United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service ISSN: 1995-2004 Farms and Land in Farms 2015 Summary February 2016 Contents 2015 Farms and Land in Farms Highlights........................................................................... 4 Number of Farms by Economic Sales Class - United States: 2014 and 2015............................................ 6 Average Farm Size by Economic Sales Class - United States: 2014 and 2015.......................................... 6 Farms and Land in Farms by Economic Sales Class - United States: 2015............................................. 7 Number of Farms and Average Farm Size - United States: 2008-2015.................................................. 7 Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size - United States: 2008-2015.................................. 8 Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size by Economic Sales Class - United States: 2014-2015.......... 8 Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size - States and United States: 2014-2015....................... 9 Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size, $1,000-$9,999 - States and United States: 2014-2015........ 10 Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size, $10,000-$99,999 - States and United States: 2014-2015...... 11 Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size, $100,000-$249,999 - States and United States: 2014-2015.... 12 Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size, $250,000-$499,999 - States and United States: 2014-2015.... 13 Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size, $500,000-$999,999 - States and United States: 2014-2015.... 14 Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size, $1,000,000 or more - States and United States: 2014-2015... 15 Statistical Methodology........................................................................................... 16 Terms and Definitions............................................................................................. 17 Farm Definition History........................................................................................... 18 Information Contacts.............................................................................................. 19 2015 Farms and Land in Farms Highlights The number of farms in the United States for 2015 is estimated at 2.07 million, down 18 thousand farms from 2014. Total land in farms, at 912 million acres, decreased 1 million acres from 2014. The average farm size for 2015 is 441 acres, up 3 acres from the previous year. Farm numbers and land in farms are differentiated by six economic sales classes. Farms and ranches are classified into these six sales classes by summing the sales of agricultural products and government program payments. Sales class breaks occur at $10,000, $100,000, $250,000, $500,000, and $1,000,000. Producers were asked during the 2015 mid-year surveys to report the value of sales based on production during the 2014 calendar year. Production or commodity price changes in 2014 resulted in the total value for most livestock and livestock products to increase while the value of most crops declined. Point Farms are farms that did not have the required minimum $1,000 in sales for the year to qualify as a farm, but had sufficient crops and livestock to normally have sales of $1,000 or more. Point Farms are assigned a sales class based on the sum of the agricultural point (dollar) values assigned to the quantity of commodities produced, but not sold. The 2012 Census of Agriculture showed that 428,810 farms or 20.3 percent of the 2.11 million farms were Point Farms. These Point Farms operated 63.0 million acres or 6.9 percent of the 914.5 million acres of farmland. Farm numbers decreased by 18 thousand farms during 2015. The number of farms in Sales Class $1,000 - $9,999 declined while all other sales classes increased slightly. Fifty percent of all farms had less than $10,000 in sales. Eighty percent of all farms had less than $100,000 in sales. Eight percent of all farms had sales of $500,000 or more. Changes in the number of farms by sales class are: * Sales Class $1,000 - $9,999 at 1.04 million farms, declined by 20 thousand farms. * Sales Class $10,000 - $99,999 at 623 thousand farms, increased by 4 hundred farms. * Sales Class $100,000 - $249,999 at 145 thousand farms, increased by 3 hundred farms. * Sales Class $250,000 - $499,999 at 98 thousand farms, increased by 8 hundred farms. * Sales Class $500,000 - $999,999 at 83 thousand farms, increased by 3 hundred farms. * Sales Class $1,000,000 or more at 83 thousand farms, increased by 3 hundred farms. The percent of all farms by sales class are: * Sales Class $1,000 - $9,999: 50.1% * Sales Class $10,000 - $99,999: 30.1% * Sales Class $100,000 - $249,999: 7.0% * Sales Class $250,000 - $499,999: 4.7% * Sales Class $500,000 - $999,999: 4.0% * Sales Class $1,000,000 or more: 4.0% Land in farms, at 912 million acres, was down 1 million acres from 2014. The biggest changes for 2015 are that producers with sales below $10,000 operated 2.92 million fewer acres and those in Sales Class $10,000-$99,999 operated 2.35 million fewer acres. Still, nearly 31 percent of all farmland was operated by farms with less than $100,000 in sales. Forty-one percent of all farmland was operated by farms with sales of $500,000 