1. The Economic Impact of Agriculture in Southern New Jersey
Peter J. Furey
Executive Director
New Jersey Farm Bureau
Presented to:
The Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce SJ Luncheon
March 25th, 2010

3. Selected Demographic/Geographic Data for Southern New Jersey
County
Population
Land Area (Sq. miles)
Land Area (acres)
Total Farm Acres
% of total acreage farmland represents
Persons per square mile
Atlantic
279,681
561.07
359,085
30,372
8.5%
450.2
Burlington
445,475
804.57
514,925
85,790
16.7%
526
Camden
517,234
223.3
142,912
8,760
6.1%
2,292.5
Cape May
95,838
255.19
163,322
7,967
4.9%
401.3
Cumberland
156,830
489.3
313,152
69,489
22.2%
299.5
Gloucester
287,860
324.72
207,821
46,662
22.5%
783.6
Ocean
569,111
636.28
407,219
9,833
2.4%
803.3
Salem
66,141
337.88
216,243
96,530
44.6%
190.2
SJ Totals
2,418,170
3,632.31
2,011, 840
355,403
17.7%
718.3
NJ Totals
8,682,661
7,417.34
4,707,863
733,450
15.6%
1,134.5
Sources: Census of Agriculture, 2000 US Census

5. Selected Agricultural Employment Statistics
County
Farms with Hired Labor
Workers
Hired Farm Labor ($1000)
Atlantic
163
5,924
30,745
Burlington
217
2,012
22,699
Camden 52
656
5,382
Cape May 46
358
2,935
Cumberland
192
3,716
45,498
Gloucester
2,191
22,233
Ocean 53
306
3,088
Salem
172
1,407
16,086
SJ Totals
1,058
16,570
148,666
NJ Totals
2,415
24,385
237,683
SJ % of NJ Total
43.8%
68%
62.5%
Source: Census of Agriculture

6. NJ Cash Receipts by Commodity Groups and Selected Commodities
State and commodity
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
New Jersey
1000 dollars
All commodities
813,908
843,198
873,392
982,298
1,117,634
Livestock and products
170,770
167,518
168,704
148,073
177,172
Meat animals
8,510
6,790
8,635
10,641
6,127
Dairy products
31,812
29,824
32,308
23,450
29,970
Miscellaneous livestock
103,267
106,081
95,182
89,498
95,240
Crops
643,138
675,680
704,688
834,225
940,462
Food grains
3,759
5,600
3,669
4,967
13,867
Feed crops
15,556
15,275
23,340
22,714
48,814
Oil crops
14,310
11,956
21,800
15,717
26,453
Vegetables
193,737
175,007
169,475
182,219
227,306
Corn, sweet NA
Lettuce
9,078
8,160
4,691
7,617
Peppers, green, fresh
29,160
26,166
23,200
27,848
32,922
Tomatoes
19,627
26,645
Fresh
30,024
27,324
25,530
Misc. vegetables
29,060
20,360
29,401
43,422
63,930
Fruits/nuts
81,390
99,269
94,295
164,637
156,235
Apples
6,002
6,705
5,780
15,416
11,929
Peaches
24,774
25,194
23,180
35,700
23,920
Cranberries
8,395
13,717
12,293
18,816
26,522
Blueberries
36,100
46,790
45,630
83,720
81,990
All other crops
334,386
368,573
392,109
443,971
467,787
Greenhouse/nursery
329,885
364,626
384,028
436,265
460,265
Floriculture
134,256
159,817
148,173
162,719
180,205
Other greenhouse
105,393
204,809
235,855
124,075
280,060
Source: Economic Research Service, USDA

7. Selected Agricultural Facts
US Agriculture: Value of Products Sold
$297 billion
$200 billion
US Agricultural Trade
2009 imports - $73 billion
2009 exports - $96 billion
2009 trade balance - + $23 billion
NJ Agriculture: Value of Products Sold
$986 million
$749 million
NJ Agriculture
2007 Crops - $851 million
2007 Livestock - $135 million
Sources: Census of Agriculture, 2009 ERS/USDA Report

8. Fun Facts on Agriculture
US consumers spend just 10% of their disposable income on food each year. Consumers in other countries spend much more
US farmers are the world’s most productive. Today, each US farmer produces food and fiber for 143 people in the US and abroad
Today 98% of all US farms are owned by individuals, family partnerships or family corporations.
86% of US farm products sold are produced on farms owned by individuals, family partnerships and other family corporations.
Livestock products account for fewer pounds than crops, but almost half the value of farm receipts
Off-farm costs (marketing expenses w/ processing, wholesaling, distributing & retailing of food products) account for 81 cents of every dollar spent on food.
38.5 cents Off Farm Labor
8 cents packaging
4 cents transportation
3.5 cents energy 4.5 cents profits
4 cents advertising
Farmers and ranchers receive only 19 cents out of every retail dollar spent on food. In 1980, farmers received 31 cents out of every retail dollar spent on food in America
Source: Farm Facts - American Farm Bureau

9. Fun Facts on Agriculture (cont.)
Grower cash receipts from nursery and greenhouse sales to retail and distribution businesses grew to $16.2B in 2005, up from $14.3B three years prior
Typical greenhouse crops
Floral, foliage and vegetable plants including tomatoes
Transplant seedlings and bulbs
Aquatic plants
Mushrooms, herbs and seeds
Typical nursery crops
Cut and live Christmas trees
Ornamental plants and trees with wood stems
Fruit and nut plants for outdoor/landscape use
Ornamental vines
Turfgrass sod and other groundcovers
Eighty-five million US households spend $39.6B at lawn and garden retail outlets annually. US consumers spend $37.9B annually on professional landscape, lawn and tree care services
Source: Farm Facts - American Farm Bureau

10. Fun Facts on Agriculture (cont.)
One acre of land can produce many different types of crops, depending on the fertility and type of soil, how much rain falls, temperature, and how much the sun shines.
One acre can produce:
2,340 pounds of wheat
11,400 pounds of sweet corn
35,000 pounds of lettuce
An acre is about the size of a football field
More than half of America’s agricultural producers intentionally provide habitat for wildlife. Deer, moose, fowl and other species have shown significant population increases during the past several years.
Source: Farm Facts - American Farm Bureau