A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST:
Southern
Legislative
Conference
SLC STATES AND THE 2012
CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE
A REGIONAL RESOURCE FROM THE SLC
of
The Council
of S tate
Governments
A
Lauren Greer
Policy Analyst
Southern Legislative Conference
January 2015
rticle I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution requires representatives and direct taxes to be
apportioned among the states based on their
respective populations, with the enumeration of such being conducted every 10 years. Following
the American Revolution, the first census of the United States was conducted in 1790. As part of the decennial
census in 1820, U.S. marshals began to ask how many
people in each household were engaged in agricultural
pursuits.1 In 1840, marshals began using a separate census schedule to collect agriculture-related data. Although
the Census of Agriculture (hereinafter referred to as the
Census) remained part of the decennial census until
1950, a separate mid-decade agriculture census began in
1925. While the quinquennial schedule has varied over
the years, the Census has been conducted at least once
every five years since 1925. From 1954 to 1974, the Census was conducted on years ending in 4 and 9. 2 In 1982,
the U.S. Census Bureau implemented the current schedule and began conducting the Census on years ending in
2 and 7 to coincide with the Economic Census and the
Census of Governments.3
The 1997 Census marked the first time it was conducted
by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), rather than the U.S.
Census Bureau and its predecessors.4 The NASS began
releasing data in May 2014 from the most recent Cen-
SERVING THE SOUTH
Photo courtesy of Photo Dean via flickr Creative Commons License
© Copyright January 2015
sus, which was conducted in 2012.5 The 2012 Census
marks the third Census of this century, with prior censuses conducted in 2002 and 2007. Although the country
as a whole has shifted away from agricultural pursuits,
the South remains a largely agrarian region. As the only source of uniform and comprehensive agriculture
data for every state and county in the nation, the Census
provides the most detailed picture of U.S. farms and the
people who operate them.6 For this reason, the Census
remains an important resource for SLC states.
Results from the Census are used by a wide range of
stakeholders for various reasons. According to Louisiana Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner, Mike
Strain, government and policymakers use the data to
make informed decisions about how new programs and
policies will affect the industry.7 Agribusiness companies use the data to make decisions about where to
market their products, while lenders and insurance
companies use this information in risk management
calculations.8 Other uses for census data include, but
are not limited to, community planning, conservation
planning, resource management, and for making decisions about production, market demands, and funding
priorities.
This Regional Resource from The Council of State Governments’ Southern Office, the Southern Legislative
THE SOUTHERN OFFICE OF THE COUNCIL OF STATE GOVERNMENTS
P.O. Box 98129 | Atlanta, Georgia 30359
ph: 404/633-1866 | fx: 404/633-4896 | www.slcatlanta.org
Conference (SLC), analyzes the economic contributions
agriculture makes to our national and regional economies and highlights some of the commodities for which
the 15 SLC member states make the largest contributions. Finally, the source of who is providing the labor
that makes agriculture possible is examined.
Economic Contributions of
the Agriculture Sector
In 2012, agriculture and agriculture-related sectors contributed $775.8 billion to the nation’s gross domestic
product (GDP), or 4.8 percent of the total GDP. Output on farms represented $166.9 billion of that total, or
about 1 percent of the total GDP. The total agriculture
GDP contribution includes more than just farm output,
when accounting for the value added by agriculturerelated activities and sectors that rely on agricultural
inputs.9 An important component of the total agriculture GDP contribution is agricultural exports. In 2012,
the agriculture export sector contributed $141.3 billion
to the national economy. Although this represents only a small portion of total U.S. exports, a rising demand
Table 1
State
for the nation’s commodities has contributed to a 165.8
percent growth in agriculture exports since 2002.10
State of SLC Farms
The Census defines a farm as any place from which
$1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced
and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the
census year. Between 2007 and 2012, 34 states reported
a reduction in the total number of farms, including 13
of the 15 SLC states.* Among SLC member states, only
Florida and Texas reported having more farms in 2012
than in 2007. More than half of SLC member states experienced a significant decrease in total farms.11 During
the same period, Florida, South Carolina, and Virginia
reported an increase in total acres of farmland, despite
South Carolina and Virginia reporting a reduction in total farms.
