THE AG CENSUS COUNTS

nass.usda.gov/AgCensus

2022 Census of Agriculture Data Release

February 13, 2024 

THE AG CENSUS COUNTS
nass.usda.gov/AgCensus | 2

Citation Request

The data and images in this presentation may be quoted, 

excerpted, or reproduced using the following citation when space 

allows:

USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2022 Census of 

Agriculture. Complete data available at 

www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus.

If space is limited, use:

USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture.
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Agenda

• Census Data Collection

• Farms and Ranches

• Economics

• Demographics

• Future Census Products
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History of the Census of Agriculture

• The first Census of Agriculture was conducted in 1840 in 26 states and the 

District of Columbia.

• 180 years later:

• The 2022 Census of Agriculture is the 30th in the series, and the 6th

conducted by NASS.

• In 1997, the Census of Agriculture was transferred from the Census 

Bureau to NASS.

• The Census of Agriculture encompasses 50 states, Puerto Rico, and 

outlying areas (Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern 

Mariana Islands).

• Data are available for:

• National, state, and county levels

• Congressional districts, watersheds, and zip codes
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Census Data Collection

Response Rate by State, 2022 Return Rate by Mode, 2017 and 2022 

(percent of returns)

U.S. = 61.0%

2.2%

2.5%

40.9%

54.4%

0.8%

4.7%

23.8%

68.2%

Field

Phone

Internet

Mail

2017 2022
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Farms and Land in Farms

Since 1974, the Census of Agriculture has defined a farm as 

“any place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were 

produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the 

census year.” 
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938 922 915 900 880 

2002 2007 2012 2017 2022

2.13 2.20 2.11 2.04 1.90 

Number of Farms and Land in Farms, 2002 - 2022

2017 2022

% 

change

Number of farms

2,042,220 1,900,487 -6.9

Land in farms (acres)

900,217,576 880,100,848 -2.2

Average farm size (acres)

441 463 +5.0

Number of Farms (millions)

Land in Farms (million acres)
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U.S. = 1,900,487

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Number of Farms, 2022

By County

Top 10 States 2022

Texas 230,662

Missouri 87,887

Iowa 86,911

Ohio 76,009

Illinois 71,123

Oklahoma 70,378

Kentucky 69,425

Minnesota 65,531

California 63,134

Tennessee 63,105
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Land in Farms, 2022

As a Percent of Total, by County

Type of Use Acres

(millions)

Total 880

Permanent Pasture 393

Cropland 382

Harvested Cropland 301

Woodland 72

Other 33

U.S. = 38.9%
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273

583 565

315

133

88

59

26

235

567

531

288

120

76 56

27

1 to 9 10 to 49 50 to 179 180 to 499 500 to 999 1,000 to 1,999 2,000 to 4,999 5,000 or more

Size of Farm (acres)

2017 2022

Number of Farms, by Size Class, 2017 and 2022 (thousands) 
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1.1

14.2

53.3

85.7

83.7

105.2

169.1

367.7

235

567

531

288

120

76

56

27

1 to 9

acres

10 to 49

acres

50 to 179

acres

180 to 499

acres

500 to 999

acres

1,000 to

1,999 acres

2,000 to

4,999 acres

5,000 acres

or more

Farms and Land in Farms, by Size Class, 2022

Number of Farms (thousands) Land in Farms (million acres)

U.S. Farms = 1,900

U.S. Land = 880.1
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Economics

• Total Value of Agricultural Production

• Crop and Livestock Sales

• Farm Income
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792

393 372

250

158

68

9

679

358 366

239

153

89

16

Less than

$2,500

$2,500 to

$9,999

$10,000 to

$49,999

$50,000 to

$249,999

$250,000 to

$999,999

$1,000,000 to

$4,999,999

$5,000,000

or more

Sales Class

2017 2022

Number of Farms, by Sales Class, 2017 and 2022 (thousands)
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0.3 

2.0 

8.7 

28.0 

78.8 

196.6 

228.7 

Farms and Value of Production, by Sales Class, 2022

Number of Farms (thousands) Value of Production ($ billions)