or more. Farmland changes by sales class are: * Sales Class $1,000 - $9,999 at 87.9 million acres, declined by 2.92 million acres. * Sales Class $10,000 - $99,999 at 191.5 million acres, declined by 2.35 million acres. * Sales Class $100,000 - $249,999 at 130.8 million acres, increased by 1.85 million acres. * Sales Class $250,000 - $499,999 at 125.8 million acres, increased by 520 thousand acres. * Sales Class $500,000 - $999,999 at 156.4 million acres, increased by 330 thousand acres. * Sales Class $1,000,000 or more at 219.6 million acres, increased by 1.57 million acres. Percent of all farmland by sales class are: * Sales Class $1,000 - $9,999: 9.6% * Sales Class $10,000 - $99,999: 21.0% * Sales Class $100,000 - $249,999: 14.3% * Sales Class $250,000 - $499,999: 13.8% * Sales Class $500,000 - $999,999: 17.1% * Sales Class $1,000,000 or more: 24.1% The average farm size continued to increase in 2015 as the number of farms declined more than land in farms. The overall average size increased by 3 acres to 441 acres per farm. However, average farm sizes declined in all sales classes except $100,000-$249,000 and $1,000,000 or more. Average farm size by sales class are: * Sales Class $1,000 - $9,999: 85 acres * Sales Class $10,000 - $99,999: 307 acres * Sales Class $100,000 - $249,999: 901 acres * Sales Class $250,000 - $499,999: 1,285 acres * Sales Class $500,000 - $999,999: 1,882 acres * Sales Class $1,000,000 or more: 2,662 acres Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size - United States: 2008-2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Year : Number of farms : Land in farms : Average farm size ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : number 1,000 acres acres : 2008 .................: 2,184,500 918,600 421 2009 .................: 2,169,660 917,590 423 2010 .................: 2,149,520 915,660 426 2011 .................: 2,131,240 914,420 429 2012 .................: 2,109,810 914,600 433 2013 .................: 2,102,010 914,030 435 2014 .................: 2,085,000 913,000 438 2015 .................: 2,067,000 912,000 441 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size by Economic Sales Class - United States: 2014-2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent of total : : :-------------------------------------------------------: : Economic sales class : Farms : Land in farms : Average farm size :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : percent percent percent percent acres acres : $ 1,000 - $ 9,999 .: 50.6 50.1 9.9 9.6 86 85 $ 10,000 - $ 99,999 .: 29.9 30.1 21.2 21.0 311 307 $100,000 - $249,999 .: 7.0 7.0 14.1 14.3 889 901 $250,000 - $499,999 .: 4.7 4.7 13.7 13.8 1,290 1,285 $500,000 - $999,999 .: 4.0 4.0 17.1 17.1 1,884 1,882 $1,000,000 or more ..: 3.9 4.0 23.9 24.1 2,652 2,662 : Total1/ .............: 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 438 441 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ May not add due to rounding. Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size - States and United States: 2014-2015 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number of farms : Land in farms : Average farm size State :----------------------------------------------------------- : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :------ number ----- -- 1,000 acres -- ---- acres ---- : Alabama ...........: 43,400 42,700 8,900 8,800 205 206 Alaska ............: 760 750 830 830 1,092 1,107 Arizona ...........: 19,600 19,500 26,000 26,000 1,327 1,333 Arkansas ..........: 44,000 43,500 13,800 13,800 314 317 California ........: 77,400 77,500 25,500 25,500 329 329 Colorado ..........: 35,000 34,200 31,800 31,700 909 927 Connecticut .......: 6,000 6,000 440 440 73 73 Delaware ..........: 2,500 2,500 500 500 200 200 Florida ...........: 47,600 47,300 9,500 9,450 200 200 Georgia ...........: 41,100 40,500 9,400 9,300 229 230 : Hawaii ............: 7,000 7,000 1,120 1,120 160 160 Idaho .............: 24,400 24,400 11,800 11,800 484 484 Illinois ..........: 74,500 73,600 26,900 26,900 361 365 Indiana ...........: 58,200 57,700 14,700 14,700 253 255 Iowa ..............: 88,000 87,500 30,500 30,500 347 349 Kansas ............: 61,000 60,400 46,000 46,000 754 762 Kentucky ..........: 76,400 76,400 13,000 13,000 170 170 Louisiana .........: 27,200 26,900 7,800 7,750 287 288 Maine .............: 8,200 8,200 1,450 1,450 177 177 Maryland ..........: 12,300 12,200 2,030 2,020 165 166 : Massachusetts .....: 7,800 7,800 520 520 67 67 Michigan ..........: 51,600 51,500 9,950 9,950 193 193 Minnesota .........: 74,000 73,600 25,900 25,900 350 352 Mississippi .......: 37,100 36,700 10,900 10,800 294 294 Missouri ..........: 97,700 97,100 28,300 28,300 290 291 Montana ...........: 27,800 27,500 59,700 59,700 2,147 2,171 Nebraska ..........: 49,100 48,700 45,200 45,200 921 928 Nevada ............: 4,200 4,200 5,950 5,960 1,417 1,419 New Hampshire .....: 4,400 4,400 470 470 107 107 New Jersey ........: 9,100 9,100 720 720 79 79 : New Mexico ........: 24,700 24,700 43,200 43,200 1,749 1,749 New York ..........: 35,500 35,500 7,180 7,200 202 203 North Carolina ....: 49,500 48,800 8,400 8,300 170 170 North Dakota ......: 30,300 30,000 39,300 39,200 1,297 1,307 Ohio ..............: 74,500 74,400 14,000 14,000 188 188 Oklahoma ..........: 79,600 78,000 34,300 34,200 431 438 Oregon ............: 34,600 34,600 16,400 16,400 474 