Statistical information related to this SLC publication is extracted
from the 2007 and 2012 Census of Agriculture produced by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, National Agriculture Statistics Services. 2012 is the most recent census data available. The next Census of
Agriculture will be conducted in 2017.
*
State of SLC Farms
Total Farms
Total Acres of Farmland
2007
2012
Change
2007
2012
Change
Alabama
48,753
43,223
-11 %
9,033,537
8,902,645
-1 %
Arkansas
49,346
45,071
-9 %
13,872,862
13,810,786
-.45 %
Florida
47,463
47,740
+1 %
9,231,570
9,548,342
+3 %
Georgia
47,846
42,257
-12 %
10,150,539
9,620,836
-5 %
Kentucky
85,260
77,064
-10 %
13,993,121
13,049,347
-7 %
Louisiana
30,106
28,093
-7 %
8,109,975
7,900,864
-3 %
Mississippi
41,959
38,076
-9 %
11,456,241
10,931,080
-5 %
107,825
99,171
-8 %
29,026,573
28,226,137
-3 %
North Carolina
52,913
50,218
-5 %
8,474,671
8,414,756
-1 %
Oklahoma
86,565
80,245
-7 %
35,087,269
34,356,110
-2 %
South Carolina
25,867
25,266
-2 %
4,889,339
4,971,244
+2 %
Tennessee
79,280
68,050
-14 %
10,969,798
10,867,812
-1 %
247,437
248,809
+1 %
130,398,753
130,153,438
-.19 %
Virginia
47,383
46,030
-3 %
8,103,925
8,302,444
+2 %
West Virginia
23,618
21,489
-9 %
3,697,606
3,606,674
-2 %
SLC Total
1,021,621
960,802
-6%
306,495,779.00
302,662,515.00
-1%
U.S. Total
2,204,792
2,109,303
-4%
922,095,840.00
914,527,657.00
-1%
Missouri
Texas
2 A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST: SLC STATES AND THE 2012 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE
The average farm size for SLC states in 2012 was 252
acres, up from 238 acres in 2007. Texas had the largest
farms with an average of 523 acres, while Tennessee had
the smallest farms, which averaged 160 acres. In nine of
the SLC member states, the most common use of farmland in 2012 was for cropland. The predominant use of
farmland in the six remaining SLC states was as woodland (Alabama, South Carolina, and West Virginia) or
pastureland (Florida, Oklahoma, and Texas.)
percent, which was the only single digit gain among the
SLC states reporting gains. Nationally, Texas remained
in the top 10 for total number of farms (248,809), total
agriculture sales ($25.38 billion), total crop sales ($7.37
billion), and total livestock sales ($18.01 billion). North
Carolina remained in the top 10 nationally for total agriculture sales ($12.59 billion), while North Carolina and
Georgia remained in the top 10 for total livestock sales,
with $8.29 billion and $5.58 billion, respectively.12
Despite being one of only two SLC states reporting more
farms and farmland in 2012, Florida was the only SLC
state to report a reduction in the market value of products sold. Conversely, the 14 remaining SLC states, only
one of which reported having more farms and farmland,
recorded an average gain of 24.5 percent in the total
market value of products sold. Louisiana had the largest gain at 46 percent and Kentucky had the smallest at 5
According to the Census, both crop and livestock sales
reached record levels in 2012, contributing to the highest value of agriculture sales ever recorded in the United
States.13 For the same year, the value of crop sales exceeded that of livestock sales, which has only occurred
in one other Census, 1974.14 Grains, oilseeds, dry beans,
and dry peas was the top commodity category by value of sale in the United States, representing 33.2 percent
Table 2
Crop and
Livestock Sales
Market Value of Products Sold
State
Table 3
SLC Placement in
Commodity Rankings
State
Top Commodity Category
by Value of Sales
Alabama
Poultry and Eggs
65.1%
Arkansas
Grains, Oilseeds, Dry
Beans, and Dry Peas
43.1%
Florida
Fruits, Tree Nuts, and Berries
