The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the results of the 2017 Census of Agriculture, spanning some 6.4 million new points of information about America’s farms and ranches and those who operate them, including new data about on-farm decision making, down to the county level.
Information collected by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service Census data provides valuable insights into demographics, economics, land and activities on U.S. farms and ranches.
The results show more of the largest and smallest operations and fewer middle-sized farms. The average age of all farmers and ranchers continues to rise.
“As a data-driven organization, we are eager to dig in to this wealth of information to advance our goals of supporting farmers and ranchers, facilitating rural prosperity, and strengthening stewardship of private lands efficiently, effectively, and with integrity,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said.
Census data — available at www.usda.gov — provided valuable insights into demographics, economics, land and activities on U.S. farms and ranches, the department said.