Apr 28, 2019 5 min read

A farmer, the joke goes, is a man who is outstanding in his field. It’s been a clever quip since, perhaps, the Fillmore administration, but it’s sexist today, especially in light of recently released data.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced results from the 2017 Census of Agriculture. They show – among many things – that since the previous Census in 2012, farms nationwide have decreased in number, a very small percentage generate most of the sales, producers – on average – are older and not wealthy, and that women have a growing agrarian presence.

USDA gathered 6.4 million pieces of information about farms and ranches nationwide, and their operators. Representatives from the department’s National Agricultural Statistics Service canvassed these properties and spoke directly with the people who run them.

“We can all use the Census to tell the tremendous story of U.S. agriculture and how it is changing,” said Sonny Perdue, the USDA secretary, who is not related to the Perdue Chicken family.

The Statistics Service changed demographic questions in 2017 to better detect roles played in on-farm decision-making. Because more farms reported having multiple producers, the number of producers rose by nearly seven percent to 3.4 million. Most of these newly identified producers were female. The number of male producers fell 1.7 percent to 2.17 million, but the number of female producers increased by nearly 27 percent to 1.23 million.

So, as a testament to those who are outstanding in their field – including the Statistics Service reps – here is a sampling from those 6.4 million pieces of data:

Nationally

• There are 2.04 million farms and ranches, a 3.2 percent decline from 2012. But they are 1.6 percent larger, covering 900 million acres overall and 441 on average.
• Of those properties, 76,865 made $1 million or more in 2017. Those farms and ranches accounted for two-thirds of the total value of production – $389 billion.
• A mere 105,453 farms produced 75 percent of all sales in 2017. That was a drop from 119,908.
• Farm expenses totaled $326 billion. (Top costs included feed, livestock purchases, hired labor, fertilizer, cash rents.)
• The average farm income was $43,053. A total of 43.6 percent of farms had positive net cash income in 2017.
• Ninety-six percent of farms and ranches are family-owned.
• The average age of all producers was 57.5, up 1.2 years.
• Farms with internet access jumped from 69.6 percent to 75.4.
• A total of 133,176 farms and ranches use renewable energy-producing systems, more than double the 57,299 in 2012.
• Thirty-six percent of all producers are women and 56 percent of all farms have at least one female decision-maker.

Statewide

• Pennsylvania has 53,157 farms covering 7.3 million acres.
• On average, the estimated market value of land and buildings on those farms was $897,125.
• Nearly two-thirds of the state’s farms are mid-sized: 10 to 179 acres.
• Although it is much less agrarian than it once was, Washington County ranks fourth in the state in total farms – 1,760. Lancaster (5,108) has the most, dwarfing second-place York (2,067). Berks (1,809) is third.
• Only 18 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties have 1,000 or more farms.

Locally

• In 2017, there were 4,415 farms in the four counties the Observer-Reporter primarily serves – Washington, Greene, Fayette and Westmoreland. That comprises 8.3 percent of Pennsylvania’s total.
• Of those four counties, Washington was the runaway numbers leader – 1,760. Washington had 62.4 percent more than the runner-up, Westmoreland (1,099). Fayette (834) and Greene (722) were third and fourth.
• The vast majority of Washington’s farms are 499 acres or smaller, and nearly half (832) are 50 to 179 acres. The county has but one farm topping 1,000 acres. (That property was not identified in the report.)
• Westmoreland, by contrast, has 23 farms that span at least 1,000 acres. Fayette has 15, Greene nine. York is the Keystone State leader with 41.
• Westmoreland also had the highest estimated market value of farmland and buildings, with an average of $775,756. Washington was second (704,588), followed by Greene (575,776) and Fayette (557,551).

There are a number of interesting figures here. But even if they hadn’t been compiled, the main takeaway related to this necessary but diminishing occupation is that farms are still functioning – making the owners and operators outstanding in their field.