USDA Releases 2022 Census of Agriculture Data Down to the County Level

Boise, Idaho – February 13, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) today announced the results of the 2022 Census of Agriculture, spanning more than 6 million data points about America’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them down to the county level. The information collected directly from producers shows a decline in the total number of Idaho farms. The full Census of Agriculture report as well as publication dates for additional ag census data products can be found at www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus. Ag census data can also be found in NASS’s searchable online database, Quick Stats.

“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.”

Ag census data provide valuable insights into demographics, economics, land use and activities on Idaho farms and ranches such as:

• There were 22,877 farms and ranches in Idaho (down 8% from 2017) with an average size of 505 acres (up 8%) on 11.5 million acres of farmland (down 1%). That is 22% of all land in Idaho.
  
  
• Family-owned and operated farms accounted for 94% of all Idaho farms and operated 85% of land in farms.
  
  
• Idaho farms and ranches produced $10.9 billion in agricultural products, up from $7.57 billion in 2017. With farm production expenses of $9.32 billion, Idaho farms had net cash income of $2.03 billion. Average farm income rose to $88,914. A total of 39% of Idaho farms had positive net cash farm income in 2022.
  
  
• Idaho farms with internet access continued to rise from 84% in 2017 to 85% in 2022.
  
  
• A total of 1,682 Idaho farms and ranches used renewable energy producing systems compared to 1,232 farms in 2017, a 37% increase. Of the Idaho farms with renewable energy systems, 85% reported using solar panels.
  
  
• In 2022, 1,499 Idaho farms sold directly to consumers, with sales of $21.0 million. Value of sales decreased 25% from 2017.
  
  
• The 1,328 farms with sales of $1 million or more were 6% of Idaho farms. They sold 88% of all agricultural products in Idaho.
  
  
• The average age of all Idaho producers was 56.6, up 0.2 years from 2017.
  
  
• There were 14,798 Idaho farmers with 10 or fewer years of experience, an increase in the number of beginning farmers from 2017 of 14%. Beginning farmers in Idaho are younger than all farmers, with an average age of 46.6.
  
  
• The number of Idaho producers under age 35 was 3,859, comprising 9% of all Idaho producers. The 2,826 Idaho farms with young producers making decisions tend to be larger than average in both acres and sales.
  
  
• In 2022, 16,949 female producers accounted for 39% of all Idaho producers. Sixty-eight percent of all Idaho farms had at least one female decision maker.

The national response rate for the 2022 Census of Agriculture was 61%; more than 40% of responses were submitted online. To address questions about the 2022 Census of Agriculture data, NASS will host a live X Stat Chat (@usda_nass) for the public on Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 1 p.m. EST. Ag census data highlight publications are available at www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Highlights.

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.


NASS is the federal statistical agency responsible for producing official data about U.S. agriculture and is committed to providing timely, accurate, and useful statistics in service to U.S. agriculture.