By TIM THORNBERRY
Kentucky Correspondent FRANKFORT, Ky. — The results of the 2007 Census of Agriculture are in and Kentucky, like many other states, is showing a marked increase in diversification efforts while ag is proving to be one of the top industries in the state.
Farmers here took in $4.82 billion from the sale of farm products in 2007, according to the census, averaging $56,586 per farm. That’s a 57 percent increase over the last census conducted in 2002.
These figures come during a period when once “king” tobacco dropped off the radar of many state farmers thanks to diminished quotas, then a complete federal quota buyout. In fact, the 40,000 or so tobacco farms that were around in 2002 have dwindled to around 8,000 currently. Percentage-wise, between 2002 and 2007, the number of tobacco farms in the state dropped by 72 percent according to census information.
But, the bottom line is the bottom line and state producers have done remarkably well in an ever changing economic climate. “Kentucky farmers really outdid themselves in 2007,” said Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer.
“They achieved $4.82 billion in sales while tobacco income was 22 percent lower than in the previous census. That shows Kentucky’s investments in agricultural diversification are working.”
Leland Brown, director of the Kentucky office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) echoed those sentiments and said it’s important to remember that Kentucky farmers have kept income levels up despite the absence of tobacco.
“The diversification efforts by the Agricultural Development Board, extension activities and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture have had a positive impact on agriculture,” he said.
Brown also noted that while the numbers show that farming is big business, they don’t necessarily reflect the total economic impact agriculture plays in the state with all the sectors in the economy farming touches such as suppliers for equipment and other needs.
Some of the key facts from the census include, “89 percent of Kentucky’s 85,260 agricultural operations are still run by individuals or families, and most are still small farms. The number of farms declined 1 percent from 2002, but the size of farms increased one percent from an average of 160 to 164 acres.”
The census also reported that, “the number of full-time farmers in Kentucky dropped from 54 percent in 2002 to 40 percent in 2007.
As far as diversity among specific population groups involved in farming in Kentucky, the census recorded, “27 percent of agricultural producers were women in 2007, and the number of women who were principal operators increased 10 percent from 2002. African American principal operators dropped from 687 to 505 in the five years after 2002.”
The information revealed that “Kentucky continues to have the largest beef cow inventory east of the Mississippi River, numbering 1.17 million head. Total cattle inventory was reported at 2.4 million head, which was the same as 2002.”
While this state mirrors many of the changes taking place in other states, there were some significant differences. For instance, the decline in the number of farms in Tennessee was considerably higher between the two periods.
“The number of farms in Tennessee declined 9 percent between 2002 and 2007, from 87,595 to 79,280,” said Debra Kenerson, director of NASS’s Tennessee field office.
“This decline is attributed primarily to the Tobacco Buyout Program, when some producers chose to take a lump sum payment and retire from the farm, urban sprawl and an on-going drought. A number of the state’s smaller farms, which are livestock producers, had a lack of grazing and adequate water supplies. This, coupled with rising feed and other input costs, resulted in liquidation of herds or a reduction in numbers that no longer qualified those operations as farms.”
Other information from Tennessee included, “land in farms decreased to 11.0 million acres from 11.7 million in 2002, while the average farm size between 2002 and 2007 increased an average of five acres from 133 to 138.”
That statistic was similar throughout the region. The census showed another consistency with other states; farmers are getting older. “The average age of Tennessee’s principal farm operators was 57.8 years, compared with 56 in 2002.”
The average age of Kentucky farm operators was 56.5 years old, up from 55.2 in 2002.
Census significance Statistics are always important to know for a variety of reasons, but at a time when the economy is down and a new administration has just taken over in Washington, those figures take on new meaning.
The new head of the USDA signaled that in a release from the agency concerning 2007 census figures.
“The Census of Agriculture is a valuable tool that provides the general public with an accurate and comprehensive view of American agriculture. It’s also a set of benchmarks against which this department must measure and demonstrate its performance to agriculture and the taxpayer,” said Secretary Tom Vilsack.
“In the spirit of President Obama’s call to make government more transparent, inclusive, and collaborative, I will be directing my team at USDA to review the findings of the 2007 Census and propose ambitious, measurable goals to make sure that the people’s department is hard at work for all the people – our diverse customers and the full diversity of agriculture.”
For more census information go to www.nass.usda.gov or www.agcensus.usda.gov |
