Dale P. Hawks Maryland State Statistician 1

THERE’S HISTORY HERE The first Census of Agriculture was conducted in 1840 in 26 states and the District of Columbia.

170 YEARS LATER NASS now conducts the Census of Agriculture in: all 50 states Puerto Rico Guam U.S. Virgin Islands Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands American Samoa That’s data for more than 3,000 U.S. counties and 30,000 zip codes.

CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE A complete count, taken every five years, of America’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them.

CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE The most complete agricultural data available. The only source of uniform, comprehensive and objective information for every county in the nation. Information on land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures, and more.

“FARM” DEFINED Any place from which $1,000 of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the Census year.

Maryland Number of Farms 12,256 Land in Farms 2,030,745 Average Size 166

Maryland Total Market Value of Products Sold $2,271,397,000 Of the total Poultry and eggs $922,999,000 Grains, oilseeds.. $716,348,000 Nursery and … $204,808,000 Milk from cows $187,497,000 Vegetables…. $ 70,711,000

MARYLAND  Women operators increased to 18.7 percent in 2012 compared to 17.3 percent in 2007  Only 48.9 percent of farm operators state that farming primary occupation  Average age of farmers increased to 59 years of age in 2012 compared to 57.3 in 2007  Operators with Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino origin up 27 percent and Asian operators up 18 percent in Maryland

COUNTY RESULTS The Census of Agriculture provides the only comprehensive,consistent set of agricultural data at the county level.

TOP VALUE OF SALES COUNTIES 2007 Value of Sales ($1,000) 2012 Value of Sales ($1,000) Wicomico 197,828 Caroline 257,915 Somerset 192,563 Wicomico 236,321 Caroline 186,039 Somerset 218,950 Worcester 185,771 Worcester 199,265 Dorchester 166,732 Dorchester 187,057

TOP BROILER COUNTIES 2012 Number Sold Somerset63,651,156 Caroline62,703,500 Wicomico57,122,282 Worcester55,509,628 Dorchester29,388,301

TOP CORN COUNTIES 2012 bushels Queen Anne’s4,891,585 Kent4,497,782 Carroll4,111,535 Frederick3,982,802 Caroline3,864,817

TOP SOYBEAN COUNTIES 2012 bushels Queen Anne’s2,595,124 Caroline2,144,245 Talbot2,126,333 Dorchester1,816,344 Kent1,797,559

TOP WHEAT COUNTIES 2012 bushels Queen Anne’s1,878,061 Caroline1,818,149 Talbot1,569,314 Kent1,421,583 Dorchester1,127,332

TOP BARLEYCOUNTIES 2012 bushels Caroline549,230 Kent483,913 Frederick339,709 Carroll306,709 Washington293,032

TOP VEGETABLE COUNTIES 2012 Value of Sales ($1,000) Caroline13,169 Dorchester11,752 Wicomico8,485 Baltimore4,589 Queen Anne’s4,538

CENSUS DATA Census data are available: Online at

Questions????? Contact information Dale P. Hawks Maryland State Statistician