474 Pennsylvania ......: 58,800 57,900 7,720 7,700 131 133 Rhode Island ......: 1,240 1,250 70 70 56 56 South Carolina ....: 24,400 24,400 5,000 5,000 205 205 : South Dakota ......: 31,700 31,300 43,300 43,300 1,366 1,383 Tennessee .........: 67,300 67,300 10,900 10,900 162 162 Texas .............: 245,500 242,000 130,000 130,000 530 537 Utah ..............: 18,100 18,100 11,000 11,000 608 608 Vermont ...........: 7,300 7,300 1,250 1,250 171 171 Virginia ..........: 45,900 44,700 8,200 8,100 179 181 Washington ........: 36,700 36,000 14,700 14,700 401 408 West Virginia .....: 21,300 20,900 3,600 3,600 169 172 Wisconsin .........: 69,000 68,900 14,500 14,400 210 209 Wyoming ...........: 11,700 11,600 30,400 30,400 2,598 2,621 : United States .....:2,085,000 2,067,000 913,000 912,000 438 441 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size by Economic Sales Class - States and United States: 2014-2015 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Economic sales class: $1,000-$9,999 :----------------------------------------------------------- : Number of farms : Land in farms : Average farm size State :----------------------------------------------------------- : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :------ number ----- 1,000 acres --- acres --- : Alabama ...........: 25,600 24,700 2,750 2,650 107 107 Alaska ............: 380 380 270 270 711 711 Arizona ...........: 14,900 14,700 800 700 54 48 Arkansas ..........: 22,000 21,700 1,650 1,650 75 76 California ........: 30,300 30,500 1,400 1,500 46 49 Colorado ..........: 19,100 18,500 2,400 2,300 126 124 Connecticut .......: 4,000 4,000 150 150 38 38 Delaware ..........: 870 870 20 20 23 23 Florida ...........: 27,400 27,100 1,260 1,240 46 46 Georgia ...........: 23,000 21,700 2,150 2,000 93 92 : Hawaii ............: 3,850 3,850 100 100 26 26 Idaho .............: 12,200 12,200 800 800 66 66 Illinois ..........: 30,000 29,500 1,400 1,400 47 47 Indiana ...........: 27,900 27,500 1,000 960 36 35 Iowa ..............: 27,100 26,600 1,200 1,100 44 41 Kansas ............: 22,800 22,000 2,500 2,400 110 109 Kentucky ..........: 42,700 42,000 3,000 2,800 70 67 Louisiana .........: 16,600 16,200 1,300 1,180 78 73 Maine .............: 5,000 5,000 480 480 96 96 Maryland ..........: 6,600 6,500 300 290 45 45 : Massachusetts .....: 5,000 5,000 210 210 42 42 Michigan ..........: 25,800 25,600 1,100 1,050 43 41 Minnesota .........: 26,600 26,500 2,100 2,100 79 79 Mississippi .......: 21,700 21,100 2,800 2,700 129 128 Missouri ..........: 45,500 44,200 3,900 3,700 86 84 Montana ...........: 11,900 11,600 2,900 2,800 244 241 Nebraska ..........: 13,000 12,500 900 800 69 64 Nevada ............: 2,300 2,300 150 150 65 65 New Hampshire .....: 3,100 3,100 240 240 77 77 New Jersey ........: 5,600 5,600 160 160 29 29 : New Mexico ........: 16,200 16,200 4,200 4,200 259 259 New York ..........: 16,700 16,700 1,400 1,450 84 87 North Carolina ....: 28,000 27,500 1,500 1,400 54 51 North Dakota ......: 9,300 9,000 1,600 1,500 172 167 Ohio ..............: 33,200 33,300 1,650 1,600 50 48 Oklahoma ..........: 42,500 41,100 5,150 5,100 121 124 Oregon ............: 21,000 21,000 1,500 1,500 71 71 Pennsylvania ......: 26,700 26,100 1,800 1,800 67 69 Rhode Island ......: 710 720 20 20 28 28 South Carolina ....: 16,700 16,800 1,700 1,800 102 107 : South Dakota ......: 8,300 8,500 1,200 1,200 145 141 Tennessee .........: 43,400 42,400 3,050 2,950 70 70 Texas .............: 156,000 151,000 18,200 17,200 117 114 Utah ..............: 10,600 10,600 650 650 61 61 Vermont ...........: 4,050 4,050 340 340 84 84 Virginia ..........: 26,300 25,600 1,850 1,800 70 70 Washington ........: 22,200 21,500 1,000 1,020 45 47 West Virginia .....: 15,100 14,600 1,600 1,600 106 110 Wisconsin .........: 30,500 30,500 2,000 1,950 66 64 Wyoming ...........: 4,900 5,000 1,000 900 204 180 : United States .....:1,055,160 1,035,170 90,800 87,880 86 85 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size by Economic Sales Class - States and United States: 2014-2015 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Economic sales class: $10,000-$99,999 :----------------------------------------------------------- : Number of farms : Land in farms : Average farm size State :----------------------------------------------------------- : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- number ---- -- 1,000 acres -- ---- acres ---- : Alabama ...........: 12,700 13,100 3,300 3,300 260 252 Alaska ............: 290 280 450 450 1,552 1,607 Arizona ...........: 3,200 3,350 8,200 8,200 2,563 2,448 Arkansas ..........: 14,000 14,100 3,600 3,600 257 255 California ........: 26,500 26,400 4,300 4,200 162 159 Colorado ..........: 10,200 10,000 7,200 7,000 706 700 Connecticut .......: 1,550 1,550 110 110 71 71 Delaware ..........