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 
113,037 
77,064 
31,703 
4,270 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
81,618 
68,864 
10,134 
2,620 
Spouse of principal operator 
2,566 
(X) 
2,501 
65 
Female 
31,419 
8,200 
21,569 
1,650 
Spouse of principal operator 
20,316 
(X) 
19,797 
519 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
43,430 
32,137 
9,689 
1,604 
Other 
69,607 
44,927 
22,014 
2,666 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
89,259 
61,992 
24,817 
2,450 
Not on farm operated 
23,778 
15,072 
6,886 
1,820 
Days worked off farm: 
None 
39,057 
27,516 
10,171 
1,370 
Any 
73,980 
49,548 
21,532 
2,900 
1 to 49 days 
8,947 
5,862 
2,704 
381 
50 to 99 days 
5,252 
3,329 
1,636 
287 
100 to 199 days 
10,654 
7,062 
3,141 
451 
200 days or more 
49,127 
33,295 
14,051 
1,781 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
5,325 
2,866 
1,947 
512 
3 or 4 years 
6,566 
3,752 
2,315 
499 
5 to 9 years 
17,650 
10,639 
6,062 
949 
10 years or more 
83,496 
59,807 
21,379 
2,310 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
3,858 
1,901 
1,493 
464 
3 or 4 years 
5,357 
2,956 
1,965 
436 
5 to 9 years 
14,939 
8,738 
5,345 
856 
10 years or more 
88,883 
63,469 
22,900 
2,514 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
1,780 
406 
709 
665 
25 to 34 years 
7,631 
4,073 
2,837 
721 
35 to 44 years 
14,687 
8,909 
5,130 
648 
45 to 54 years 
26,859 
17,130 
8,908 
821 
55 to 64 years 
31,377 
22,067 
8,524 
786 
65 to 74 years 
20,921 
16,131 
4,366 
424 
75 years and over 
9,782 
8,348 
1,229 
205 
Average age 
55.6 
57.6 
52.1 
45.4 
Number of persons living in household 
232,468 
198,179 
27,341 
6,948 
1 Data were collected for a maximum of three operators per farm. 
42 Kentucky 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
