted for 95 percent of 

sales and 92 percent of acres producing 

fruit, tree nuts, and berries in 2017. Just 

three states – California, Washington, 

and Florida – accounted for 86 percent 

of sales and 76 percent of acres. 

The number of acres producing fruit, 

tree nuts, and berries in 2017 was 9 

percent higher than in 2012 (6.0 million 

acres in 2017 versus 5.5 million in 

2012). The increase was driven by a 27 

percent increase in tree nut acres and a 

4 percent increase in berry acres. 

U.S. fruit, tree nut, and berry sales amounted to $28.6 billion in 2017, 

accounting for 7.4 percent of total U.S. agriculture sales. This was an increase 

of $2.7 billion, or 10 percent, since 2012, the last time the Census of Agriculture 

was conducted. The number of acres producing these commodities was up 9 

percent. Farms specializing in fruit, tree nut, and berry production on average 

had fewer acres and higher sales than farms overall. Fruit, tree nut, and berry 

growers are slightly older than U.S. producers overall. 

109,994 

farms

6 million 

acres

$28.6 billion

sales 

Fruit, Tree Nut, and Berry Sales as Percent of Agriculture Sales, by County, 2017

< 1

1 - 9

10 - 19

20 - 39

40 - 59

60 +

U.S. = 7.4

Top States ($ mil)

California 19,708.7 

Washington 3,614.9 

Florida 1,298.7 

Oregon 612.1 

Michigan 440.7 

Georgia 421.8 

New York 399.8 

Texas 213.3

New Mexico 210.2 

Wisconsin 177.4 

2017

acres

% change

since 2012

Fruit

 Citrus 824,983 -6

 Non-citrus 2,160,940 -2

Tree nuts 2,679,683 +27

Berries 302,198 +4

Total 5,967,804 +9

113,119

The number of blueberry (tame) 

acres in 2017, accounting for 37 

percent of berry acres.

Top U.S. Fruit, Tree Nut, and Berry Crops in Acres, 2017

Almonds are 47 percent of tree nut acres, almost all in California. 

Grapes are 53 percent of noncitrus acres; 935,272 acres in California.

Pecans are 21 percent of tree nut acres.

Walnut acreage increased 26 percent since 2012.

Apples are 18 percent of noncitrus acres; down 1 percent since 2012

Pistachios are 13 percent of tree nut acres; up 48 percent since 2012.

Oranges (mid, navel, and Valencia combined) are 73 percent of citrus 

acres. The next citrus fruit is tangerines, 9 percent of citrus acres but up 

Valencia oranges 262,907 84 percent since 2012. 

Mid/navel oranges 339,923

Pistachios 344,614

Apples 381,718

Walnuts 419,706

Pecans 553,276

Grapes 1,136,155

Almonds 1,266,160
Source: USDA NASS, 2017 Census of Agriculture.

Producer Characteristics

Farm Characteristics

Average Farm

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

The percent of fruit, tree nut, and berry producers with military service. 12

$1.5 billion

The amount of organic sales by fruit, tree nut, and berry farms, 

20 percent of total U.S. organic agriculture sales.

SNAPSHOT

Fruit, Tree Nut, and Berry

Producers, 2017

Number = 169,027* Fruit, Tree 

Nut, Berry All U.S.

(percent)

Sex

Male 62 64

Female 38 36

Age

<35 6 8

35 - 64 57 58

65+ 37 34

Years farming

10 or less 33 27

11 or more 67 73

Lived on their farm 69 74

Worked off farm

No days 37 39

1 to 199 days 26 21

200+ days 37 40

Primary occupation

Farming 42 42

Other 58 58

Hispanic 9 3

With military service 12 11

Average age (years) 59.3 57.5

* Producers on 95,441 specialized fruit, tree nut, and 

berry farms as defined by the North American Industry 

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

come from growing fruits, tree nuts, and berries. Data 

collected for up to four producers per farm. 

($ bil)

Hired labor 5.8

Contract labor 3.2

Chemicals 2.2

Fertilizer 1.5

Supplies and repairs 1.3

Utilities 1.2

Interest 1.0

Other 7.2

Economic Class

Fruit

Tree Nut 

Berry Farms All Farms

(sales and government payments) (percent of total)

< $10,000 46 55

$10,000 - $99,999 32 26

$100,000 - $499,999 13 11

$500,000 - $999,999 4 4

$1,000,000 + 5 4

Fruit

Tree Nut 

Berry Farms All Farms

Avg. acres 140 441

Avg. sales $296,901 $190,245

Avg. government payments $11,106 $13,906

Avg. expenses $245,267 $159,821

Avg. net cash farm income $63,749 $43,053

Among Fruit, Tree Nut, 

and Berry Farms 

81% Have internet access

40% Hire farm labor

94% Are family farms

49% Have net positive income

Farms specializing in fruit, tree 

nut, and berry production on 

average have fewer acres but 

higher sales, greater production 

expenses, and higher net income 

than U.S. farms overall. 

Three-fourths (76 percent) of 

farms specializing in fruit, tree 

nut, and berry production had 

sales and government payments 

of less than $100,000 in 2017. 

The producers on farms specializing in fruit, 

tree nut, and berry production resemble U.S. 

producers overall in many characteristics 

but they are slightly older on average (59.3 

years versus 57.5 years) and more likely to 

be Hispanic (9 percent compared with 3 

percent for U.S. producers overall). Thirtythree percent have ten or fewer years of 

farming experience (compared with 27 

percent of all U.S. producers). Thirty-eight 

percent are women.

Production Expenses

The production costs of farms specializing in 

fruit, tree nut, and berry production totaled 

$23.4 billion, up 17 percent from 2012. At 

$5.8 billion, hired labor was the largest 

expense item, accounting for 25 percent of 

About the Census production expenses.

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