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 
78,948 
52,194 
23,283 
3,471 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
54,865 
44,785 
7,988 
2,092 
Spouse of principal operator 
2,651 
(X) 
2,612 
39 
Female 
24,083 
7,409 
15,295 
1,379 
Spouse of principal operator 
14,316 
(X) 
13,926 
390 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
35,808 
25,285 
8,895 
1,628 
Other 
43,140 
26,909 
14,388 
1,843 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
64,522 
43,740 
18,816 
1,966 
Not on farm operated 
14,426 
8,454 
4,467 
1,505 
Days worked off farm: 
None 
32,025 
21,550 
9,014 
1,461 
Any 
46,923 
30,644 
14,269 
2,010 
1 to 49 days 
6,390 
4,147 
1,886 
357 
50 to 99 days 
3,293 
2,069 
1,072 
152 
100 to 199 days 
6,643 
4,223 
2,144 
276 
200 days or more 
30,597 
20,205 
9,167 
1,225 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
3,137 
1,512 
1,180 
445 
3 or 4 years 
4,222 
2,350 
1,503 
369 
5 to 9 years 
10,934 
6,318 
3,954 
662 
10 years or more 
60,655 
42,014 
16,646 
1,995 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
2,370 
1,047 
926 
397 
3 or 4 years 
3,585 
1,948 
1,296 
341 
5 to 9 years 
9,606 
5,456 
3,523 
627 
10 years or more 
63,387 
43,743 
17,538 
2,106 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
1,270 
244 
471 
555 
25 to 34 years 
5,193 
2,736 
1,819 
638 
35 to 44 years 
9,993 
5,761 
3,638 
594 
45 to 54 years 
19,524 
12,259 
6,533 
732 
55 to 64 years 
22,120 
15,153 
6,421 
546 
65 to 74 years 
14,067 
10,490 
3,313 
264 
75 years and over 
6,781 
5,551 
1,088 
142 
Average age 
55.5 
57.6 
52.8 
43.8 
Number of persons living in household 
167,949 
142,363 
19,799 
5,787 
1 Data were collected for a maximum of three operators per farm. 
44 Michigan 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