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Florida ...........: 14,700 14,600 1,900 1,900 129 130 Georgia ...........: 10,500 11,000 2,200 2,200 210 200 : Hawaii ............: 2,600 2,600 260 260 100 100 Idaho .............: 7,000 7,000 2,050 2,050 293 293 Illinois ..........: 18,700 18,300 2,700 2,700 144 148 Indiana ...........: 15,300 15,500 1,800 1,830 118 118 Iowa ..............: 23,600 23,600 3,100 3,100 131 131 Kansas ............: 21,500 21,500 8,000 8,000 372 372 Kentucky ..........: 26,900 27,400 4,700 4,700 175 172 Louisiana .........: 7,300 7,300 1,800 1,800 247 247 Maine .............: 2,400 2,400 400 400 167 167 Maryland ..........: 3,500 3,500 400 400 114 114 : Massachusetts .....: 2,000 2,000 140 140 70 70 Michigan ..........: 14,800 14,700 1,700 1,650 115 112 Minnesota .........: 21,900 21,900 3,700 3,700 169 169 Mississippi .......: 10,600 10,800 2,950 2,900 278 269 Missouri ..........: 38,200 38,300 9,000 8,700 236 227 Montana ...........: 8,000 7,800 9,100 8,800 1,138 1,128 Nebraska ..........: 13,900 13,900 5,000 4,800 360 345 Nevada ............: 900 850 330 280 367 329 New Hampshire .....: 1,050 1,050 150 150 143 143 New Jersey ........: 2,350 2,350 160 160 68 68 : New Mexico ........: 6,200 6,200 11,500 11,300 1,855 1,823 New York ..........: 11,600 11,600 1,780 1,800 153 155 North Carolina ....: 12,800 12,800 1,500 1,500 117 117 North Dakota ......: 6,600 6,200 3,000 2,600 455 419 Ohio ..............: 25,300 25,300 2,650 2,650 105 105 Oklahoma ..........: 28,300 28,000 11,500 11,300 406 404 Oregon ............: 9,100 9,100 2,860 2,860 314 314 Pennsylvania ......: 19,900 19,400 2,300 2,300 116 119 Rhode Island ......: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) South Carolina ....: 5,600 5,500 1,350 1,300 241 236 : South Dakota ......: 9,700 9,400 5,100 4,900 526 521 Tennessee .........: 19,500 20,200 3,700 3,700 190 183 Texas .............: 70,000 71,000 41,700 41,700 596 587 Utah ..............: 5,500 5,500 1,900 1,900 345 345 Vermont ...........: 2,100 2,100 320 320 152 152 Virginia ..........: 14,700 14,100 2,900 2,800 197 199 Washington ........: 8,400 8,400 1,900 1,900 226 226 West Virginia .....: 5,300 5,400 1,400 1,400 264 259 Wisconsin .........: 21,000 21,000 2,900 2,900 138 138 Wyoming ...........: 3,900 3,700 4,800 4,800 1,231 1,297 : Other States 1/ ...: 1,010 1,010 60 60 (NA) (NA) : United States .....: 622,650 623,040 193,820 191,470 311 307 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (NA) Not available. 1/ Includes data withheld above. Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size by Economic Sales Class - States and United States: 2014-2015 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Economic sales class: $100,000-$249,999 :----------------------------------------------------------- : Number of farms : Land in farms : Average farm size State :----------------------------------------------------------- : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- number ---- -- 1,000 acres -- ----- acres ---- : Alabama ...........: 1,050 1,100 700 750 667 682 Alaska ............: 50 50 70 70 1,400 1,400 Arizona ...........: 610 590 11,200 11,200 18,361 18,983 Arkansas ..........: 1,700 1,600 1,050 1,000 618 625 California ........: 6,300 6,100 3,800 3,700 603 607 Colorado ..........: 2,500 2,600 5,100 5,400 2,040 2,077 Connecticut .......: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Delaware ..........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Florida ...........: 2,200 2,300 940 940 427 409 Georgia ...........: 1,400 1,300 630 600 450 462 : Hawaii ............: 280 280 160 160 571 571 Idaho .............: 1,900 1,900 1,650 1,650 868 868 Illinois ..........: 8,700 8,500 3,000 2,900 345 341 Indiana ...........: 5,400 5,300 1,560 1,580 289 298 Iowa ..............: 10,400 10,400 3,000 3,000 288 288 Kansas ............: 6,600 6,500 7,300 7,200 1,106 1,108 Kentucky ..........: 3,100 3,300 1,200 1,200 387 364 Louisiana .........: 710 850 450 520 634 612 Maine .............: 340 340 100 100 294 294 Maryland ..........: 600 600 230 230 383 383 : Massachusetts .....: 380 380 50 50 132 132 Michigan ..........: 4,200 4,100 1,050 1,050 250 256 Minnesota .........: 8,600 8,500 2,500 2,500 291 294 Mississippi .......: 900 1,000 550 600 611 600 Missouri ..........: 6,700 7,400 4,100 4,400 612 595 Montana ...........: 3,100 3,100 9,800 9,700 3,161 3,129 Nebraska ..........: 7,400 7,300 5,900 5,900 797 808 Nevada ............: 270 270 610 600 2,259 2,222 New Hampshire .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) New Jersey ........: 450 450 80 80 178 178 : New Mexico ........: 1,100 1,050 7,400 7,600 6,727 7,238 New York ..........: 3,500 3,300 900 850 257 258 North Carolina ....: 2,000 1,800 600 600 300 333 North Dakota ......: 3,500 3,600 3,900 3,800 1,114 1,056 Ohio ..............: 7,200 7,100 1,900 1,950 264 275 Oklahoma ..........: 4,400 4,450 5,700 5,750 1,295 1,292 Oregon ............: 1,700 1,700 2,900 2,900 1,706 1,706 Pennsylvania ......: 5,500 5,600 1,050 1,050 191 188 Rhode Island ......: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) South Carolina ....: 600 600 270 270 450 450 : South Dakota ......: 4,400 4,200 5,500 5,300 1,250 1,262 Tennessee .........: 1,750 2,000 750 800 429 400 Texas .............: 8,400 8,700 20,200 21,600 2,405 2,483 Utah ..............: 900 900 1,400 1,400 1,556 1,556 Vermont ...........: 490 490 140 140 286 286 Virginia ..........: 1,850 1,950 950 1,000 514 513 Washington ........: 2,200 2,150 1,600 1,550 727 721 West Virginia .....: 400 400 240 240 600 600 Wisconsin .........: 7,400 7,300 1,950 1,900 264 260 Wyoming ...........: 1,300 1,300 4,700 4,900 3,615 3,769 : Other States 1/ ...: 530 530 100 100 (NA) (NA) : United States .....: 144,960 145,230 128,930 130,780 889 901 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (NA) Not available. 1/ Includes data withheld above. Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size by Economic Sales Class - States and United States: 2014-2015 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Economic sales class: $250,000-$499,999 :----------------------------------------------------------- : Number of farms : Land in farms : Average farm size State :----------------------------------------------------------- : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- number ---- -- 1,000 acres -- ----- acres ---- : Alabama ...........: 950 900 500 450 526 500 Alaska ............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Arizona ...........: 240 230 2,500 2,600 10,417 11,304 Arkansas ..........: 1,100 1,200 600 650 545 542 California ........: 4,500 4,600 2,500 2,500 556 543 Colorado ..........: 1,400 1,300 5,500 5,800 3,929 4,462 Connecticut .......: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Delaware ..........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Florida ...........: 1,250 1,250 950 970 760 776 Georgia ...........: 900 1,200 470 500 522 417 : Hawaii ............: 120 120 60 60 500 500 Idaho .............: 1,300 1,300 1,400 1,400 1,077 1,077 Illinois ..........: 7,100 7,300 4,400 4,500 620 616 Indiana ...........: 4,000 3,900 2,100 2,100 525 538 Iowa ..............: 9,600 9,700 5,000 5,100 521 526 Kansas ............: 4,300 4,200 7,600 7,400 1,767 1,762 Kentucky ..........: 1,500 1,500 1,000 1,000 667 667 Louisiana .........: 540 550 450 450 833 818 Maine .............: 220 220 110 110 500 500 Maryland ..........: 650 650 250 250 385 385 : Massachusetts .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Michigan ..........: 2,700 2,900 1,200 1,250 444 431 Minnesota .........: 6,400 6,300 3,300 3,300 516 524 Mississippi .......: 800 800 500 500 625 625 Missouri ..........: 3,200 3,000 3,500 3,400 1,094 1,133 Montana ...........: 2,400 2,500 12,200 12,200 5,083 4,880 Nebraska ..........: 5,100 5,300 7,300 7,500 1,431 1,415 Nevada ............: 420 440 960 980 2,286 2,227 New Hampshire .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) New Jersey ........: 270 270 90 90 333 333 : New Mexico ........: 550 550 6,300 6,300 11,455 11,455 New York ..........: 1,700 1,800 800 800 471 444 North Carolina ....: 1,500 1,500 700 700 467 467 North Dakota ......: 2,900 3,000 5,000 5,100 1,724 1,700 Ohio ..............: 3,850 3,800 1,900 1,900 494 500 Oklahoma ..........: 2,050 2,050 4,550 4,550 2,220 2,220 Oregon ............: 1,000 1,000 2,290 2,290 2,290 2,290 Pennsylvania ......: 3,550 3,600 950 950 268 264 Rhode Island ......: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) South Carolina ....: 300 300 230 230 767 767 : South Dakota ......: 3,500 3,300 7,200 7,200 2,057 2,182 Tennessee .........: 950 950 700 700 737 737 Texas .............: 4,500 4,600 16,700 16,700 3,711 3,630 Utah ..............: 600 600 1,550 1,550 2,583 2,583 Vermont ...........: 350 350 150 150 429 429 Virginia ..........: 1,200 1,200 700 700 583 583 Washington ........: 1,250 1,250 2,250 2,250 1,800 1,800 West Virginia .....: 150 150 110 110 733 733 Wisconsin .........: 4,900 4,900 2,050 2,050 418 418 Wyoming ...........: 850 850 6,600 6,400 7,765 7,529 : Other States 1/ ...: 560 560 150 150 (NA) (NA) : United States .....: 97,170 97,940 125,320 125,840 1,290 1,285 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (NA) Not available. 1/ Includes data withheld above. Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size by Economic Sales Class - States and United States: 2014-2015 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Economic sales class: $500,000-$999,999 :----------------------------------------------------------- : Number of farms : Land in farms : Average farm size State :----------------------------------------------------------- : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- number ---- -- 1,000 acres -- ----- acres ---- : Alabama ...........: 1,650 1,500 500 500 303 333 Alaska ............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Arizona ...........: 300 300 400 400 1,333 1,333 Arkansas ..........: 1,500 1,500 1,200 1,300 800 867 California ........: 3,300 3,200 2,600 2,600 788 813 Colorado ..........: 850 900 5,600 5,400 6,588 6,000 Connecticut .......: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Delaware ..........: 370 370 100 100 270 270 Florida ...........: 820 820 650 650 793 793 Georgia ...........: 2,900 3,000 1,630 1,680 562 560 : Hawaii ............: 70 70 240 240 3,429 3,429 Idaho .............: 800 800 1,900 1,900 2,375 2,375 Illinois ..........: 5,500 5,500 6,300 6,300 1,145 1,145 Indiana ...........: 3,000 3,000 2,840 2,880 947 960 Iowa ..............: 10,000 9,900 8,700 8,700 870 879 Kansas ............: 3,000 3,000 9,600 9,600 3,200 3,200 Kentucky ..........: 1,100 1,100 1,240 1,340 1,127 1,218 Louisiana .........: 950 900 1,000 1,000 1,053 1,111 Maine .............: 110 110 90 90 818 818 Maryland ..........: 400 400 270 250 675 625 : Massachusetts .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Michigan ..........: 2,250 2,350 1,800 1,800 800 766 Minnesota .........: 5,300 5,100 4,800 4,800 906 941 Mississippi .......: 1,200 1,100 1,000 950 833 864 Missouri ..........: 2,200 2,300 3,700 4,000 1,682 1,739 Montana ...........: 1,450 1,500 13,500 13,600 9,310 9,067 Nebraska ..........: 4,900 4,900 9,800 9,800 2,000 2,000 Nevada ............: 170 180 1,000 1,050 5,882 5,833 New Hampshire .