24.0%
Georgia
Poultry and Eggs
51.6%
Kentucky
Grains, Oilseeds, Dry
Beans, and Dry Peas
32.7%
Percent of
Total Sales
2007
2012
Percent
Change
Alabama
$4,415,550,000
$5,571,173,000
26%
Arkansas
$7,508,806,000
$9,775,758,000
30%
Florida
$7,785,220,000
$7,701,532,000
-1%
Georgia
$7,112,866,000
$9,255,125,000
30%
Kentucky
$4,824,561,000
$5,067,334,000
5%
Louisiana
$2,617,981,000
$3,809,401,000
46%
Louisiana
48.1%
Mississippi
$4,876,781,000
$6,441,025,000
32%
Grains, Oilseeds, Dry
Beans, and Dry Peas
Mississippi
Poultry and Eggs
42.6%
Missouri
$7,512,926,000
$9,164,886,000
22%
$10,313,628,000
$12,588,142,000
22%
Missouri
Grains, Oilseeds, Dry
Beans, and Dry Peas
42.8%
Oklahoma
$5,806,061,000
$7,129,584,000
23%
South Carolina
$2,352,681,000
$3,040,069,000
29%
Tennessee
$2,617,394,000
$3,611,037,000
38%
$21,001,074,000
$25,375,581,000
21%
$2,906,188,000
$3,753,287,000
29%
$591,665,000
$806,775,000
36%
SLC Total
$92,243,382,000 $113,090,709,000
23%
U.S. Total
$297,220,491,000 $394,644,481,000
33%
North Carolina
Texas
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina Poultry and Eggs
38.4%
Oklahoma
Cattle and Calves
47.7%
South Carolina Poultry and Eggs
48.6%
Tennessee
Grains, Oilseeds, Dry
Beans, and Dry Peas
36.0%
Texas
Cattle and Calves
47.7%
Virginia
Poultry and Eggs
30.9%
West Virginia
Poultry and Eggs
49.8%
United States
Grains, Oilseeds, Dry
Beans, and Dry Peas
33.2%
A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST: SLC STATES AND THE 2012 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE 3
Table 4
Tobacco Production and Sales
2012 U.S. Rank
SLC State
(out of 19)
*
Total Tobacco 2012 U.S. Rank
SLC State
Production (lbs.)
(out of 19)
Tobacco Sales
($1,000)
1
North Carolina
391,710,625
1
North Carolina
$732,772
2
Kentucky
183,904,938
2
Kentucky
$356,603
3
Virginia
53,179,801
3
Tennessee
$108,224
4
Tennessee
49,576,260
4
Virginia
$100,901
5
South Carolina
25,920,734
5
South Carolina
$47,984
6
Georgia
22,710,058
7
Georgia
$39,656
12
Missouri
789,837
13
Florida
$1,411
14
Florida
779,900
15
Missouri
$1,375
17
West Virginia
112,308
D
Alabama
D
D
Alabama
D*
D
West Virginia
D
SLC Total
9/10† states‡
728,684,461
SLC Total
8/10 states§
$1,388,926
U.S. Total
17/19 states
766,609,252
U.S. Total
16/19 states
$1,491,208
“D” indicates that the information has been withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations.
This figure indicates the total number of states for which data is included in the reported total and the overall total number of states producing or
selling that commodity in the SLC or United States.
†
‡
No tobacco production was reported in 2012 by Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, or Texas.
§
No tobacco sales were reported in 2012 by Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, or Texas.
Curving Tobacco Rows, photo courtesy of Universal Pops (David) via flickr Creative Commons License
4 A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST: SLC STATES AND THE 2012 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE
of total sales. However, it only ranked first in five SLC
states, while poultry and egg sales ranked first in seven.
SLC Placement in Commodity Rankings
As reported by the 2012 Census and many censuses prior, the Southern region has been a significant
contributor to livestock and field crop commodity
markets. In the 2012, SLC states continued to hold the
top rankings for multiple commodities in production
and total market value of sales.† While the following
information does not encompass every commodity in
which SLC states rank highly, it includes a variety of
crops and livestock for which multiple SLC states continuously make significant contributions.
