United States Department of AgricultureNational Agricultural Statistics Service

USDA/NASS: Programs and Census of Agriculture

Washington State Conservation Commission

9/18/14

NASS MISSION

The National Agricultural Statistics

Service provides timely, accurate, and

useful statistics in service to U.S.

agriculture.

CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE

A complete count, taken every five years,

of America’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them.

CENSUS HISTORY

The first Census of Agriculture was

conducted in 1840 in 26 states and

the District of Columbia.

“FARM” DEFINED

Any place from which $1,000 of agricultural products were produced

and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the Census year.

CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE

• The most complete agricultural data available.

• The only source of uniform, comprehensive and objective information for every county in the nation.

• Information on land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures, and more.

LAND IN FARMS

2007 2012 % Change

Land in farms 14,972,789 14,748,107 -1.5

Total cropland 7,609,210 7,526,742 -1.1

Cropland harvested 4,387,169 4,342,904 -1.0

Woodland 1,988,322 2,139,141 +7.6

Permanent pasture 4,775,287 4,518,550 -5.4

Other land 599,970 563,674 -6.0

Map of Percent of Land rented or leased from

others

WASHINGTON HIGHLIGHTS

State 2002 2007 2012 % Change 2012/2007

Washington $5,330,740 $6,792,856 $9,135,440 +34.5%

U.S. $200,646,355 $297,220,491 $394,646,980 +32.8%

Market Value of Agricultural Products Sold ($1,000) *

* Market value of agricultural products sold does not include payments received for participation in other federal farm programs.

Map of 2012 TVP by County(Dot Density)

WASHINGTON HIGHLIGHTS

State Less than $50,000

$50,000-$249,999

$250,000-$499,999

$500,000 or more

Washington 29,767 3,461 1,286 2,735

U.S. 1,591,804 268,249 94,072 155,178

2012 Number of Farms by Economic Class

201220072002199719921987198240.0

42.0

44.0

46.0

48.0

50.0

52.0

54.0

56.0

58.0

60.058.3

57.1

55.354.3

53.3

52.0

50.5

Average Age of Principal Operator, 1982 to 2012Age

TOP WHEAT COUNTIES

2012 bushels

Whitman County, WA 32,943,471

Lincoln County, WA 19,744,297

Chouteau County, MT 19,486,328

Ward County, ND 17,041,630

Cavalier County, ND 17,032,116

TOP APPLE COUNTIES

2012 acres

Yakima County, WA 50,270

Grant County, WA 43,471

Okanogan County, WA 20,774

Wayne County, NY 20,387

Benton County, WA 16,380

TOP SWEET CORN COUNTIES

2012 acres

Grant County, WA 25,856

Benton County, WA 25,392

Renville County, MN 24,186

Portage County, WI 23,829

Palm Beach County, FL 22,918

INTERESTING (to me) FACTS

• #6 – WA Rank in US for the Number of Beginning Farmers 10 years and less – 30%

• 1,243 of WA’s 37,249 farms account for 75% of sales

• 41% of farms <$1000 sales – “Point Farms”

FULL CENSUS REPORT

• Online at www.agcensus.usda.gov• Searchable database• Full publication• Charts/maps

OTHER CENSUS PRODUCTSOther census products that were or will be released in 2014 include:

• State and County Profiles – May• Congressional Districts Profiles - July• Congressional Districts Rankings - July• REG Profiles - August• American Indians - August• Organic Production - September• Watersheds - November• Farm Typology - December• Specialty Crops - December

SUPPLEMENTAL SURVEYSOther census products that will be released in 2014 include:

•Census of Aquaculture • Released September

•Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey• Released October

Thank You.

Questions??