Table 49. Fertilizers and Chemicals Applied: 2012 and 2007 
[For meaning of abbreviations and symbols, see introductory text.] 
Item 
2012 
2007 
Item 
2012 
2007 
Any fertilizer, manure, or chemicals used 
farms 
3,332 
3,961 
Chemical expenses 
....farms 
2,604 
2,272 
$1,000 
16,115 
12,490 
Manure used 
farms 
1,155 
1,301 
Acres treated to control- 
acres treated 
24,374 
32,236 
Insects 
....farms 
1,775 
1,441 
acres 
44,407 
41,176 
Any fertilizer or chemical expenses 
farms 
3,780 
4,200 
Weeds, grass, or brush 
....farms 
1,873 
1,326 
$1,000 
35,211 
27,278 
acres 
58,478 
41,313 
Nematodes 
....farms 
333 
103 
Commercial fertilizer, lime, 
acres 
15,359 
1,921 
and soil conditioners used 
farms 
2,751 
3,330 
Diseases in crops and orchards 
....farms 
921 
720 
acres treated 
86,121 
98,188 
acres 
28,054 
16,675 
Commercial fertilizer, lime, 
Chemicals used to control growth, thin fruit, 
and soil conditioners expenses 
farms 
3,476 
3,964 
ripen, or defoliate 
....farms 
240 
216 
$1,000 
19,096 
14,788 
acres on which used 
10,086 
3,865 
Table 50. Land Use Practices by Size of Farm: 2012 
[For meaning of abbreviations and symbols, see introductory text.] 
Land use practices 
Farms 
Acres 
Land use practices 
Farms 
Acres 
Land drained by tile 
244 
4,863 
Cropland on which no-till practices were used - Con. 
Average per farm 
(X) 
20 
No-till practices used: - Con. 
Acres drained: 
200 to 499 acres 
4 
862 
1 to 9 acres 
121 
459 
500 to 999 acres 
- 
- 
1 0 to 49 acres 
97 
2,159 
1,000 to 1,999 acres 
- 
- 
50 to 99 acres 
20 
1,189 
2,000 acres or more 
- 
- 
1 00 to 1 99 acres 
3 
300 
Cropland on which conservation tillage, excluding no till, 
200 to 499 acres 
3 
756 
practices were used 
247 
7,815 
500 to 999 acres 
- 
- 
Average per farm 
(X) 
32 
1,000 to 1,999 acres 
- 
- 
2,000 acres or more 
- 
- 
Conservation tillage used: 
1 to 9 acres 
161 
(D) 
Land artificially drained 
832 
17,569 
1 0 to 49 acres 
50 
1,104 
Average per farm 
(X) 
21 
50 to 99 acres 
14 
1,046 
1 00 to 1 99 acres 
12 
1,630 
Acres drained by ditches: 
1 to 9 acres 
432 
(D) 
200 to 499 acres 
8 
2,468 
1 0 to 49 acres 
319 
6,390 
500 to 999 acres 
2 
(D) 
50 to 99 acres 
53 
3,394 
1,000 to 1,999 acres 
- 
1 00 to 1 99 acres 
20 
2,618 
2,000 acres or more 
" 
- 
200 to 499 acres 
7 
1,864 
Cropland on which conventional tillage practices were used 
1,430 
27,417 
500 to 999 acres 
- 
- 
Average per farm 
(X) 
19 
1,000 to 1,999 acres 
1 
(D) 
2,000 acres or more 
- 
Conventional tillage used: 
1 to 9 acres 
998 
2,425 
Land under conservation easement 
773 
51,619 
1 0 to 49 acres 
293 
6,598 
Average per farm 
(X) 
67 
50 to 99 acres 
66 
4,338 
100 to 199 acres 
57 
7,808 
Acres under easement: 
1 to 9 acres 
193 
(D) 
200 to 499 acres 
12 
3,839 
1 0 to 49 acres 
308 
8,139 
500 to 999 acres 
4 
2,409 
50 to 99 acres 
139 
9,531 
1,000 to 1,999 acres 
- 
- 
1 00 to 1 99 acres 
81 
11,198 
2,000 acres or more 
" 
- 
200 to 499 acres 
48 
14,667 
Cropland planted to a cover crop (excluding CRP) 
973 
17,085 
500 to 999 acres 
1 
(D) 
Average per farm 
(X) 
18 
1,000 to 1,999 acres 
- 
- 
2,000 acres or more 
3 
6,636 
Cover crop acres (excluding CRP): 
1 to 9 acres 
669 
1,887 
Cropland on which no-till practices were used 
406 
5,379 
1 0 to 49 acres 
219 
4,527 
Average per farm 
(X) 
13 
50 to 99 acres 
51 
3,283 
100 to 199 acres 
27 
3,787 
No-till practices used: 
1 to 9 acres 
312 
826 
200 to 499 acres 
3 
900 
1 0 to 49 acres 
64 
1,448 
500 to 999 acres 
4 
2,701 
50 to 99 acres 
17 
1,075 
1,000 to 1,999 acres 
- 
- 
1 00 to 1 99 acres 
9 
1,168 
2,000 acres or more 
" 
" 
38 Massachusetts 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