U.S. Value = 543.1

679

358

366

239

153

89

16

Less than

$2,500

$2,500 to

$9,999

$10,000 to

$49,999

$50,000 to

$249,999

$250,000 to

$999,999

$1,000,000 to

$4,999,999

$5,000,000

or more

U.S. Farms = 1,900
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Total Value of Agricultural Production, 2022

As a Percent of U.S. Total

Top 10 States TVP ($ billions)

California 59.0

Iowa 43.9

Texas 32.2

Nebraska 29.4

Minnesota 28.5

Illinois 26.4

Kansas 24.0

North Carolina 18.7

Indiana 18.0

Wisconsin 16.7

U.S. = $543.1 billion
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Total Value of Agricultural Production, 2022

By County

Top 10 Counties TVP ($ billions)

Fresno, CA 7.0

Tulare, CA 6.4

Monterey, CA 5.5

Kern, CA 5.0

Merced, CA 4.0

Imperial, CA 3.0

San Joaquin, CA 3.0

Stanislaus, CA 2.9

Santa Barbara, CA 2.6

Grant, WA 2.6

U.S. = $543.1 billion
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Value of Production, Crops and Livestock, 2002 - 2022 ($ billions)

47%

48%

54% 50%

53% 52%

52%

46% 50%

48%

201

297

395 389

543

2002 2007 2012 2017 2022
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0.6

1.0

6.5

20.1

21.3

28.2

34.2

168.7

Christmas trees

and woody crops

Tobacco

Cotton

Other crops and hay

Nursery, greenhouse,

floriculture, sod

Vegetables

Fruits, tree nuts, berries

Grains and oilseeds

Value of Crop Production by Category, 2022

Value ($ billions) Top State % of U.S.

Grains and oilseeds Iowa 14

Fruits, tree nuts, berries California 68

Vegetables California 41

Nursery, greenhouse, 

floriculture, sod California 18

Other crops and hay California 12

Cotton Texas 22

Tobacco North Carolina 51

Christmas trees and 

woody crops Oregon 30

U.S. = 280.6
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1.1

1.7

2.3

2.3

36.4

52.8

76.5

89.4

Sheep, goats,

wool, mohair, milk

Other animals and

animal products

Horses, ponies,

and mules

Aquaculture

Hogs and pigs

Milk

Poultry and eggs

Cattle and calves

Value of Livestock Production by Category, 2022

Value ($ billions) Top State % of U.S.

Cattle and calves Texas 17

Poultry and eggs North Carolina 12

Milk California 18

Hogs and pigs Iowa 32

Aquaculture Washington 13

Horses, ponies, mules Kentucky 33

Other animals and animal 

products Texas 10

Sheep, goats, wool, 

mohair, milk Texas 15

U.S. = 262.5
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Value of Production, Top 10 Commodities, 2022 ($ billions)

Change in Value, 2017 to 2022 Commodity TVP

Cattle and calves 89.4

Corn 88.5

Poultry and eggs 76.5

Soybeans 55.4

Milk 52.8

Hogs and pigs 36.4

Fruits, tree nuts,

berries 34.2

Vegetables 28.2

Nursery, 

greenhouse, 

floriculture, sod 21.3

Wheat 14.3

Other 46.1

+12.2

+37.3

+27.3

+15.1

+16.1 +5.6

+10.1

+8.6 +5.1 +6.4

+10.7

389

543

2017 Cattle and

calves

Corn Poultry and

eggs

Soybeans Milk Fruits,

tree nuts,

berries

Hogs Vegetables Nursery Wheat Other 2022

2017 Market Value → 2022 Market Value

+$155 billion (+39.8%)
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+25.7

+6.4

+10.2

+12.6

+6.3

+6.2

+4.6

+6.0

+4.9 +1.0

+13.7

326

424

2017 Feed Livestock

purchased

Hired

labor

Fertilizer Cash rents Supplies,

repairs

Seeds Chemicals Fuels Interest Other 2022

Farm Production Expenses, 2022 ($ billions) Farm Expenses

Feed 88.4

Livestock 

purchased 51.4

Hired labor 41.8

Fertilizer 36.1

Cash rents 27.3

Supplies and 

repairs 25.9

Seeds 25.6

Chemicals 23.6

Fuels 18.4

Interest 13.4

Other 72.2

Change in Value, 2017 to 2022

2017 Expenses → 2022 Expenses

+$97.8 billion (+29.9%)
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Farm Income and Expenses, 2017 and 2022 ($ billions)

