Table 55. Selected Operator Characteristics for Principal, Second, and Third Operator: 2012 
[For meaning of abbreviations and symbols, see introductory text.] 
Characteristics 
All operators ^ 
Principal operator 
Second operator 
Third operator 
Operators number 
63,269 
43,223 
17,511 
2,535 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
44,895 
37,809 
5,478 
1,608 
Spouse of principal operator 
1,692 
(X) 
1,638 
54 
Female 
18,374 
5,414 
12,033 
927 
Spouse of principal operator 
11,331 
(X) 
1 1 ,098 
233 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
25,901 
19,114 
5,941 
846 
Other 
37,368 
24,109 
1 1 ,570 
1,689 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
48,313 
33,570 
13,477 
1,266 
Not on farm operated 
14,956 
9,653 
4,034 
1,269 
Days worked off farm: 
None 
24,012 
16,775 
6,448 
789 
Any 
39,257 
26,448 
1 1 ,063 
1,746 
1 to 49 days 
4,559 
3,033 
1,276 
250 
50 to 99 days 
2,491 
1,523 
835 
133 
1 00 to 1 99 days 
6,274 
4,200 
1,805 
269 
200 days or more 
25,933 
17,692 
7,147 
1,094 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
2,710 
1,425 
968 
317 
3 or 4 years 
3,932 
2,205 
1,395 
332 
5 to 9 years 
10,283 
6,195 
3,479 
609 
1 0 years or more 
46,344 
33,398 
1 1 ,669 
1,277 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
2,118 
1,056 
789 
273 
3 or 4 years 
3,304 
1,790 
1,207 
307 
5 to 9 years 
9,301 
5,473 
3,256 
572 
1 0 years or more 
48,546 
34,904 
12,259 
1,383 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
960 
231 
397 
332 
25 to 34 years 
3,619 
1,814 
1,299 
506 
35 to 44 years 
7,225 
4,289 
2,526 
410 
45 to 54 years 
13,551 
8,683 
4,414 
454 
55 to 64 years 
17,790 
12,379 
4,995 
416 
65 to 74 years 
13,520 
10,265 
2,999 
256 
75 years and over 
6,604 
5,562 
881 
161 
Average age 
57.2 
59.3 
53.7 
45.6 
Number of persons living in household 
123,271 
104,571 
14,446 
4,254 
^ Data were collected for a maximum of three operators per farm. 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
Alabama 41 
