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 
77,857 
81,033 
1,192 
1,178 
4,802 
3,684 
345 
320 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
63,873 
66,068 
946 
919 
4,122 
3,198 
260 
246 
Female 
13,984 
14,965 
246 
259 
680 
486 
85 
74 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
42,469 
40,910 
665 
614 
3,103 
2,223 
171 
139 
Other 
35,388 
40,123 
527 
564 
1,699 
1,461 
174 
181 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
54,775 
59,464 
899 
898 
2,446 
2,028 
254 
250 
Not on farm operated 
23,082 
21,569 
293 
280 
2,356 
1,656 
91 
70 
Days of work off farm: 
None 
31,311 
26,322 
463 
366 
1,639 
1,008 
126 
83 
Any 
46,546 
54,711 
729 
812 
3,163 
2,676 
219 
237 
1 to 49 days 
7,304 
10,663 
121 
128 
578 
566 
31 
33 
50 to 99 days 
4,230 
5,353 
79 
84 
323 
311 
16 
19 
100 to 199 days 
7,065 
8,185 
106 
111 
553 
386 
24 
30 
200 days or more 
27,947 
30,510 
423 
489 
1,709 
1,413 
148 
155 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
3,151 
3,793 
55 
60 
338 
278 
11 
10 
3 or 4 years 
4,634 
6,780 
55 
136 
438 
332 
29 
43 
5 to 9 years 
12,863 
16,286 
294 
256 
980 
729 
69 
91 
10 years or more 
57,209 
54,174 
788 
726 
3,046 
2,345 
236 
176 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
2,182 
(NA) 
20 
(NA) 
244 
(NA) 
8 
(NA) 
3 or 4 years 
3,648 
(NA) 
49 
(NA) 
376 
(NA) 
24 
(NA) 
5 to 9 years 
10,663 
(NA) 
230 
(NA) 
775 
(NA) 
62 
(NA) 
10 years or more 
61,364 
(NA) 
893 
(NA) 
3,407 
(NA) 
251 
(NA) 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
253 
292 
- 
- 
31 
40 
- 
- 
25 to 34 years 
2,968 
2,466 
31 
46 
275 
153 
- 
8 
35 to 44 years 
6,255 
8,279 
138 
133 
578 
496 
31 
50 
45 to 54 years 
15,946 
20,672 
293 
357 
1,208 
1,091 
79 
88 
55 to 64 years 
23,382 
24,194 
348 
378 
1,530 
1,029 
87 
72 
65 to 74 years 
18,154 
15,488 
281 
179 
712 
506 
102 
74 
75 years and over 
10,899 
9,642 
101 
85 
468 
369 
46 
28 
Average age 
60.1 
58.4 
58.1 
56.1 
56.3 
55.6 
61.0 
57.4 
Number of persons living in household 
201,412 
215,561 
3,264 
3,338 
15,267 
11,854 
892 
904 
Characteristics 
Native Hawaiian or 
Other Pacific Islander 
White 
More than one race reported 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
Operators number 
321 
183 
70,537 
75,021 
660 
647 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
259 
152 
57,764 
61,051 
522 
502 
Female 
62 
31 
12,773 
13,970 
138 
145 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
175 
92 
38,035 
37,500 
320 
342 
Other 
146 
91 
32,502 
37,521 
340 
305 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
235 
115 
50,443 
55,659 
498 
514 
Not on farm operated 
86 
68 
20,094 
19,362 
162 
133 
Days of work off farm: 
None 
128 
53 
28,719 
24,575 
236 
237 
Any 
193 
130 
41,818 
50,446 
424 
410 
1 to 49 days 
41 
23 
6,467 
9,852 
66 
61 
50 to 99 days 
19 
10 
3,758 
4,870 
35 
59 
100 to 199 days 
30 
23 
6,269 
7,568 
83 
67 
200 days or more 
103 
74 
25,324 
28,156 
240 
223 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
15 
3 
2,712 
3,418 
20 
24 
3 or 4 years 
18 
24 
4,054 
6,193 
40 
52 
5 to 9 years 
54 
50 
1 1 ,343 
15,052 
123 
108 
10 years or more 
234 
106 
52,428 
50,358 
477 
463 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
7 
(NA) 
1,886 
(NA) 
17 
(NA) 
3 or 4 years 
19 
(NA) 
3,146 
(NA) 
34 
(NA) 
5 to 9 years 
43 
(NA) 
9,448 
(NA) 
105 
(NA) 
10 years or more 
252 
(NA) 
56,057 
(NA) 
504 
(NA) 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
- 
2 
220 
246 
2 
4 
25 to 34 years 
9 
3 
2,611 
2,241 
42 
15 
35 to 44 years 
19 
27 
5,436 
7,515 
53 
58 
45 to 54 years 
77 
66 
14,144 
18,862 
145 
208 
55 to 64 years 
128 
52 
21,078 
22,472 
211 
191 
65 to 74 years 
56 
23 
16,852 
14,584 
151 
122 
75 years and over 
32 
10 
10,196 
9,101 
56 
49 
Average age 
58.5 
55.0 
60.4 
58.6 
58.0 
57.2 
Number of persons living in household 
836 
574 
179,402 
197,231 
1,751 
1,660 
64 California 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