Tobacco
In 2012, national sales of tobacco ($1.49 billion) were
up almost 18 percent over 2007 sales ($1.27 billion), despite a 1.5 percent decline in tobacco production over
the same period, 766.6 million pounds in 2012, and 778.3
million pounds in 2007. Comparatively, national production of tobacco experienced only a small decline,
less than 1 percent, between 2012 and 2007, with 728.65
million pounds and 735.78 million pounds, respectively, while SLC tobacco sales reportedly increased more
than 21 percent from 2007 to 2012, with $1.143 billion and $1.389 billion, respectively. More than half of
all tobacco-producing states in the country are in the
The total market value of agriculture products sold represents
the total value of products sold plus payments from various government programs. The total value of products sold includes both
products that were and were not sold under a production contract.
† Southern region, with SLC states holding the top six
spots for tobacco production and the top five spots for
tobacco sales in all three censuses this century. North
Carolina and Kentucky maintain the top two spots,
respectively, in each category. In 2012, 95 percent of
tobacco produced in the United States was produced in
SLC states, with 51 percent produced in North Carolina
alone. The total market value of tobacco sales in North
Carolina was more than $732 million in 2012.
Cotton
The 2012 Census reported that national cotton, lint,
and seed sales ($6.14 billion) rose by 25 percent over
2007 sales ($4.9 billion), despite a more than 12 percent reduction in total cotton production, with 16.53
million bales produced in 2012, and 18.9 billion bales
in 2007. Similarly, SLC states reported a 26 percent
increase in the value of cotton, lint, and seed sales,
with $5.2 billion in 2012, and $4.12 billion in 2007,
and a 13 percent decrease in cotton production, with
14.59 million bales produced in 2012, and 16.81 million bales in 2007. The SLC region continued to be
the largest contributor in the cotton market. In 2012,
88 percent of all cotton produced in the United States
emerged from SLC states. For the third consecutive
Census, Texas was the top cotton-producing state in
the country, accounting for more than 28 percent of
total production. Texas and Georgia accounted for almost half of all cotton produced in 2012. Likewise,
SLC states accounted for more than 84 percent of cotton, lint, and seed sales in 2012, with 43 percent from
Texas and Georgia alone.
Cotton picking machinery, photo courtesy of faungg via flickr Creative Commons License
A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST: SLC STATES AND THE 2012 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE 5
Table 5
Cotton Production and Sales
2012 U.S. Rank
SLC State
(out of 17)
Production: 2012 U.S. Rank
SLC State
Cotton, All (bales*)
(out of 17)
Sales: Cotton, Lint†,
and Seed ($1,000)
1
Texas
4,760,737
1
Texas
$1,618,671
2
Georgia
2,719,600
2
Georgia
$1,041,440
3
Arkansas
1,253,037
4
Arkansas
$445,812
5
North Carolina
1,134,034
5
North Carolina
$403,366
6
Mississippi
979,534
6
Mississippi
$367,847
7
Missouri
721,705
7
Alabama
$254,506
8
Alabama
710,958
8
Tennessee
$253,428
9
Tennessee
701,581
9
Missouri
$248,631
10
South Carolina
587,589
11
South Carolina
$213,796
12
Louisiana
476,370
12
Louisiana
$159,592
13
Florida
202,008
13
Florida
$73,256
14
Virginia
191,513
14
Virginia
$67,875
15
Oklahoma
153,250
15
Oklahoma
$51,851
SLC Total
13/13 states‡
14,591,916
SLC Total
13/13 states§
$5,200,071
U.S. Total
17/17 states
16,534,302
U.S. Total
15/17 states
$6,137,649
*
A bale of cotton weighs approximately 480 pounds.
†
Lint is the raw fiber from the cotton plant that is pressed into bales at the cotton gin.
‡
No cotton production was reported in 2012 by Kentucky or West Virginia.
§
No cotton, lint, or seed sales were reported in 2012 by Kentucky or West Virginia.
