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 
108,900 
69,754 
33,906 
5,240 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
75,716 
62,408 
9,988 
3,320 
Spouse of principal operator 
2,864 
(X) 
2,791 
73 
Female 
33,184 
7,346 
23,918 
1,920 
Spouse of principal operator 
22,806 
(X) 
22,094 
712 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
51,027 
34,760 
13,523 
2,744 
Other 
57,873 
34,994 
20,383 
2,496 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
88,305 
57,611 
27,618 
3,076 
Not on farm operated 
20,595 
12,143 
6,288 
2,164 
Days worked off farm: 
None 
43,666 
28,900 
12,518 
2,248 
Any 
65,234 
40,854 
21,388 
2,992 
1 to 49 days 
8,130 
5,118 
2,596 
416 
50 to 99 days 
4,058 
2,374 
1,440 
244 
1 00 to 1 99 days 
8,792 
5,316 
3,099 
377 
200 days or more 
44,254 
28,046 
14,253 
1,955 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
4,478 
2,260 
1,627 
591 
3 or 4 years 
5,349 
2,828 
2,000 
521 
5 to 9 years 
14,311 
8,107 
5,157 
1,047 
1 0 years or more 
84,762 
56,559 
25,122 
3,081 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
3,361 
1,576 
1,299 
486 
3 or 4 years 
4,285 
2,155 
1,619 
511 
5 to 9 years 
12,596 
6,977 
4,640 
979 
1 0 years or more 
88,658 
59,046 
26,348 
3,264 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
1,865 
346 
750 
769 
25 to 34 years 
7,689 
3,739 
2,912 
1,038 
35 to 44 years 
13,521 
7,751 
4,922 
848 
45 to 54 years 
29,976 
18,508 
10,397 
1,071 
55 to 64 years 
31,163 
21,208 
9,155 
800 
65 to 74 years 
17,127 
12,248 
4,383 
496 
75 years and over 
7,559 
5,954 
1,387 
218 
Average age 
54.5 
56.5 
52.2 
44.2 
Number of persons living in household 
227,365 
191,969 
26,615 
8,781 
' Data were collected for a maximum of three operators per farm. 
42 Wisconsin 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