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) New Jersey ........: 210 210 80 80 381 381 : New Mexico ........: 320 370 8,100 8,100 25,313 21,892 New York ..........: 1,000 1,000 650 650 650 650 North Carolina ....: 1,600 1,600 950 950 594 594 North Dakota ......: 4,600 4,700 10,600 10,800 2,304 2,298 Ohio ..............: 2,850 2,850 2,400 2,400 842 842 Oklahoma ..........: 1,350 1,350 4,000 4,000 2,963 2,963 Oregon ............: 850 850 2,650 2,650 3,118 3,118 Pennsylvania ......: 1,900 1,950 770 750 405 385 Rhode Island ......: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) South Carolina ....: 400 400 450 450 1,125 1,125 : South Dakota ......: 3,300 3,500 11,200 11,300 3,394 3,229 Tennessee .........: 800 850 850 850 1,063 1,000 Texas .............: 3,250 3,400 15,500 15,100 4,769 4,441 Utah ..............: 220 240 4,500 4,500 20,455 18,750 Vermont ...........: 150 160 90 90 600 563 Virginia ..........: 1,050 1,050 830 830 790 790 Washington ........: 1,050 1,050 2,950 2,930 2,810 2,790 West Virginia .....: 170 170 110 110 647 647 Wisconsin .........: 2,900 2,850 2,050 2,050 707 719 Wyoming ...........: 500 500 6,800 6,800 13,600 13,600 : Other States 1/ ...: 260 260 80 80 (NA) (NA) : United States .....: 82,820 83,110 156,070 156,400 1,884 1,882 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (NA) Not available. 1/ Includes data withheld above. Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size by Economic Sales Class - States and United States: 2014-2015 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Economic sales class: $1,000,000 or more :----------------------------------------------------------- : Number of farms : Land in farms : Average farm size State :----------------------------------------------------------- : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- number ---- -- 1,000 acres -- ----- acres ---- : Alabama ...........: 1,450 1,400 1,150 1,150 793 821 Alaska ............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Arizona ...........: 350 330 2,900 2,900 8,286 8,788 Arkansas ..........: 3,700 3,400 5,700 5,600 1,541 1,647 California ........: 6,500 6,700 10,900 11,000 1,677 1,642 Colorado ..........: 950 900 6,000 5,800 6,316 6,444 Connecticut .......: 90 90 100 100 1,111 1,111 Delaware ..........: 380 380 270 270 711 711 Florida ...........: 1,230 1,230 3,800 3,750 3,089 3,049 Georgia ...........: 2,400 2,300 2,320 2,320 967 1,009 : Hawaii ............: 80 80 300 300 3,750 3,750 Idaho .............: 1,200 1,200 4,000 4,000 3,333 3,333 Illinois ..........: 4,500 4,500 9,100 9,100 2,022 2,022 Indiana ...........: 2,600 2,500 5,400 5,350 2,077 2,140 Iowa ..............: 7,300 7,300 9,500 9,500 1,301 1,301 Kansas ............: 2,800 3,200 11,000 11,400 3,929 3,563 Kentucky ..........: 1,100 1,100 1,860 1,960 1,691 1,782 Louisiana .........: 1,100 1,100 2,800 2,800 2,545 2,545 Maine .............: 130 130 270 270 2,077 2,077 Maryland ..........: 550 550 580 600 1,055 1,091 : Massachusetts .....: 80 80 50 50 625 625 Michigan ..........: 1,850 1,850 3,100 3,150 1,676 1,703 Minnesota .........: 5,200 5,300 9,500 9,500 1,827 1,792 Mississippi .......: 1,900 1,900 3,100 3,150 1,632 1,658 Missouri ..........: 1,900 1,900 4,100 4,100 2,158 2,158 Montana ...........: 950 1,000 12,200 12,600 12,842 12,600 Nebraska ..........: 4,800 4,800 16,300 16,400 3,396 3,417 Nevada ............: 140 160 2,900 2,900 20,714 18,125 New Hampshire .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) New Jersey ........: 220 220 150 150 682 682 : New Mexico ........: 330 330 5,700 5,700 17,273 17,273 New York ..........: 1,000 1,100 1,650 1,650 1,650 1,500 North Carolina ....: 3,600 3,600 3,150 3,150 875 875 North Dakota ......: 3,400 3,500 15,200 15,400 4,471 4,400 Ohio ..............: 2,100 2,050 3,500 3,500 1,667 1,707 Oklahoma ..........: 1,000 1,050 3,400 3,500 3,400 3,333 Oregon ............: 950 950 4,200 4,200 4,421 4,421 Pennsylvania ......: 1,250 1,250 850 850 680 680 Rhode Island ......: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) South Carolina ....: 800 800 1,000 950 1,250 1,188 : South Dakota ......: 2,500 2,400 13,100 13,400 5,240 5,583 Tennessee .........: 900 900 1,850 1,900 2,056 2,111 Texas .............: 3,350 3,300 17,700 17,700 5,284 5,364 Utah ..............: 280 260 1,000 1,000 3,571 3,846 Vermont ...........: 160 150 210 210 1,313 1,400 Virginia ..........: 800 800 970 970 1,213 1,213 Washington ........: 1,600 1,650 5,000 5,050 3,125 3,061 West Virginia .....: 180 180 140 140 778 778 Wisconsin .........: 2,300 2,350 3,550 3,550 1,543 1,511 Wyoming ...........: 250 250 6,500 6,600 26,000 26,400 : Other States 1/ ...: 40 40 40 40 (NA) (NA) : United States .....: 82,240 82,510 218,060 219,630 2,652 2,662 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (NA) Not available. 