Table 6
Rice Production and Sales
2012 U.S. Rank
SLC State
(out of 10)
Rice Production 2012 U.S. Rank
SLC State
(cwt*)
(out of 10)
Rice Sales ($1,000)
1
Arkansas
96,847,596
1
Arkansas
$1,314,526
3
Louisiana
25,490,218
2
Louisiana
$363,783
4
Missouri
12,206,338
3
Missouri
$151,731
5
Mississippi
9,315,302
4
Texas
$136,187
6
Texas
8,792,098
5
Mississippi
$131,278
7
Tennessee
53,411
7
Florida
D
Florida
D
13
South Carolina
D
D
South Carolina
D
15
Tennessee
D
$12,577
SLC Total
6/8 states†
152,704,963
SLC Total
6/8 states‡
$2,110,082
U.S. Total
7/10 states
200,239,288
U.S. Total
7/10 states
$2,895,121
*
A hundredweight (cwt) is a unit of measurement used for measuring certain commodities that is equal to 100 pounds.
†
No rice production was reported in 2012 by Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Virginia, or West Virginia.
‡
No rice sales were reported in 2012 by Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Virginia, or West Virginia.
6 A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST: SLC STATES AND THE 2012 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE
South Farm Research Center, photo courtesy of University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
Rice
Nationally, rice production in 2012 (200 million cwt)
was only slightly higher than in 2007 (198 million cwt).
Despite stagnant production, the value of rice sales nationally rose by 43 percent in 2012 ($2.9 billion) over
2007 ($2.02 billion). Comparatively, SLC states produced
about 2 percent less rice in 2012 (152.7 million cwt) than
in 2007 (155.4 million cwt), but experienced a 39 percent
increase in sales, with $2.11 billion in 2012, and $1.52 billion in 2007. The SLC region has continued to be the
largest producer of rice, with 76 percent of total 2012
rice production occurring in SLC states. For the third
time this century, Arkansas surfaced as the top rice-producing state in the country, accounting for 48 percent of
all rice produced in 2012. Likewise, Arkansas continues
to rank first in total value of rice sales, contributing almost 73 percent in 2012.
Cattle & Calves
Rice grown at the Fisher Delta Research Center,
photo courtesy of Kyle Spradley of the University of
Missouri via flickr Creative Commons License
Nationally, the Census reported cattle sales were down
more than 5 percent in 2012 ($69.76 million) compared
to 2007 ($74.07 million). For SLC states, that decline
was even sharper, with cattle sales nearly 10 percent
less in 2012 ($24.04 million) than in 2007 ($26.66 million). For the third consecutive Census, Texas held the
A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST: SLC STATES AND THE 2012 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE 7
Table 7
Cattle Sales (including calves)
2012 U.S. Rank
SLC State
(out of 50)
1
Texas
6
Sales: Cattle and
Calves (head)
Table 8
Broiler Sales
2012 U.S. Rank
SLC State
(out of 50)
Sales:
Broiler (head)
10,784,116
1
Georgia
1,369,162,943
Oklahoma
3,255,675
2
Alabama
1,001,776,907
9
Missouri
2,297,985
3
Arkansas
975,950,973
14
Kentucky
1,293,302
4
North Carolina
801,883,037
17
Tennessee
960,682
5
Mississippi
761,180,486
18
Arkansas
954,433
6
Texas
600,353,797
23
Florida
860,429
7
Kentucky
305,383,434
24
Virginia
845,381
10
Missouri
272,389,497
31
Alabama
612,863
11
Virginia
237,669,378
32
Georgia
537,089
12
South Carolina
225,882,950
33
Mississippi
458,561
14
Oklahoma
211,214,930
35
North Carolina
435,411
16
Tennessee
165,803,445
36
Louisiana
364,436
17
Louisiana
151,933,586
38
West Virginia
250,073
18
West Virginia
93,749,081
39
South Carolina
134,445
20
Florida
58,644,898
SLC Total
15/15 states
24,044,881
SLC Total
15/15 States
7,232,979,342
U.S. Total
50/50 states
69,759,776
U.S. Total
48/50 States
8,463,194,794
Table 9
Poultry Sales
2012 U.S. Rank
SLC State
(out of 50)
Table 10
Poultry & Egg
Sales ($1,000)
Peanut Sales
2012 U.S. Rank
SLC State
(out of 17)
Total Peanut
Production (lbs.)
