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 
37,166 
24,721 
10,500 
1,945 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
24,582 
19,944 
3,469 
1,169 
Spouse of principal operator 
979 
(X) 
958 
21 
Female 
12,584 
4,777 
7,031 
776 
Spouse of principal operator 
6,169 
(X) 
5,981 
188 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
17,094 
12,392 
3,900 
802 
Other 
20,072 
12,329 
6,600 
1,143 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
26,775 
18,152 
7,651 
972 
Not on farm operated 
10,391 
6,569 
2,849 
973 
Days worked off farm: 
None 
13,175 
8,933 
3,555 
687 
Any 
23,991 
15,788 
6,945 
1,258 
1 to 49 days 
3,860 
2,416 
1,223 
221 
50 to 99 days 
2,504 
1,587 
777 
140 
1 00 to 1 99 days 
4,068 
2,811 
1,045 
212 
200 days or more 
13,559 
8,974 
3,900 
685 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
1,715 
897 
580 
238 
3 or 4 years 
2,127 
1,188 
699 
240 
5 to 9 years 
5,619 
3,307 
1,960 
352 
1 0 years or more 
27,705 
19,329 
7,261 
1,115 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
1,369 
688 
460 
221 
3 or 4 years 
1,821 
1,006 
610 
205 
5 to 9 years 
4,843 
2,768 
1,743 
332 
1 0 years or more 
29,133 
20,259 
7,687 
1,187 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
663 
218 
219 
226 
25 to 34 years 
2,069 
982 
808 
279 
35 to 44 years 
3,423 
1,896 
1,201 
326 
45 to 54 years 
7,672 
4,662 
2,577 
433 
55 to 64 years 
10,507 
7,070 
3,045 
392 
65 to 74 years 
7,921 
5,916 
1,860 
145 
75 years and over 
4,911 
3,977 
790 
144 
Average age 
58.3 
60.5 
55.0 
47.3 
Number of persons living in household 
74,027 
61,982 
8,755 
3,290 
^ Data were collected for a maximum of three operators per farm. 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
New Mexico 41 
