When more than one cutting of hay was taken from 
the same acres, the acres were counted only once, 
but the quantity harvested includes all cuttings. For 
interplanted crops or “skip-row” crops, acres were 
reported according to the portion of the field 
occupied, whether by a crop or whether it was idle 
land. 
If a crop was interplanted in an orchard or vineyard 
and harvested, then the entire orchard or vineyard 
acreage was reported under land in bearing and non- 
bearing fruit orchards, citrus or other groves, 
vineyards, and nut trees and the interplanted 
estimated crop acreage was reported under the 
appropriate crop. 
Acres of land in bearing and non -bearing fruit 
orchards, citrus or other groves, vineyards, and nut 
trees were included in cropland harvested whether 
the crop was harvested or not. 
Acres irrigated. Acres or area irrigated are the 
acres of agricultural land to which water was applied 
by any artificial or controlled means such as 
sprinklers, flooding, furrows, ditches, gated pipe, 
hand watered, capillary mats, trough irrigation, ebb- 
and-flood irrigation, subirrigation, and spreader 
dikes including preplanted, partial, and supplemental 
irrigation. Land flooded was to be included as 
irrigated only if the water was diverted to 
agricultural land by dams, canals, or other works. 
Table 1 provides a comparison with the 2013 FRIS 
data and the 2012 Census of Agriculture data. Table 
A in this appendix also provides census data for the 
leading irrigation States for 2002, 2007, and 2012. 
Acres irrigated affected by expenditure. This is a 
new item in 2013. It is the number of acres which 
were affected by the reported cost of the 
expenditures. It is not comparable with Acres 
irrigated in the expenditure tables in the 2008 and 
earlier FRIS publications. 
Acres irrigated on farms with any hired or 
contract labor. This is a new item for 2013. This 
is the total acres irrigated on the operation. On some 
operations hired labor or contract labor were paid for 
work on all the acres in the operation. On other 
operations hired labor or contract labor were paid for 
work on only part of the total acres irrigated in the 
operation. 
2012 Census of Agriculture 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
All other crops. Data relate to any non-vegetable 
crops not having a specified code on the 2013 Farm 
and Ranch Irrigation report form. Crops such as 
grass seed, sunflower seed, sugarcane, etc. were 
included in other field crops. Data are comparable. 
All other land. This category includes farmsteads, 
buildings, livestock facilities, ponds, roads, ditches, 
wasteland, etc. It includes those acres in the farm 
operation not classified as cropland, woodland, 
pastureland, or rangeland. 
Application of commercial fertilizers or pesticides 
in irrigation water. This inquiry was intended to 
measure the number of farms and acres on which 
fertilizer and pesticides were distributed through 
irrigation systems. 
Area in the open - acres irrigated. Acres in the 
open irrigated is the total area irrigated for 
horticultural crops grown in the open, whether 
harvested or not. 
Area under protection - square feet irrigated. 
The total area used to grow horticultural crops under 
protection, whether harvested or not. 
Artesian wells. Artesian or flowing wells are wells 
which flow freely and provide water used for 
irrigation without pumping during the irrigation 
season. All flowing or artesian wells were excluded 
from data for pumped wells. 
Average hours of operation. The average hours of 
operation for pumped wells was calculated from the 
reported hours operated for up to three individual 
wells and the average hours for the remaining wells, 
if any. Artesian wells were not included in the 
average hours calculation. 
Average operating pressure. The average 
operating pressure for pumped wells was reported 
for up to three individual wells and as the average 
operating pressure for the remaining wells, if any. 
Artesian wells are not included as wells pumped. 
The average operating pressure was calculated using 
these reported data. 
Average pumping capacity. The average pumping 
capacity for pumped wells was reported for up to 
three individual wells and as the average pumping 
Appendix B B - 3 
