Table 62. Selected Principal Operator Characteristics by Race: 2012 and 2007 
[For meaning of abbreviations and symbols, see introductory text.] 
Characteristics 
All principal 
operators 
American Indian or 
Alaska Native 
Asian 
Black or 
African American 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
Operators number 
74,542 
80,992 
141 
203 
266 
148 
30 
22 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
68,172 
73,631 
111 
170 
119 
77 
28 
22 
Female 
6,370 
7,361 
30 
33 
147 
71 
2 
" 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
39,423 
39,628 
61 
99 
188 
62 
13 
8 
Other 
35,119 
41,364 
80 
104 
78 
86 
17 
14 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
58,768 
63,563 
101 
160 
173 
67 
20 
13 
Not on farm operated 
15,774 
17,429 
40 
43 
93 
81 
10 
9 
Days of work off farm: 
None 
30,907 
29,612 
34 
65 
22 
37 
11 
10 
Any 
43,635 
51,380 
107 
138 
244 
111 
19 
12 
1 to 49 days 
5,901 
9,065 
14 
22 
7 
35 
3 
2 
50 to 99 days 
3,069 
3,684 
6 
15 
20 
12 
- 
- 
100 to 199 days 
5,976 
7,106 
12 
25 
55 
17 
5 
- 
200 days or more 
28,689 
31,525 
75 
76 
162 
47 
11 
10 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
1,882 
2,022 
1 
2 
51 
10 
1 
1 
3 or 4 years 
2,721 
3,312 
8 
12 
27 
18 
2 
3 
5 to 9 years 
7,707 
10,006 
27 
28 
27 
37 
5 
3 
10 years or more 
62,232 
65,652 
105 
161 
161 
83 
22 
15 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
1,315 
(NA) 
1 
(NA) 
46 
(NA) 
- 
(NA) 
3 or 4 years 
2,193 
(NA) 
8 
(NA) 
29 
(NA) 
2 
(NA) 
5 to 9 years 
6,629 
(NA) 
14 
(NA) 
26 
(NA) 
5 
(NA) 
10 years or more 
64,405 
(NA) 
118 
(NA) 
165 
(NA) 
23 
(NA) 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
419 
600 
- 
5 
3 
2 
- 
- 
25 to 34 years 
4,485 
4,517 
3 
5 
18 
15 
1 
3 
35 to 44 years 
8,647 
11,521 
22 
33 
88 
30 
5 
3 
45 to 54 years 
19,005 
23,488 
35 
61 
59 
42 
9 
7 
55 to 64 years 
21,731 
20,613 
58 
63 
64 
35 
10 
7 
65 to 74 years 
12,946 
13,215 
19 
24 
28 
18 
3 
- 
75 years and over 
7,309 
7,038 
4 
12 
6 
6 
2 
2 
Average age 
56.6 
55.3 
55.5 
54.1 
49.8 
51.0 
53.6 
51.3 
Number of persons living in household 
198,408 
221,314 
450 
656 
1,205 
793 
98 
86 
Characteristics 
Native Plawaiian or 
Other Pacific Islander 
White 
More than one race reported 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
2012 
2007 
Operators 
number 
5 
4 
73,984 
80,460 
116 
155 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
2 
3 
67,810 
73,222 
102 
137 
Female 
3 
1 
6,174 
7,238 
14 
18 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
3 
3 
39,107 
39,392 
51 
64 
Other 
2 
1 
34,877 
41,068 
65 
91 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
5 
4 
58,372 
63,191 
97 
128 
Not on farm operated ... 
- 
15,612 
17,269 
19 
27 
Days of work off farm: 
None 
- 
3 
30,801 
29,457 
39 
40 
Any 
5 
1 
43,183 
51,003 
77 
115 
1 to 49 days 
- 
1 
5,873 
8,988 
4 
17 
50 to 99 days 
- 
- 
3,037 
3,646 
6 
11 
100 to 199 days 
- 
- 
5,890 
7,046 
14 
18 
200 days or more 
5 
- 
28,383 
31,323 
53 
69 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
- 
- 
1,825 
2,000 
4 
9 
3 or 4 years 
- 
- 
2,675 
3,270 
9 
9 
5 to 9 years 
- 
- 
7,629 
9,906 
19 
32 
10 years or more 
5 
4 
61,855 
65,284 
84 
105 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
- 
(NA) 
1,264 
(NA) 
4 
(NA) 
3 or 4 years 
- 
(NA) 
2,150 
(NA) 
4 
(NA) 
5 to 9 years 
- 
(NA) 
6,566 
(NA) 
18 
(NA) 
10 years or more 
5 
(NA) 
64,004 
(NA) 
90 
(NA) 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
- 
- 
412 
591 
4 
2 
25 to 34 years 
- 
2 
4,458 
4,487 
5 
5 
35 to 44 years 
- 
1 
8,521 
11,424 
11 
30 
45 to 54 years 
3 
- 
18,864 
23,330 
35 
48 
55 to 64 years 
- 
- 
21,565 
20,464 
34 
44 
65 to 74 years 
- 
- 
12,879 
13,153 
17 
20 
75 years and over 
2 
1 
7,285 
7,011 
10 
6 
Average age 
64.0 
45.8 
56.6 
55.3 
55.0 
53.2 
Number of persons living in household 
38 
18 
196,302 
219,326 
315 
435 
54 Minnesota 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
