USDA Publishes 2012 Ag Census Data in Full

May 05, 2014

On May 2, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published the full results of its 2012 Ag Census. Earlier this year, the USDA released preliminary data of the census.

The agriculture census provides a snapshot of the U.S. farm sector, highlighting demographics, economics and production practices. It is conducted once every five years.

Highlights:

• In 2012, 22% of all U.S. farmers were classified as beginning farmers
• Between 2007 and 2012, young/beginning farmers who said that farming was their primary occupation increased from 36,396 to 40,499.
• Demographics: 30% of all farm operations in the U.S. were female (969,672)
• Demographics: the number of Latino farmers increased by 21% from 2007 to 2012 (82,462-99,734)
• In 2012, 70% of U.S. farms reported that they had internet access
• Renewable energy use: Solar panels accounted for 63% of renewable energy systems on U.S. farms
• Organic food sales increased by 82% since 2007

The full census can be accessed at www.agcensus.usda.gov.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.