diversified agriculture/natural resources
While we continue to see a decline in the number of traditional farms and farmers, there have been increases in other areas of agriculture from 2007 to 2012. Young, beginning principal operators increased 11.3 percent. All categories of minority-operated farms also increased with Hispanic operated farms increasing by 21 percent. In addition, organic sales have grown from $1.7 billion to $3.12 billion. Another area that has seen growth and changes are small family farms.
Small family farms now account for 88 percent of all U.S. farms, 48 percent of farmland and 20 percent of sales. There are four types of operations categorized as a small family farm. Those include farms whose operator has a primary occupation other than farming, farms whose operator is primarily farming, but grosses less than $150,000, farms that gross $150,000 to $349,000, and retirement farms where the principal operator is retired but continues to farm on a small scale. In 2012, small family farms accounted for 58 percent of direct-to-consumer sales such as farmers markets, road side stands and community supported agriculture (CSA) arrangements. They accounted for 17 percent of organic sales. These farms also held 40 percent of all U.S. cattle inventory and 89 percent of horse inventory. Only 16 percent of these farms depended upon the farm for the majority of their household income.
As a whole, U.S. agriculture is continually changing. Farmers have adapted to changing consumer demands, technology and equipment, to name a few. Today’s farmers are resilient and determined to keep agriculture alive in their communities, states and country. The Census of Agriculture tells a story of how agriculture is changing. Although farming and ranching does not look the same as it did 100 years ago, it has adapted to fit the needs of feeding a growing nation.
For more information, contact Jeri Geren, Diversified Agriculture and Natural Resources, [email protected], (620)331-2690