1
North Carolina
$4,837,026
1
Georgia
2
Georgia
$4,773,837
2
Alabama
834,701,569
3
Arkansas
$4,011,725
3
Florida
751,180,406
4
Alabama
$3,624,852
4
Texas
547,106,308
5
Mississippi
$2,744,048
5
North Carolina
415,209,198
6
Texas
$2,624,759
6
South Carolina
413,287,984
8
South Carolina
$1,476,817
7
Mississippi
212,203,138
9
Missouri
$ 1,441,676
8
Virginia
81,182,563
14
Virginia
$ 1,161,564
9
Oklahoma
76,497,464
15
Kentucky
$1,107,452
10
Arkansas
59,109,271
16
Oklahoma
$961,302
12
Louisiana
13,511,146
20
Louisiana
$574,239
14
Tennessee
30,860
21
Tennessee
$552,015
D
Kentucky
D
24
West Virginia
$401,439
D
Missouri
25
Florida
$378,453
SLC Total
12/14 states
U.S. Total
14/17 states
SLC Total
15/15 States
$30,671,204
U.S. Total
47/50 States
$42,751,468
8 A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST: SLC STATES AND THE 2012 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE
3,236,937,533
D
*
6,640,957,440
6,659,755,913
* No peanut production was reported by West Virginia for 2012.
top ranking for sales of cattle, including calves, as measured by head and market value ($13 billion). In 2012,
Texas accounted for 15 percent of cattle and calves sold
nationally, with other SLC states contributing an additional 19 percent.
Broilers
The most recent Census reported that the number of
broilers sold in 2012 was roughly 5 percent less than in
2007, both nationally and in SLC member states.‡ SLC
states continued to hold the largest share of the market
for broiler sales, with the top six rankings in each of the
last three censuses. In 2012, SLC states accounted for 85
percent of broilers sold in the United States. Furthermore, for the third Census in a row, Georgia was the top
state for broiler sales. More than one-quarter of all broilers sold in 2012 originated in either Georgia or Alabama.
Poultry & Eggs
The 2012 Census reported the national total market value of poultry and egg sales was 15 percent higher in 2012
than in 2007, with sales totaling $42.75 billion and $37.07
‡
Broilers are young chickens produced for meat.
billion, respectively. For the third consecutive Census,
SLC states held the top six spots for total market value
of poultry and egg sales, representing 53 percent of total
market value, a sizeable portion of the 50-state domestic market. Additionally, the combined market value of
sales for all 15 SLC states accounted for nearly 72 percent of total sales in 2012. Since 2002, North Carolina
has risen from third to first in poultry and egg sales,
overtaking Georgia in 2012, which held the top ranking
in the prior two censuses.
Peanuts
As reported by the Census, 2012 was a record-setting
year for the peanut crop in the United States.15 Following a shortage of peanuts in 2011, farmers planted
more peanut acreage in 2012, which contributed to 35
percent more acres harvested in 2012 (1.6 million) than
in 2007 (1.2 million). In conjunction, record yields per
acre resulted in an 80 percent increase in peanut production between 2007 (3.7 billion pounds) and 2012 (6.7
billion pounds).
The Southern region has perennially been the largest producer of peanuts in the United States. This trend
continued in 2012, as SLC states represented 14 of the 17
states in the country that reported peanut production; in
fact, West Virginia was the only SLC state that did not
report any peanut production during the year. In every
Census this century, SLC states have held the top seven spots for volume of peanut production, with Georgia
maintaining the top rank. More than 99 percent of the
6.7 billion pounds of peanuts produced in the United
States in 2012 originated in SLC states.
Farm Labor
Photo courtesy of the Georgia Peanut Commission
Despite advances in technology and the increased use
of machinery, human capital remains one of the most
important components of the agriculture sector. Expanding upon statistics provided in previous censuses,
the 2012 Census introduced two new data points related to farm labor. The first point of new data reports
the total number of unpaid farm workers, whereas previously, only the total number of hired farm workers
was reported. The second point of data new to the 2012
Census is the actual number of hired or contracted migrants working on U.S. farms. Previous Census data
only included the total number of farms with hired or
contracted migrant workers.
