2002 Census of Agriculture Released
Half of America’s farms and ranches have internet access and nearly 39 percent report using a computer for their farm business, according to the
new 2002 Census of Agriculture. Conducted every five years by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the Census of Agriculture attempts to reach every agricultural operator in America through a mail survey. Follow-ups by telephone or personal interview are conducted for those who do not respond by mail. Data represent all agricultural operations, defined as any place which sold or normally would have sold more than $1,000 worth of agricultural products during the census year.
The top five states in value of agricultural products sold are California ($25.7 billion), Texas ($14.1 billion), Iowa ($12.3 billion), Nebraska ($9.7 billion) and Kansas ($8.7 billion). Florida was ninth ($6.2 billion) behind Minnesota, Illinois, and North Carolina. Ninety percent of farms are operated by an individual or family. The number of corporate farms declined by 18 percent from 1997 to 2002, which reverses a trend that had continued without interruption since 1974. Direct sales to consumers increased 37 percent from 1997, totaling $812 million in 2002. The estimated market value of land and buildings on the nation’s farms rose 24 percent from 1997 to 2002. The average value per farm increased by over $100,000 during the five-year period, reaching an average of $537,833 in 2002. The average age of principal farm or ranch operators was 55-years-old compared to 54-years-old in 1997. But, for the first time, NASS collected information about more than one operator on the same farm. Results showed an average age of second operators at 49-years-old and third operators at 42-years-old. The census of agriculture provides the only source of detailed, comprehensive agricultural facts for every county in the United States and gives facts on very specialized or small scale agriculture. For more information about agriculture statistics, visit NASS online at www.usda.gov/nass/ or call 1-800-727-9540. (USDA News Release, 6/3/04).