2017 2022 % change

Value of ag products sold 388.5 543.1 +40

Government payments 8.9 10.4 +17

Farm-related income 16.8 22.3 +32

Production expenses 326.4 424.1 +30

Net income 87.9 151.6 +72

Per farm average net income

(dollars) $43,053 $79,790 +85
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U.S. = 79%

Farms with Internet Access

As a Percent of Total, by County, 2022 By Type, 2022 (percent)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

62%

55%

19%

3%

1%

Mobile

Broadband

Satellite

Dial-Up

Other Internet

 Service
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Demographics of Farm Producers

• Average Age of Producers

• Young Producers

• New and Beginning Producers

• Farm and Producer Characteristics by 

Sex

• Producers with Military Service
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932 931

112

48 20

767

897

132

71 34

1 producer 2 producers 3 producers 4 producers 5 + producers

2017 2022

2017 2022

% 

change

All producers 3.40 3.37 -0.8

Male producers 2.17 2.15 -1.1

Female producers 1.23 1.22 -0.2

Farm Structure, 2017 and 2022

Farms by Number of Producers (thousands) Producers by Sex (millions)
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Producers by Sex, 2022

Female Producers by Percent of All Producers, by County

U.S. = 36%

Producers

Female Male

Number 1,224,726 2,149,318

Average age 57.8 58.3

Farms

Number 1,110,546 1,757,655

Average farm 

size (acres) 367 481

Average Total 

Value of 

Production $199,959 $303,148

 

 

 

 

 

 
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Producer Decision Making by Sex, 2022 (percent)

90

80

58

61

70

53

78

59

53

50

71

53

Day-to-day decisions

Land use and/or crop decisions

Livestock

Marketing

Record keeping and financial

management

Estate or succession planning

Male

Female
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Average Age of Producers

By County, 2022

All Producers, 2002 - 2022 

2002 53.2

2007 54.9

2012 56.3

2017 57.5

2022 58.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. = 58.1
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Young Producers (Under 35 years), 2022

As a Percent of All Producers, by County Producers 

Young All

Number 296,480 3,374,044

Average age 28.6 58.1

Farms

Number 221,233 1,900,487

Average farm 

size (acres) 475 463

Average Total 

Value of 

U.S. = 8.8% Production $363,592 $285,762
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Young Producers, 2022 (thousands)

U.S. = +3.9%

As a Percent Change 2017 to 2022, by State
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Producer Decision Making by Age, 2022 (percent)

81

69

60

58

61

38

86

73

58

58

71

51

85

72

52

57

72

59

Day-to-day decisions

Land use and/or crop decisions

Livestock

Marketing

Record keeping and financial

management

Estate or succession planning

Under 35

35-64

65 years and over
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New and Beginning Producers (10 years or less on any farm), 2022

As a Percent of All Producers, by County

U.S. = 30%

Producers 

New and 

Beginning All

Number 1,011,715 3,374,044

Average age 47.1 58.1

Farms

Number 630,116 1,900,487

Average farm 

size (acres) 312 463

Average Total 

Value of 

Production $194,342 $285,762

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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Producers with Military Service, 2022

As a Percent of All Producers, by County

U.S. = 9.1%

Producers

With Military 

Service All

Number 305,753 3,374,044

Average age 68.2 58.1

Farms

Number 289,372 1,900,487

Average farm 

size (acres) 373 463

Average Total 

Value of 

Production $169,548 $285,762

 

 

 

 

 

 
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Upcoming Census Releases in 2024

Release Date Release Title

March 27 Market Value of Ag Products Sold Rankings 

March 27 State & County Profiles

May 15 Congressional District Profiles and Rankings 

June 28 Race, Ethnicity & Gender Profiles 

July 18 Puerto Rico

July 24 Watersheds 

August 29 American Indian Reservations 

October 17 Specialty Crops 

November 7 Zip Code Tabulations 

November 14 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey 

December 16 2023 Census of Aquaculture 
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All Reports Available at 

www.nass.usda.gov 

For Questions 

202-720-2127 

800-727-9540 

nass@nass.usda.gov