1/ Includes data withheld above. Statistical Methodology Survey Procedures: Data are collected by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) during the June Agricultural Survey using sampling procedures to ensure every farm and ranch has a chance of being selected. NASS uses a multiple sampling frame approach to count farms and measure land in farms. An Area Sampling Frame that divides all land into segments is built for every State except Alaska. A sample of segments is selected in each State except Alaska and Hawaii and enumerated in early June. Highly trained interviewers locate each sampled segment and identify every farm and ranch operating land in the segment and the number of acres in each operation. These data are used to compute summaries of farm numbers and acres of land in farms. Additionally, all farms found in the segments are checked against a list of farms and ranches maintained by NASS to determine if the farm is on the list. Operations found in the Area Frame sample that are not on the list provide a measure of incompleteness of the list. The summarized totals for these non-overlap (or not-on-list) operations are combined with summarized totals collected from a sample selected from the list to calculate additional indications of farms and land in farms. Estimation Procedures: Data are checked for reasonableness and consistency and summarized for each state. State estimates are aggregated to regional and national totals for Headquarters review. Field Offices perform a thorough review of their survey results and historical data relationships and recommend official estimates. Headquarters establishes regional and national estimates and ensures that state estimates are in balance with the regional and national numbers. Revision Policy: Estimates are subject to revision the following year and following review of the five-year Census of Agriculture. The basis for revision must be supported by additional data which directly affects the level of the estimate. Reliability: Two types of errors, sampling and non-sampling, are possible in an estimate based on a sample survey. Both types can affect the quality of the estimates. Sampling error occurs because a complete census is not taken. The sampling error measures the variation in estimates from the average of all possible samples. An estimate of 100 with a sampling error of 1 would mean that chances are 19 out of 20 that the estimates from all possible samples averaged together would be between 98 and 102; which is the survey estimate, plus or minus two times the sampling error. The sampling error expressed as a percent of the estimate is called the relative sampling error. In 2015, the relative sampling error for the United States number of farms is 1.6 percent and land in farms is 3.0 percent. The sampling error for total number of farms and total land in farms is less than the sampling error for each component of the total, such as number of farms by economic sales class. Relative sampling errors by economic sales class generally ranged from 2.1 to 3.9 percent for number of farms and 3.0 to 10.1 percent for land in farms at the United States level. Non-sampling errors can occur in complete censuses as well as sample surveys. They are caused by the inability to obtain correct information from each person surveyed, differences in interpreting questions or definitions, and mistakes in coding or processing the data. Special efforts are taken at each step of the survey to minimize non-sampling errors. Terms and Definitions A farm is "any place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the year." Government payments are included in sales. Ranches, institutional farms, experimental and research farms, and Indian Reservations are included as farms. Places with the entire acreage enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), and other government conservation programs are counted as farms. The definition of a farm was first established in 1850 and has changed nine times since. The current definition was first used for the 1974 Census. Land in farms consists of agricultural land used for crops, pasture, or grazing. Also included is woodland and wasteland not actually under cultivation or used for pasture or grazing, provided it was part of the farm operator's total operation. Land in farms includes acres in CRP, WRP, and other government conservation programs. Land in farms includes land owned and operated as well as land rented from others. Land used rent-free is included as land rented from others. All grazing land, except land used under government permits on a per-head basis, is included as land in farms provided it was part of a farm or ranch. Land under the exclusive use of a grazing association is reported by the grazing association and included as land in farms. All land in American Indian reservations used for growing crops or grazing livestock is included as land in farms. Land in reservations not reported by individual American Indians or non-Native Americans is reported in the name of the cooperative group that used the land. In many instances, the entire American Indian reservation is reported as one farm. Economic sales classes are based on the gross value of agricultural products sold. Government program payments are also included. Point Farms are places that did not have $1,000 of reported sales for the year, but had sufficient crops and livestock to normally have sales of $1,000 or more. Farm Definition History The definition of a farm has remained the same since 1974. Activities included as agriculture, however, have undergone modification in recent years. Beginning in 1995, operations having 5 or more horses or ponies and no other agricultural sales were counted as horse farms. An operation with 1 or more horses with agricultural sales of at least $1,000, qualified as a farm. Two industries, maple syrup and short rotation woody crop farms, were added beginning in 1997 as a