Census data shows continued growth in Ohio ag industry

Ohio’s thriving agriculture industry is seeing continued growth, based on preliminary results of the 2012 Census of Agriculture released recently by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In several cases, Ohio’s growth significantly outpaced the nation, highlighting the strength of the state’s agricultural producers.

“The preliminary data shows what we have known for years: Ohio’s $105 billion food and agriculture industry is built upon a strong and thriving agricultural production base. Our farmers are the backbone of our state’s economic growth, and this data shows us they are working harder than ever to provide our state with a safe, wholesome and abundant food supply,” said Ohio Agriculture Director David Daniels.

Among the most notable results in the preliminary data is the increase in the market value of crops and livestock sold since the census was last completed in 2007. While market value numbers increased 32.78 percent nationally, the value of Ohio crops and livestock increased 42.28 percent. This is primarily due to a sharp increase in crop values, which increased in Ohio by 60.54 percent but only 47.85 percent nationally. Ohio is ranked 13^th nationally with a total value of crop and livestock sales just over $10 billion in 2012.

While the number of farms has decreased both in Ohio and in the nation, Ohio has lost only 0.5 percent of its farms when the number of farms nationally has decreased by 4.3 percent; Ohio now ranks 7^th for the number of farms in the nation with 75,462. Furthermore, in a time when farm acres are disappearing, with the nation losing about 7.5 million acres of farmland since the 2007 census, the number of acres in agricultural production in Ohio has remained steady and actually increased slightly. The state now has 13.96 million acres of farmland.

“One of the most important takeaways to remember about the Census of Agriculture is that the information is used for decision-making by producers as well as all those who serve farmers and rural communities – federal, state and local governments, agribusinesses, trade associations and many others,” said USDA state statistician Cheryl Turner. “When we look at the data for our state, we can all use it as a snapshot in time to see how Ohio agriculture is changing over time and how we compare to the rest of the country.”

The agriculture census is a complete count of America’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them. It's taken every five years by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. More information on the census, including a copy of the preliminary results can be viewed at www.agcensus.usda.gov.