CN 
CENSUS OF 7^« / /• / X 
AGRICULTURE HlgHllghtS 
Farm Demographics 
U.5. Fanners by Gender^r AgOjr RacOjr Ethnicifyjr and More 
ACH 12-3/May 2014 
3.2 million farmers . . . 
. . . operated 2. 1 million farms 
covering 915 million acres 
that generated food, fuel, and 
fiber for Americans and people 
around the world. Who are 
they? 
Understanding the Numbers 
* = statistically significant change 
The 2012 Census of Agriculture 
contains a measure of relative 
reliability (the coefficient of variation) 
for every data item published. This 
Highlights document does not include 
these numbers, but shows through 
an asterisk (*) every number that is 
a statistically significant change from 
the 2007 Census to the 2012 Census 
In 2012, U.S. farnners were older and more diverse than in 2007, the last time 
the agriculture census was conducted. The total number of farmers declined, 
with the percentage decline more for women than men. More minorities operat- 
ed farms in 2012, and the number of beginning farmers declined. 
How Many Farmers? 
In 2012, 3.2 million farmers operated 
2.1 million farms. Like the previous 
agriculture census, the 2012 Census 
of Agriculture collected data on up 
to three operators per farm. Wheth- 
er counting only principal operators 
(the person primarily responsible for 
the day-to-day operation of the farm) 
or also second and third operators, 
the number of U.S. farmers declined 
between 2007 and 2012 - going down 
4.3 percent in the case of principal 
operators. (Table 1) 
Fourty-four percent of all farms report- 
ed having two operators, and 7 per- 
cent reported three operators involved 
in day-to-day decision making. Princi- 
pal operators differ from second and 
third operators in a number of ways. 
They are on average older, more likely 
to be male, and more likely to consider 
farming their primary occupation. They 
work fewer days off the farm than do 
Table 2 
Gender, Primary Occupation, and Years on Farm, 201 2 
(percent) 
second and third operators, and in 
2012, 78 percent were on their current 
farm ten or more years. (Table 2) 
Two thirds (67 percent) of second 
operators are women, of whom 90 
percent are the spouse of the principal 
farm operator. Most farm operations 
report that they are organized as a 
family or individual operation. Third 
operators are younger than principal 
operators and 45 percent were on 
their current farm less than ten years 
in 2012. 
Table 1 
Number of U.S. Farmers, 2007 and 2012 
Operators 
2007 
2012 
% change 
Principal 
2,204,792 
2,109,303 
-4.3* 
Second 
931,670 
928,151 
-0.4 
Third 
145,072 
142,620 
-1.7 
All 
3,281,534 
3,180,074 
-3.1 
Source: USDA NASS, 2012 Census of Agriculture. 
(defined as two or more standard 
errors). 
Farm 
Operators 
Gender 
Male Female 
Primary Occupation 
Farm Other 
Years on Farm 
<10 ^0+ 
To learn more about statistical 
Principal 
86 
14 
48 
52 
22 
78 
significance and Census methodology. 
Second 
33 
67 
37 
63 
31 
69 
go to the frequently asked questions at 
Third 
61 
39 
43 
57 
45 
55 
www.agcensus.usda.gov. 
All 
70 
30 
44 
56 
26 
74 
Source: USDA NASS, 2012 Census of Agriculture. 
USDA 
United States Department of Agriculture 
National Agricultural Statistics Service 
www.agcensus.usda.gov 
(800)727-9540 
