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 
54,778 
38,076 
14,371 
2,331 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
38,931 
32,794 
4,740 
1,397 
Spouse of principal operator 
1,236 
(X) 
1,204 
32 
Female 
15,847 
5,282 
9,631 
934 
Spouse of principal operator 
8,714 
(X) 
8,496 
218 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
22,165 
16,355 
4,985 
825 
Other 
32,613 
21,721 
9,386 
1,506 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
38,403 
27,054 
10,270 
1,079 
Not on farm operated 
16,375 
1 1 ,022 
4,101 
1,252 
Days worked off farm: 
None 
21,096 
15,119 
5,167 
810 
Any 
33,682 
22,957 
9,204 
1,521 
1 to 49 days 
4,228 
2,668 
1,313 
247 
50 to 99 days 
2,564 
1,706 
731 
127 
1 00 to 1 99 days 
5,280 
3,757 
1,339 
184 
200 days or more 
21,610 
14,826 
5,821 
963 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
2,254 
1,247 
766 
241 
3 or 4 years 
3,159 
1,844 
1,069 
246 
5 to 9 years 
8,579 
5,258 
2,766 
555 
1 0 years or more 
40,786 
29,727 
9,770 
1,289 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
1,694 
864 
621 
209 
3 or 4 years 
2,592 
1,448 
929 
215 
5 to 9 years 
7,716 
4,663 
2,542 
511 
1 0 years or more 
42,776 
31,101 
10,279 
1,396 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
689 
159 
260 
270 
25 to 34 years 
2,877 
1,442 
1,084 
351 
35 to 44 years 
5,779 
3,458 
1,974 
347 
45 to 54 years 
10,915 
6,965 
3,491 
459 
55 to 64 years 
15,675 
10,981 
4,197 
497 
65 to 74 years 
11,914 
9,125 
2,508 
281 
75 years and over 
6,929 
5,946 
857 
126 
Average age 
58.3 
60.4 
54.4 
47.6 
Number of persons living in household 
110,451 
92,523 
13,801 
4,127 
^ Data were collected for a maximum of three operators per farm. 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
Mississippi 41 
