which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were 
produced and sold, or normally would have been 
sold, during the census year. Prior to 1974, the farm 
definition was based on a lower value of products 
sold and included a relationship to acres on the 
operation. 
DATA COMPARABILITY 
Most data are comparable between the 2014 and 
2009 censuses of horticultural specialties. A few 
changes were made to the 2014 census that affect 
comparability for some data items. See Appendix B, 
General Explanation and Report Form for a detailed 
discussion of these changes. Dollar figures are 
expressed in current dollars and have not been 
adjusted for inflation or deflation. The data 
published in this publication are not directly 
comparable to 2012 Census of Agriculture data or 
2015 Commercial Floriculture Survey data. 
Although data were collected for the 2014 Census of 
Horticultural Specialties and the 2015 Commercial 
Floriculture Survey with the same report form, 
differences in the kinds of statistics collected and in 
collection methodology do not allow for direct 
comparability. 
REFERENCE PERIOD 
The 2014 Census of Horticultural Specialties covers 
operations for the 2014 calendar year, except for a 
small number of operations that maintained their 
records on a fiscal year basis. These operations were 
permitted to report their fiscal year that included at 
least half of the 2014 calendar year. Data for trees on 
operation were collected for January 1, 2015. Data 
on estimated value of land, buildings, machinery and 
equipment were reported for December 31, 2014. 
TABLES AND APPENDICES 
Chapter 1. Table 1 shows U.S. -level historical data 
through the 1889 census. Tables 2 through 34 show 
detailed U.S.- level data for 2014. 
Chapter 2. Tables 1 through 42 present selected 
data for all states reporting a data item. 
Appendix A. Provides information about data 
collection and data processing activities and 
discusses the statistical methodology used in 
VIII Introduction 
conducting and evaluating the census. Table A 
provides reliability estimates of U.S. and state totals 
for operations, total value of sales, total wholesale 
value of sales, and total retail value of sales. Table B 
provides reliability estimates of U.S. totals for 
selected items. 
Appendix B. Includes definitions of specific terms 
and phrases used in this publication, including items 
in the publication tables that carry the note “see 
text.” The report form and instruction sheet used to 
collect data are also included. 
RESPONDENT CONFIDENTIALITY 
In keeping with the provisions of Title 7 of the 
United States Code, no data are published that would 
disclose information about the operations of an 
individual farm or ranch. All tabulated data are 
subjected to an extensive disclosure review prior to 
publication. Any tabulated item that identifies data 
reported by a respondent, or allows a respondent’s 
data to be accurately estimated or derived, was 
suppressed and coded with a 4 D’. The number of 
operations reporting an item is not considered 
confidential information and is provided even though 
other information may be withheld. 
SPECIAL STUDIES AND CUSTOM 
TABULATIONS 
Special studies such as the 2014 Census of 
Horticultural Specialties, 2013 Census of 
Aquaculture, and 2013 Farm and Ranch Irrigation 
Survey are part of the census program and provide 
supplemental information to the 2012 Census of 
Agriculture in the respective subject area. Results are 
published on the NASS website at 
www.nass.usda.gov. If you would like to learn more 
about the statistics available from NASS or have 
questions concerning this report, send an email to 
nass@nass.usda.gov or call the Agricultural 
Statistics Hotline at 1-800-727-9540. 
Custom-designed tabulations may be developed 
when data are not published elsewhere. These 
tabulations are developed to individual user 
specifications on a cost-reimbursable basis and 
shared with the public. Quick Stats, NASS’s online 
database, that allows data users to build customized 
queries, should be investigated before requesting a 
2012 Census of Agriculture 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