A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST: SLC STATES AND THE 2012 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE 9
Migrant workers carefully choose and cutoff yellow squash at Kirby Farms in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture
Table 11
Hired and Unpaid Farm Labor
SLC State
Hired
Farm
Labor Workers
Unpaid
Workers
Total
Workers
Alabama
32,948
42,969
75,917
Arkansas
33,104
43,305
76,409
Florida
107,192
47,526
154,718
Georgia
51,156
37,675
88,831
Kentucky
68,586
76,822
145,408
Louisiana
26,632
28,436
55,068
Mississippi
32,307
34,033
Missouri
56,543
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Table 12
SLC State
Migrant Workers
Migrant
Migrant
Workers:
Workers:
Farms
Farms with
Reporting only
Hired Labor
Contract Labor
Total
Migrant
Workers
Alabama
1,712
320
2,032
Arkansas
1,241
117
1,358
Florida
38,192
5,650
43,842
Georgia
14,412
1,101
15,513
Kentucky
8,448
2,372
10,820
66,340
Louisiana
3,758
183
3,941
89,614
146,157
Mississippi
1,908
312
2,220
78,012
48,608
126,620
Missouri
2,134
47
2,181
51,119
83,961
135,080
South Carolina
23,398
24,548
47,946
North Carolina
25,082
2,022
27,104
Tennessee
42,737
67,735
110,472
754
104
858
160,392
259,072
419,464
South Carolina
5,021
114
5,135
Virginia
46,561
48,244
94,805
Tennessee
4,177
594
4,771
West Virginia
10,153
26,567
36,720
Texas
3,760
1,155
4,915
SLC Total
820,840
959,115
1,779,955
Virginia
4,889
252
5,141
U.S. Total
2,736,417
2,062,011
4,798,428
668
69
737
SLC Total
116,156
14,412
130,568
U.S. Total
401,653
34,917
436,570
Texas
Hired and Unpaid Farm Labor
According to the 2012 Census, 566,469 farms in the United States reported more than 2.7 million workers as hired,
farm labor. This labor force accounted for a national payroll of nearly $27 billion. Comparatively, more than 2
million unpaid workers were reported during this same
period. An unpaid worker is defined as an agricultural
worker not on the payroll who performed activities or
work on a farm or a ranch. Almost 47 percent of these
unpaid workers were in the SLC states, with Texas,
10 A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST: SLC STATES AND THE 2012 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE
Oklahoma
West Virginia
Missouri, and Oklahoma reporting the highest number
of unpaid workers, respectively. Only 30 percent of all
hired workers reported were attributed to SLC states.
Migrant Farm Labor
In 2012, more than 436,000 migrant workers were reported on 22,271 farms in the United States. Under the Census,
a migrant farm worker is defined as a farm worker whose
employment requires travel that prevents the worker
from returning to his or her permanent place of residence
the same day.16 The Census numbers reported for migrant
workers do not distinguish between migrant workers
who permanently reside in the United States and those
with permanent residency in another country. California
reported the highest number of migrant workers, with
131,457, which is more than all 15 SLC states combined.
Conclusion
The 2015 legislative session will be the first opportunity SLC lawmakers will have to use this most recent
data to inform their decisions and policies relative to
agriculture-related issues. Just as Congress and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture use this data to make determinations about where their dollars might make the most
impact, state lawmakers could glean ideas about which
areas present the most potential for growth and highest returns on investment. Likewise, the data may allow
state lawmakers to see some of the effects from previous
decisions and dollars on their state’s agriculture industry.
A stable and productive system of agriculture is necessary to provide for a growing world population.
Beyond those policies directly related to agriculture,
policymakers might wish to examine the potential
incidental affects other decisions might have on the
industry, including, but not limited to, the impact immigration policies, both state and federal, have on the
source of available and competent farm labor; whether
education policies provide the knowledge and technical skills for training an adequate workforce; the
benefits and burdens of environmental and water conservation policies on farm operations; and the impact
of larger corporate entities on the existence of smaller
family farms.
With younger generations of Americans moving in
large numbers to our nation’s urban areas,17 the Census
of Agriculture provides a comprehensive reminder of
the contributions rural and agricultural America make
to our nation’s economy, food supply, and labor market. Moreover, the Census paints a vivid portrait of
the vital role our Southern region plays in the American economy. As the top producer of many of the basic
staples in our everyday lives, the impact of SLC agriculture extends far beyond our regional and national
borders.
