1. South Carolina Highlights

2. Farm Definition Any place from which $1,000 of agricultural products were produced and sold, or would normally would have been sold, during the census year. Government payments are included. Official USDA definition since 1974.

3. Conducting the Census in SC 49 thousand on mail list 84.3 percent response rate All counties over 75% response, most over 80%

5. Farm Numbers 25,867 farms & ranches 5 percent more than 2002

9. SC Top Counties # of Farms 1.Anderson 2.Spartanburg 3.Aiken 4.Greenville 5.York Value of Production 1.Kershaw 2.Lexington 3.Orangeburg 4.Oconee 5.Aiken

13. Concentration of Production 2002 691 farms (2.8%) = 75% of value of production 2007 649 farms (2.5%) = 75% of value of production

16. Principal Operator Characteristics More operators working off-farm Fewer have farming as primary occupation Fewer operators under age 45, down 38% from 2002

19. Agri-Tourism in SC 2002 528 farms, $2.77 million of income 2007 376 farms, $8.16 million of income

20. What’s New in 2007? # of Farms Organic Production 89 Generated Energy On-Farm179 Marketed Through Community Supported Agriculture 193 Barns Built Prior to 19605,719

21. What Else is Available? Production practices Production expenditures Value-added & specialty production Conservation practices Income from agritourism & recreation Much, much more

22. Data Availability National, State, County Data On-line Database Agricultural Atlas Maps State & County Profiles Market Rankings Puerto Rico Outlying Areas

23. www.agcensus.usda.gov

24. Future Products Congressional District Tabulations – Spring 2009 Watershed Tabulations – Spring 2009 American Indian Reservation Summary –Spring 2009 ZIP Code Tabulations –Summer 2009

25. Supplemental Surveys Farm & Ranch Irrigation Survey –Currently Underway –Results Available Late 2009 Organic Production Survey –To be conducted Spring 2009 –Results Available Late 2009

26. 2012 Census: Looking Ahead Content Team already formed Ideas for changes, new questions Comments to: nass@nass.usda.gov