Table 62 . Selected Principal Operator Characteristics by Race: 2012 and 2007 
[For meaning of abbreviations and symbols, see introductory text.] 
Characteristics 
All principal 
operators 
American Indian or 
Alaska Native 
Asian 
Black or 
African American 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
Operators number 
2,109,303 
2,204,792 
37,851 
34,706 
13,669 
11,214 
33,371 
30,599 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
1,821,039 
1,898,583 
26,433 
24,603 
10,969 
9,181 
28,741 
26,170 
Female 
288,264 
306,209 
11,418 
10,103 
2,700 
2,033 
4,630 
4,429 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
1,007,904 
993,881 
20,763 
17,682 
8,149 
6,398 
16,119 
13,588 
Other 
1,101,399 
1,210,911 
17,088 
1 7,024 
5,520 
4,816 
17,252 
17,011 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
1,621,591 
1,693,362 
30,727 
27,954 
8,242 
7,125 
21,237 
19,620 
Not on farm operated 
487,712 
511,430 
7,124 
6,752 
5,427 
4,089 
12,134 
10,979 
Days of work off farm: 
None 
823,659 
777,747 
14,169 
12,674 
4,484 
3,219 
13,378 
10,402 
Any 
1,285,644 
1 ,427,045 
23,682 
22,032 
9,185 
7,995 
19,993 
20,197 
1 to 49 days 
169,761 
238,479 
2,715 
3,364 
1,427 
1,602 
2,581 
3,324 
50 to 99 days 
92,876 
115,578 
2,280 
2,275 
955 
894 
2,001 
2,339 
1 00 to 1 99 days 
180,407 
196,687 
3,813 
3,417 
1,521 
1,182 
3,507 
3,494 
200 days or more 
842,600 
876,301 
14,874 
12,976 
5,282 
4,317 
1 1 ,904 
11,040 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
68,180 
84,883 
1,178 
1,451 
877 
820 
1,135 
1,338 
3 or 4 years 
103,370 
138,858 
1,811 
2,399 
1,182 
1,238 
1,727 
2,019 
5 to 9 years 
297,548 
359,545 
5,220 
5,997 
3,195 
2,285 
4,780 
5,299 
1 0 years or more 
1,640,205 
1,621,506 
29,642 
24,859 
8,415 
6,871 
25,729 
21,943 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
47,782 
(NA) 
809 
(NA) 
663 
(NA) 
831 
(NA) 
3 or 4 years 
82,324 
(NA) 
1,546 
(NA) 
1,016 
(NA) 
1,403 
(NA) 
5 to 9 years 
252,290 
(NA) 
4,426 
(NA) 
2,824 
(NA) 
4,176 
(NA) 
1 0 years or more 
1,726,907 
(NA) 
31,070 
(NA) 
9,166 
(NA) 
26,961 
(NA) 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
10,714 
11,878 
288 
227 
60 
77 
142 
158 
25 to 34 years 
109,119 
106,735 
1,863 
1,975 
639 
439 
685 
722 
35 to 44 years 
214,106 
268,818 
4,135 
4,645 
1,729 
1,511 
2,072 
2,528 
45 to 54 years 
466,036 
565,401 
8,791 
8,860 
3,297 
3,076 
5,954 
6,477 
55 to 64 years 
608,052 
596,306 
10,202 
8,586 
4,368 
3,288 
10,414 
9,487 
65 to 74 years 
443,571 
412,182 
7,741 
6,651 
2,282 
1,637 
8,667 
6,854 
75 years and over 
257,705 
243,472 
4,831 
3,762 
1,294 
1,186 
5,437 
4,373 
Average age 
58.3 
57.1 
58.1 
56.6 
56.8 
56.4 
61.9 
60.3 
Number of persons living in household 
5,455,325 
5,797,906 
109,243 
102,031 
42,391 
35,329 
79,158 
75,466 
Characteristics 
Native Flawaiian or 
Other Pacific Islander 
White 
More than one race reported 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
Operators number 
1,468 
1,356 
2,012,652 
2,114,325 
10,292 
12,592 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
1,184 
1,089 
1,745,531 
1 ,827,233 
8,181 
10,307 
Female 
284 
267 
267,121 
287,092 
2,111 
2,285 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
732 
631 
957,467 
949,809 
4,674 
5,773 
Other 
736 
725 
1,055,185 
1,164,516 
5,618 
6,819 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
1,015 
930 
1,552,094 
1 ,627,466 
8,276 
10,267 
Not on farm operated 
453 
426 
460,558 
486,859 
2,016 
2,325 
Days of work off farm: 
None 
462 
345 
787,599 
746,846 
3,567 
4,261 
Any 
1,006 
1,011 
1,225,053 
1 ,367,479 
6,725 
8,331 
1 to 49 days 
169 
135 
162,026 
228,676 
843 
1,378 
50 to 99 days 
94 
116 
86,990 
109,232 
556 
722 
1 00 to 1 99 days 
181 
182 
170,213 
187,147 
1,172 
1,265 
200 days or more 
562 
578 
805,824 
842,424 
4,154 
4,966 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
62 
88 
64,544 
80,598 
384 
588 
3 or 4 years 
111 
164 
97,909 
132,144 
630 
894 
5 to 9 years 
302 
304 
282,278 
343,293 
1,773 
2,367 
1 0 years or more 
993 
800 
1,567,921 
1 ,558,290 
7,505 
8,743 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
41 
(NA) 
45,180 
(NA) 
258 
(NA) 
3 or 4 years 
92 
(NA) 
77,767 
(NA) 
500 
(NA) 
5 to 9 years 
270 
(NA) 
239,125 
(NA) 
1,469 
(NA) 
1 0 years or more 
1,065 
(NA) 
1,650,580 
(NA) 
8,065 
(NA) 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
7 
7 
10,161 
1 1 ,353 
56 
56 
25 to 34 years 
64 
41 
105,340 
103,022 
528 
536 
35 to 44 years 
156 
200 
204,906 
258,495 
1,108 
1,439 
45 to 54 years 
369 
397 
445,247 
543,382 
2,378 
3,209 
55 to 64 years 
478 
391 
579,622 
570,877 
2,968 
3,677 
65 to 74 years 
268 
210 
422,429 
394,369 
2,184 
2,461 
75 years and over 
126 
110 
244,947 
232,827 
1,070 
1,214 
Average age 
57.0 
55.7 
58.3 
57.1 
57.8 
57.3 
Number of persons living in household 
4,177 
4,094 
5,193,795 
5,548,092 
26,561 
32,894 
64 United States 
2012 Census of Agriculture - UNITED STATES DATA 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