Endnotes
1. United States Census Bureau, “Agriculture FAQs: When was
the first census of agriculture?,” https://www.census.gov/history/
www/faqs/agriculture_faqs/when_was_the_first_census_of_
agriculture.html (accessed September 18, 2014).
2. United States Census Bureau, “Agriculture FAQs: When is the
census of agriculture?,” https://www.census.gov/history/www/
faqs/agriculture_faqs/when_is_the_census_of_agriculture.html
(accessed September 18, 2014).
3.Ibid.
4. United States Census Bureau, http://www.census.gov/econ/www/
agrimenu.html (accessed September 18, 2014).
5. United States Department of Agriculture, 2012
Census Publications, http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/
Publications/2012/#full_report (accessed September 18, 2014).
6. “About the Census” http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/About_the_
Census/ (accessed November 21, 2014)
7. “The Many Uses of the Census of Agriculture #05.14,”
USDA Radio, May 2014, http://audioarchives.oc.usda.gov/
radnewsfeaturedetail.asp?ID=4445&Player=real (accessed
November 21, 2014).
8.Ibid.
9. USDA Economic Research Services, “Ag and Food Statistics,”
http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/ag-and-food-statisticscharting-the-essentials/ag-and-food-sectors-and-the-economy.aspx#.
VBslwvk8DzY (accessed September 19, 2014).
10. CanagaRenta, Sujit M., “U.S. Agriculture Exports Latest Trends,”
June 2014, http://www.slcatlanta.org/Publications/EconDev/
AgExports.pdf (accessed October 30, 2014).
11. United States Department of Agriculture, 2012 Census of
Agriculture, “Preliminary Report Highlights, U.S. Farms
and Farmers,” February 2014, http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/
Publications/2012/Preliminary_Report/Highlights.pdf (accessed
September 30, 2014).
12.Ibid.
13. 2012 Census Highlights, “Farm Economics-Record high
agriculture sales; income and expenses both up,” May 2014,
http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Online_
Resources/Highlights/Farm_Economics/ (accessed December 10,
2014).
14.Ibid.
15. AgFax, “Peanut Production Made Huge Jump in 2012, USDA
reports,) http://agfax.com/2012/11/21/peanut/ (accessed October
9, 2014).
16. 2012 Census of Agriculture, “Appendix B: General Explanation
and Census of Agriculture Report Form,” http://www.agcensus.
usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_1_
US/usappxb.pdf (accessed October 6, 2014)
17. “Smallville, USA, Fades Further,” The Wall Street Journal, March
27, 2014, http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB1000142405270230
3325204579463761632103386 (accessed October 8, 2014)
A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST: SLC STATES AND THE 2012 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE 11
THE SOUTHERN OFFICE OF THE COUNCIL OF STATE GOVERNMENTS
REGIONAL VIEW NATIONAL REACH
T
his report was prepared by Policy Analyst
Lauren Greer for the Agriculture & Rural
Development Committee of the Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) of The Council of
State Governments (CSG), under the chairmanship of Representative Andy Anders of Louisiana. This report reflects
the body of policy research made available to appointed
and elected officials by the Southern Office.
The Southern Office of The Council of State Governments,
located in Atlanta, Georgia, fosters and encourages intergovernmental cooperation among its 15 member states.
In large measure, this is achieved through the ongoing
work of the standing committees of its Southern Legislative Conference and supporting groups. Through member
outreach in state capitols, policy research, international
member delegations, staff exchange programs, meetings
and fly-ins, staff support state policymakers and legislative
staff in their work to build a stronger region.
Founded in 1947, the SLC is a member-driven organization
and the largest of four regional legislative groups operating
under CSG and comprises the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.
The SLC’s six standing committees provide a forum which
allows policymakers to share knowledge in their area of expertise with colleagues from across the South. By working
together within the SLC and participating on its committees, Southern state legislative leaders are able to speak in a
distinctive, unified voice while addressing issues that affect
their states and the entire region.