OVERVIEW OF WISCONSIN
AGRICULTURE
AAE 320: FARMING SYSTEMS
MANAGEMENT
DR. PAUL D. MITCHELL
418 TAYLOR HALL
265-6514
PDMITCHELL@WISC.EDU
WISCONSIN AGRICULTURE
• Wisconsin Agricultural Statistics 2014 (for 2013)
http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State
/Wisconsin/Publications/Annual_Statistical_Bul
letin/bulletin2014_web.pdf
• In Wisconsin, in 2013, there were
• 69,800 farms
• 14,600,000 acres in farms
• Average 209 acres/farm
• Generated $11.74 billion in cash receipts
WI FARMS BY ANNUAL SALES 2013
Gross Value of Sales
$1,000-$9,999
$10,000-$99,999
$100,000-$249,999
$250,000-$499,999
> $500,000
Total for WI
Number
of Farms
% of Average
Total Size (ac)
31,000 44%
21,200 30%
7,500
11%
5,000
7%
5,100
7%
69,800 100%
68
137
267
420
1,078
209
WI FARMS BY ANNUAL SALES 2013
7%
$1,000-$9,999
7%
$10,000-$99,999
11%
44%
$100,000-$249,999
$250,000-$499,999
30%
$500,000 & over
NUMBER OF WI FARMS BY
ANNUAL GROSS SALES 2008-2013
Gross Sales
($1,000’s)
$1 - $10
2008
39,000
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
38,800 38,300 37,500 36,800 31,000
$10 - $100
20,500
20,500 20,900 20,400 20,600 21,200
$100 - $250
9,300
9,400
9,000
9,300
9,200
7,500
$250 - $500
5,200
5,500
5,700
5,500
5,900
5,000
> $500
4,000
3,800
4,100
4,300
4,300
5,100
Total
78,000
78,000 78,000 77,000 76,800 69,800
> $100
18,500
18,700 18,800 19,100 19,400 17,600
> $250
9,200
9,300
9,800
9,800 10,200 10,100
Average Acres per WI Farm by
Annual Gross Sales 2008-2013
Gross Sales
($1,000’s)
$1 to $10
$10 to $100
$100 to $250
$250 to $500
> $500
Total
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
69
62
63
61
60
68
161
156
153
147
146 137
290
287
278
280
272 267
500
509
491
473
458 420
975 1,079 1,049 1,047 1,070 1,078
195
195
195
195
195 209
WHAT’S HAPPENING?
• Some sort of method change in 2013, some big jumps
• The number of farms by gross annual sales is fairly
constant, but can see slight trends
• The number of large revenue farms slowly
increasing
• The number of small and medium revenue farms
slowly decreasing
• Lots of little farms, but the number of WI farmers
“making a living” is small (10-15%)
• Lots of “small” farm households are doing something
else to make additional money
• Average WI farm size fairly constant at about 200
acres
% OF TOTAL WI FARM REVENUE (CASH RECEIPTS)
BY COMMODITY CATEGORY 2007-2013
2007
2008
2009 2010 2011
2012
2013
Milk
52%
46%
43%
46%
45%
43%
52%
Livestock
18%
18%
20%
20%
18%
19%
21%
Grains
16%
19%
21%
23%
27%
28%
19%
Vegetables
5%
6%
7%
5%
5%
5%
3%
Fruits
2%
3%
3%
2%
2%
2%
1%
Source: http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/farm-income-and-wealthstatistics/annual-cash-receipts-bycommodity.aspx#P8f207ad08e5f4457b3aa506f5f3702e1_2_16iT0R0x49
WISCONSIN IS A MAJOR DAIRY
STATE (2013)
Dairy
WI Rank
% US
#1 State
Milk production
2
13.7
California
Cheese, total
American
Cheddar
1
1
1
25.7
19.0
17.8
Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Mozzarella
Italian
2
2
26.0
30.0
California
California
1
32.8
Wisconsin
Dry whey (food)
Wisconsin’s Place in US Agriculture (2013)
Livestock
Cattle and calves
WI Rank
9
% US
3.8
#1 State
Texas
Milk cows
Hogs and Pigs
Sheep
2
19
16
13.8
0.5
1.6
California
Iowa
Texas
Milk Goats
Chickens
Broilers
1
18
19
13.0
1.5
0.6
Wisconsin
Iowa
Georgia
Trout, sold > 12''
Honey
Eggs
8
10
17
0.8
Idaho
2.4 North Dakota
1.6
Iowa
Wisconsin’s Place in US Agriculture (2013)
Grain/Feed Crops
Corn for grain
Corn for silage
Oats
Soybeans
Wheat, winter
Barley
Forage (all types)
WI Rank
9
1
3
16
26
19
4
% US
#1 State
Iowa
3.2
13.7 Wisconsin
10.4 S. Dakota
1.8
Illinois
1.0
Kansas
0.4
Idaho
7.8 California
Wisconsin’s Place in US Agriculture (2013)
Vegetable Crops
Potatoes, all
WI Rank
3
% US
6.3
#1 State
Idaho
Dry edible beans
Onions
Cabbage (fresh)
Sweet Corn (fresh)
17
11
7
10
Carrots, processing
Sweet Corn, processing
Green Peas, processing
2
3
3
33.4
22.9
21.2
Washington
Minnesota
Washington
Snap Beans, processing
Cucumbers for pickles
1
3
44.8
8.0
Wisconsin
Michigan
0.4 North Dakota
1.2
California
3.9
California
1.9
California
Wisconsin’s Place in US Agriculture (2012)
Fruit Crops
Cherries, tart
Apples
Strawberries
Maple syrup
Cranberries
Mint for oil
WI Rank
4
13
9
4
1
6
% US
#1 State
4.2
Michigan
0.4 Washington
0.1
California
7.5
Vermont
67.2
Wisconsin
2.3 Washington
Ginseng: Missing from list, WI is #1
NATIONALLY IMPORTANT WI
AGRICULTURE
• Dairy is very important: milk, cheese, whey
• Milk cows and milk goats
• Field crops: silage, corn, oats, forage
• Vegetables: potatoes, processing
vegetables (sweet corn, snap beans, green
peas, carrots, cucumbers)
• Fruits: cranberries, cherries, mint, ginseng
• Main Point: Wisconsin Agriculture is quite
diversified
IMPACT OF AGRICULTURE ON WI ECONOMY
IMPACT OF AGRICULTURE ON WI ECONOMY
• Economic Impacts of Agriculture in
Wisconsin Counties (Deller and Williams)
– Agriculture in WI: 12.5% of total sales in state, 10%
of jobs, 9% of income
• Economic Impact of Specialty Crop
Production and Processing in Wisconsin
– Specialty crops $6.4 billion in WI economy, about
$1.1 billion production, $5.3 billion processing,
35,000 jobs (1% WI’s)
– 2nd largest US processed vegetable industry
SUMMARY
• Most WI farmers have small farms and earn
most of their income off the farm
• The number of WI farmers “making a living”
is small (about 15% or 10,000)
• Dairy is the most important agricultural
production in WI, but WI agriculture is quite
diversified, with other important industries
• Ag generates about 10% of WI’s jobs and 9%
of WI’s income