United States Agriculture
AGST 3000
Agriculture, Society and the
Natural World
Facts about American Agriculture
Today, agriculture (the entire food and fiber industry) accounts
for 13% of America’s worth.
The food and fiber industry generates approximately 20 percent
of our nation’s Gross National Product and 20 percent of our
national employment.
Production alone (farms) added $82 billion to the GDP (Gross
Domestic Product)
17% of the American workforce, or 25 million jobs, were
involved in some phase of agriculture, either growing,
processing or distributing... making the food and fiber system
the nation’s largest employer.
U.S. Ag Exports
U.S. agricultural exports (excluding fish
and forestry products) totaled $51.6 billion
dollars and generated an additional $116
billion in business.
Eight states had exports of $1 billion or
more
Trends
Direct sales to consumers increased 37
percent from 1997, totaling $812.2 million
in 2002.
The value of organically produced
commodities reached $392.8 million in
2002.
Number of U.S. Farms
Number of Farms and Acres
There are 2.7 million farms in United States. The
average farm size is 469 acres.
There are more than 972 million acres of
farmland nationwide.
Crops are harvested from approximately 296
million acres of farmland in the United States.
The remaining farmland is used for grazing,
timber and other agricultural uses.
Farms in the United States
Where are our farms distributed?
Types of Agricultural Activity
The American Farmer
The American farm population is only 1.9
percent of the total population.
One U.S. farmer feeds 129 people, 101 in
the United States and 28 abroad.
Trend in Ag Labor Force
Family workers, including farm operators and
unpaid workers, make up approximately 64
percent of all farm labor.
Only 0.4 percent of farms are owned by nonfamily corporations.
Corporate Farms
The number of corporate farms declined
by 18.4 percent from 1997 to 2002, which
reverses a trend that has continued
without interruption since 1974.
Ninety percent of farms are operated
by an individual or family.
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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 value of land and buildings per acre is up more
than $200 during that same time period to $1,213 per acre in
2002.
Farm Income vs Government Payments
In 2002…
The average total annual sales per farm in the
U.S. is $84,459 and expenses average $67,928.
A total of 333,865 farms have sales of more than
$1 million, accounting for 17 percent of all farms,
but 83 percent of total sales.
What is this figure today?
Is there any $$$ in Farming?
What are the costs in farming?
Who receives the Ag $$$$ ?
The American farmer receives 22 cents of
every dollar in agricultural products sold.
Of the balance, over 55 cents goes to
labor, taxes and interest, and product
packaging.
The remainder goes to fuel, electricity, rent
and other miscellaneous expenses.
Average Age of the Operators
In 2002, the average age of principal farm or
ranch operators was 55.3-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.
2002 results showed an average age of second
operators at 49.4-years-old and third operators
at 41.9-years-old.
The Aging of Agriculture
Who operates the farm?
The are 237,819 farms operated by
women in the United States.
Top 5 States
The top five states in value of agricultural
products sold are: (2004)
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California ($31.8 billion)
Texas ($16.5 billion)
Iowa ($14.7 billion)
Nebraska ($11.8 billion)
Minnesota ($9.8 billion)
Top Three Counties