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 
13,168 
8,173 
4,391 
604 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
7,770 
5,792 
1,626 
352 
Spouse of principal operator 
989 
(X) 
968 
21 
Female 
5,398 
2,381 
2,765 
252 
Spouse of principal operator 
2,467 
(X) 
2,412 
55 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
5,803 
3,964 
1,565 
274 
Other 
7,365 
4,209 
2,826 
330 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
11,024 
6,941 
3,742 
341 
Not on farm operated 
2,144 
1,232 
649 
263 
Days worked off farm: 
None 
4,657 
3,060 
1,374 
223 
Any 
8,511 
5,113 
3,017 
381 
1 to 49 days 
1,137 
750 
340 
47 
50 to 99 days 
718 
398 
284 
36 
1 00 to 1 99 days 
1,473 
897 
496 
80 
200 days or more 
5,183 
3,068 
1,897 
218 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
736 
373 
271 
92 
3 or 4 years 
1,170 
620 
479 
71 
5 to 9 years 
2,550 
1,432 
950 
168 
1 0 years or more 
8,712 
5,748 
2,691 
273 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
602 
286 
229 
87 
3 or 4 years 
1,040 
541 
440 
59 
5 to 9 years 
2,195 
1,204 
838 
153 
1 0 years or more 
9,331 
6,142 
2,884 
305 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
201 
62 
55 
84 
25 to 34 years 
1,005 
488 
369 
148 
35 to 44 years 
1,562 
834 
645 
83 
45 to 54 years 
3,255 
1,938 
1,218 
99 
55 to 64 years 
3,879 
2,484 
1,292 
103 
65 to 74 years 
2,346 
1,652 
644 
50 
75 years and over 
920 
715 
168 
37 
Average age 
55.1 
57.0 
53.0 
44.4 
Number of persons living in household 
25,466 
21,495 
3,057 
914 
^ Data were collected for a maximum of three operators per farm. 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
Maine 41 
