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 
109,349 
74,542 
30,040 
4,767 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
81,547 
68,172 
10,158 
3,217 
Spouse of principal operator 
1,965 
(X) 
1,925 
40 
Female 
27,802 
6,370 
19,882 
1,550 
Spouse of principal operator 
19,035 
(X) 
18,450 
585 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
54,426 
39,423 
12,664 
2,339 
Other 
54,923 
35,119 
17,376 
2,428 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
84,642 
58,768 
23,387 
2,487 
Not on farm operated 
24,707 
15,774 
6,653 
2,280 
Days worked off farm: 
None 
44,054 
30,907 
1 1 ,247 
1,900 
Any 
65,295 
43,635 
18,793 
2,867 
1 to 49 days 
8,814 
5,901 
2,459 
454 
50 to 99 days 
4,754 
3,069 
1,409 
276 
1 00 to 1 99 days 
9,341 
5,976 
2,988 
377 
200 days or more 
42,386 
28,689 
11,937 
1,760 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
3,458 
1,882 
1,142 
434 
3 or 4 years 
4,813 
2,721 
1,593 
499 
5 to 9 years 
12,905 
7,707 
4,254 
944 
10 years or more 
88,173 
62,232 
23,051 
2,890 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
2,564 
1,315 
870 
379 
3 or 4 years 
4,054 
2,193 
1,398 
463 
5 to 9 years 
11,290 
6,629 
3,795 
866 
10 years or more 
91,441 
64,405 
23,977 
3,059 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
1,427 
419 
481 
527 
25 to 34 years 
8,064 
4,485 
2,632 
947 
35 to 44 years 
13,983 
8,647 
4,576 
760 
45 to 54 years 
28,583 
19,005 
8,608 
970 
55 to 64 years 
30,829 
21,731 
8,219 
879 
65 to 74 years 
17,606 
12,946 
4,221 
439 
75 years and over 
8,857 
7,309 
1,303 
245 
Average age 
55.0 
56.6 
52.6 
45.9 
Number of persons living in household 
236,043 
198,408 
28,707 
8,928 
1 Data were collected for a maximum of three operators per farm. 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
Minnesota 43 