result of the new North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). These changes were made to achieve comparability with the Census of Agriculture farm definition. All the changes in the farm definition beginning in 1995 were carried back to 1993 and included in the 1993-1998 estimates. These changes bring comparability between the Census of Agriculture data and the annually published NASS estimates. Because of these changes in the farm definition, the official estimates show a level difference in the number of farms between 1992 and 1993 in some states. To further align the counting of farms with the Census of Agriculture, places with 100 acres or more of pasture only in 2002 were included in farm and land in farm numbers. The handling of Indian reservation land was changed in 2002 to provide some accounting for individual farms. Minimum Criteria for "FARM" Definition, 1840 - Present and Enumeration of Apiaries and Fur Farms Year Acres in Value of Value of Sales Required Apiaries Place Agricultural of some and Fur Farms Products Agricultural Agricultural Enumerated (Produced) Products Operations 1974 - Present - - - - $1,000 or more - - - - 1959 Less than 10 - - $250 or more - - - - 10 or more - - $50 or more - - - - 1954 Less than 3 - - $150 or more - - - - 3 or more $150 or more - - - - - - 1950 Less than 3 - - $150 or more - - Apiaries 3 or more $150 or more - - - - Fur Farms 1935 - 1945 Less than 3 $250 or more - - - - Apiaries 3 or more - - - - X Fur Farms 1930 Less than 3 $250 or more - - - - Apiaries 3 or more - - - - X - - 1925 Less than 3 $250 or more - - - - - - 3 or more - - - - X - - 1910 - 1925 Less than 3 $250 or more - - - - Apiaries 3 or more - - - - X - - 1900 Less than 3 - - - - - - Apiaries 3 or more - - - - X - - 1870 - 1890 Less than 3 - - $500 or more - - Apiaries 3 or more - - - - X - - 1860 - - - - - - - - - - 1850 - - $100 or more - - - - Apiaries 1840 - - - - - - - - - - Historic Estimates: Final estimates of Farms and Land in Farms in earlier years are available in Statistical Bulletins, No.1030 for 2008-2012, No. 1018 for 2003-2007, No. 991 for 1998-2002, No. 955 for 1993-97, No. 895 for 1988- 92, No. 792 for 1979-87, SpSy3 for 1975-80, No. 594 for 1969-75, No. 507 for 1959-70, No. 316 for number of farm estimates for 1910-59 and land in farms estimates for 1950-59. Information Contacts Listed below are the commodity statisticians in the Environmental, Economics, and Demographics Branch of the National Agricultural Statistics Service to contact for additional information. E-mail inquiries may be sent to nass@nass.usda.gov. Troy Joshua, Chief, Environmental, Economics, and Demographics Branch........ (202) 720-6146 Tony Dorn, Head, Economics Section........................................... (202) 690-3223 Rachel Antzak - Cash Receipts, Land Values................................ (202) 720-5446 Daryl Brinkman - Prices Received, Prices Received Indexes, Parity Prices.. (202) 720-8844 Courtney Charles - Prices Paid, Prices Paid Indexes....................... (202) 690-3229 Kuan Chen - Prices, Prices Research....................................... (202) 690-3347 Liana Cuffman - Farm Expenditures Processing.............................. (202) 720-2250 Greg Gholson - Prices Paid, Prices Paid Indexes Indexes................... (202) 690-1348 Stephen Habets - Production Expenditures.................................. (202) 720-9168 Joe Hagedorn - Cash Rents, Grazing Fees................................... (202) 690-3231 Ben Johnson -Economics and Demographics Processing........................ (202) 690-3225 Michael Mathison - Farm Expenditures...................................... (202) 720-3243 Scott Shimmin, Head, Environmental and Demographics Section.................. (202) 720-0684 Stephanie Brennan - Field Crops Chemical Use ............................. (202) 690-0392 Natasha Bruton - Current Agricultural Industrial Reports.................. (202) 720-7644 Ryan Cowen - Farms, Land in Farms, Census................................. (202) 690-3233 Doug Farmer - Vegetable Chemical Use...................................... (202) 720-7492 Virginia Harris - Census of Agriculture................................... (502) 582-5293 Megan Lipke - Census of Agriculture....................................... (202) 720-5581 Miste Salmon - Current Agricultural Industrial Reports.................... (202) 690-3226 Dominique Sims - Census of Agriculture.................................... (202) 690-4752 Theresa Varner - Farm Labor, Chemical Use................................. (202) 690-2284 Access to NASS Reports For your convenience, you may access NASS reports and products the following ways: All reports are available electronically, at no cost, on the NASS web site: http://www.nass.usda.gov Both national and state specific reports are available via a free e- mail subscription. To set-up this free subscription, visit http://www.nass.usda.gov and click on "National" or "State" in upper right corner above "search" box to create an account and select the reports you would like to receive. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Agricultural Statistics Hotline at (800) 727-9540, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, or e-mail: nass@nass.usda.gov. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF), found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.