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 
47,870 
31,989 
13,449 
2,432 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
35,738 
29,656 
4,494 
1,588 
Spouse of principal operator 
584 
(X) 
564 
20 
Female 
12,132 
2,333 
8,955 
844 
Spouse of principal operator 
8,611 
(X) 
8,285 
326 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
26,349 
18,844 
6,102 
1,403 
Other 
21,521 
13,145 
7,347 
1,029 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
36,022 
24,334 
10,290 
1,398 
Not on farm operated 
1 1 ,848 
7,655 
3,159 
1,034 
Days worked off farm: 
None 
20,135 
14,049 
4,933 
1,153 
Any 
27,735 
17,940 
8,516 
1,279 
1 to 49 days 
4,545 
2,991 
1,268 
286 
50 to 99 days 
1,927 
1,190 
633 
104 
1 00 to 1 99 days 
3,650 
2,208 
1,269 
173 
200 days or more 
17,613 
11,551 
5,346 
716 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
1,487 
787 
506 
194 
3 or 4 years 
2,250 
1,268 
761 
221 
5 to 9 years 
6,214 
3,569 
2,180 
465 
1 0 years or more 
37,919 
26,365 
10,002 
1,552 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
1,083 
535 
377 
171 
3 or 4 years 
1,764 
949 
628 
187 
5 to 9 years 
5,330 
3,000 
1,909 
421 
1 0 years or more 
39,693 
27,505 
10,535 
1,653 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
755 
258 
247 
250 
25 to 34 years 
4,610 
2,631 
1,562 
417 
35 to 44 years 
6,519 
3,922 
2,197 
400 
45 to 54 years 
1 1 ,499 
7,445 
3,538 
516 
55 to 64 years 
13,300 
9,182 
3,676 
442 
65 to 74 years 
7,033 
5,263 
1,526 
244 
75 years and over 
4,154 
3,288 
703 
163 
Average age 
54.3 
55.9 
51.6 
47.2 
Number of persons living in household 
102,955 
84,820 
13,815 
4,320 
' Data were collected for a maximum of three operators per farm. 
40 South Dakota 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
