2022
Farm Economics
Highlights Value of production and income were up, while number of farms went down
ACH22-1/February 2024
The overall value of agricultural production and income increased between 1.9 million
2017 and 2022. Increases remained concentrated by farm size, location, and farms
industry. The number of large farms increased in 2022, according to the 2022
$543.1 billion
Census of Agriculture, while the number of mid-size and small farms declined.
in agricultural products
The largest operations and a small number of states accounted for the
majority of agricultural production and sales. Five commodities accounted for 880.1 million
two thirds of the value of agricultural production. acres
Value of Production, 2002-2022 ($ billions)
Value of Production
543
In 2022, U.S. farms and ranches
The total value of
produced $543.1 billion in agricultural 395 crops in 2022 was
Livestock 389 48%
products, up from $388.5 billion in 2017. $281 billion, up
Crops
Crop and livestock commodities each 297 45% from 2017. For
46% 50%
accounted for approximately half of the livestock, the value
total, with crops accounting for 52% 201 52% was $262 billion,
of the value. In 2022, the value of crop up 35%.
52% 52%
sales exceeded livestock sales. 54% 50%
47% 48%
The total number of farms declined
between 2017 and 2022, from 2.04 2002 2007 2012 2017 2022
million to 1.90 million.
The number of small and mid-sized farms declined between 2017 and 2022. Large (sales $1-5
% of % of million) and very large farms (sales of $5 million or more) increased in number. The 105,384 farms
Sales Class farms sales in the top two categories (sales of $1 million or more) are fewer than 6% of U.S. farms; they sold
more than three fourths of all agricultural products.
$5,000,000 + 1 42
$1,000,000 - $4,999,999 5 36 Number of Farms, by Size of Farm, 2017 and 2022 (thousands)
$250,000 - $999,999 8 15
792 2017 2022
$50,000 - $249,999 12 5
< $50,000 74 2 679
The largest farms (sales of $5 million or
more) accounted for fewer than 1% of
all farms but 42% of all sales. Farms with 393 372 366
358
sales of $50,000 or less accounted for
74% of farms and 2% of sales. 250 239
158 153
68 89
9 16
Less than $2,500 to $10,000 to $50,000 to $250,000 to $1,000,000 to $5,000,000
$2,500 $9,999 $49,999 $249,999 $999,999 $4,999,999 or more
Sales Class
United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus
U.S. Production by State Agriculture Sales by State, 2022
(as percent of U.S.) Top States ($ bil)
The top 10 states accounted for 55% of sales
in 2022. As in 2017, California was the largest California 59.0
provider of agricultural products, with sales Iowa 43.9
of $59 billion, 11% of the U.S. total. Texas 32.2
Nebraska 29.4
The top nine U.S. counties are in California,
and the top county, Fresno, had larger Minnesota 28.5
agriculture sales than 23 individual states. Illinois 26.4
Kansas 24.0
< 1.0 North Carolina 18.7
1.0 - 2.4 Indiana 18.0
2.5 - 4.9
U.S. = $543.1 bil Wisconsin 16.7
5.0 - 9.9
10.0 +
Top Commodities Top Commodities, 2022
($ billion) Top State % of U.S.
Cattle and calves was the top ranked
commodity, with $89.4 billion in sales. Texas Cattle and calves 89.4 Texas 17
was the top state in cattle and calves sales,
accounting for 17% of the U.S. total. Corn 88.5 Iowa 18
The top five commodities accounted for Poultry and eggs 76.5 North Carolina 12
$363 billion in sales, 67% of U.S. total
agriculture sales. Soybeans 55.4 Illinois 15
Milk 52.8 California 18
Income and Expenses All U.S. Farms Production Expenses ($ bil)
Feed 88.4
Farm income includes not just sales but also % change
government payments and earnings from
Livestock purchased 51.4
($ bil) since 2017 Hired labor 41.8
farm-related activities. With these items
included, total U.S. farm income in 2022 was Income Fertilizer 36.1
$576 billion. With farm production expenses Value of ag products sold 543.1 +40 Cash rents 27.3
of $424 billion, U.S. farms had net cash Government payments 10.4 +17 Supplies and repairs 25.9
income of $152 billion. Farm-related income 22.3 +32 Seeds 25.6
Production expenses 424.1 +30 Chemicals 23.6
At the farm level, average income in 2022 Fuels 18.4
Net income 151.6 +72
was $79,790, up 85% or almost double Interest 13.4
from 2017. Other 72.2
About the Census Farms with Internet Access, by County, 2022
The Census of Agriculture, conducted (as percent of total farms)
once every five years, is a complete
count of U.S. farms and ranches and the
people who operate them. Results from In 2022, 79% of U.S.
the 2022 Census, as well as previous farms had internet
censuses, are available online at access, up from 75%
national, state, and county levels. in 2017. Rates are
higher in western and
See the searchable database Quick northeastern states. < 60
Stats, downloadable PDF reports, maps, 60 - 69
and a variety of topic-specific products. 70 - 79
80 - 84
U.S. = 79% 85 - 89
www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus
90 or more
Source: USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
