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 
74,786 
49,969 
21,464 
3,353 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
54,935 
45,878 
6,914 
2,143 
Spouse of principal operator 
1,107 
(X) 
1,085 
22 
Female 
19,851 
4,091 
14,550 
1,210 
Spouse of principal operator 
14,044 
(X) 
13,579 
465 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
40,916 
29,819 
9,208 
1,889 
Other 
33,870 
20,150 
12,256 
1,464 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
54,263 
36,652 
15,850 
1,761 
Not on farm operated 
20,523 
13,317 
5,614 
1,592 
Days worked off farm: 
None 
30,776 
21,662 
7,732 
1,382 
Any 
44,010 
28,307 
13,732 
1,971 
1 to 49 days 
6,672 
4,440 
1,917 
315 
50 to 99 days 
2,740 
1,586 
1,013 
141 
100 to 199 days 
5,541 
3,353 
1,901 
287 
200 days or more 
29,057 
18,928 
8,901 
1,228 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
3,128 
1,710 
1,043 
375 
3 or 4 years 
4,019 
2,289 
1,383 
347 
5 to 9 years 
10,106 
5,977 
3,535 
594 
10 years or more 
57,533 
39,993 
15,503 
2,037 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
2,160 
1,125 
736 
299 
3 or 4 years 
3,227 
1,745 
1,166 
316 
5 to 9 years 
8,882 
5,160 
3,164 
558 
10 years or more 
60,517 
41,939 
16,398 
2,180 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
1,176 
456 
351 
369 
25 to 34 years 
7,240 
4,291 
2,340 
609 
35 to 44 years 
10,120 
6,199 
3,390 
531 
45 to 54 years 
18,220 
11,943 
5,582 
695 
55 to 64 years 
20,539 
13,903 
5,975 
661 
65 to 74 years 
11,066 
8,068 
2,735 
263 
75 years and over 
6,425 
5,109 
1,091 
225 
Average age 
54.3 
55.7 
52.2 
46.6 
Number of persons living in household 
158,158 
131,538 
20,191 
6,429 
1 Data were collected for a maximum of three operators per farm. 
42 Nebraska 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
