Table 55. Selected Operator Characteristics for Principal, Second, and Third Operator: 2012 
[For meaning of abbreviations and symbols, see introductory text.] 
Characteristics 
All operators 1 
Principal operator 
Second operator 
Third operator 
Operators number 
122,387 
77,857 
37,660 
6,870 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
82,315 
63,873 
14,114 
4,328 
Spouse of principal operator 
4,600 
(X) 
4,517 
83 
Female 
40,072 
13,984 
23,546 
2,542 
Spouse of principal operator 
20,925 
(X) 
20,401 
524 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
62,397 
42,469 
16,183 
3,745 
Other 
59,990 
35,388 
21,477 
3,125 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
84,532 
54,775 
26,592 
3,165 
Not on farm operated 
37,855 
23,082 
11,068 
3,705 
Days worked off farm: 
None 
48,013 
31,311 
14,109 
2,593 
Any 
74,374 
46,546 
23,551 
4,277 
1 to 49 days 
12,000 
7,304 
3,926 
770 
50 to 99 days 
6,856 
4,230 
2,126 
500 
1 00 to 1 99 days 
11,811 
7,065 
4,028 
718 
200 days or more 
43,707 
27,947 
13,471 
2,289 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
5,960 
3,151 
2,059 
750 
3 or 4 years 
8,617 
4,634 
3,159 
824 
5 to 9 years 
21,773 
12,863 
7,335 
1,575 
10 years or more 
86,037 
57,209 
25,107 
3,721 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
4,379 
2,182 
1,571 
626 
3 or 4 years 
7,024 
3,648 
2,718 
658 
5 to 9 years 
18,585 
10,663 
6,526 
1,396 
10 years or more 
92,399 
61,364 
26,845 
4,190 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
1,292 
253 
438 
601 
25 to 34 years 
6,329 
2,968 
2,329 
1,032 
35 to 44 years 
12,100 
6,255 
4,646 
1,199 
45 to 54 years 
26,896 
15,946 
9,521 
1,429 
55 to 64 years 
36,342 
23,382 
11,512 
1,448 
65 to 74 years 
25,653 
18,154 
6,755 
744 
75 years and over 
13,775 
10,899 
2,459 
417 
Average age 
57.9 
60.1 
55.3 
48.0 
Number of persons living in household 
252,892 
201,412 
38,078 
13,402 
1 Data were collected for a maximum of three operators per farm. 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
California 53 
