2022 Census of Agriculture data available to the public
Farms down 8 percent across Pennsylvania
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HARRISBURG -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Northeastern Regional Field Office announced the results of the 2022 Census of Agriculture with new information about 49,053 Pennsylvania farms and ranches and those who operate them, including data about on-farm decision making, down to the county level. The number of farms is down for Pennsylvania by 8% from 2017, but most of this decrease can be attributed to the mid-size farms of 50 to 179 acres being lost, according to Charles Butler, Acting Northeastern Regional Field Office Director.
"We are pleased to provide updated Census of Agriculture data to all those who serve U.S. agriculture, especially the producers who gave their time to complete the questionnaire. Census of Agriculture data tell a story. This comprehensive snapshot every five years helps data users to see trends and shifts in the industry over time and helps producers do business," said NASS Administrator Hubert Hamer. "Overall, though there are always changes across U.S. agriculture, the data remain largely consistent with the previous ag census. Data users will also notice some new data on the topics of hemp, precision agriculture and internet access."
Census data provides valuable insights into demographics, economics, land and activities on U.S. farms and ranches.
Some key Pennsylvania highlights include:
• The average age of all producers was 55.4 years of age, compared to 54.8 years in 2017.
• The number of female producers decreased by 1% from 2017.
• The per farm average net income increased from $42,020 in 2017 to $66,626 in 2022.
• The total value of production of all products is $10.3 billion, an increase of 33% over $7.8 billion in 2017.
• Organic farm numbers decreased by 11% from 2017.
• Value of sales is $628 million for organic farming, down from $708 million in 2017.
Other demographic highlights include:
• New and beginning producers with 10 years or less of farming comprised of 24,448 producers.
• Producers with military service represented 6,058 compared to 7,549 producers represented in 2017.
The response rate for the 2022 Census of Agriculture was 61%; more than 40% of responses were submitted online.
First conducted in 1840 in conjunction with the decennial Census and conducted since 1997 by USDA NASS -- the federal statistical agency responsible for producing official data about U.S. agriculture - the Census of Agriculture remains the most comprehensive agricultural data for every state and county in the nation.