2002 Ag Census

U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the 2002 Census of Agriculture the first week of June 2004. The 2002 Census of Agriculture is the most comprehensive source of statistics portraying our Nation's agriculture. Data from the census of agriculture provides a true picture of American agriculture operators once every 5 years.

Ø The Census Count for Farms increased from 392 in 1997 to 481 in 2002—a 22 percent increase. (A farm is defined as any place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the reference year). Note: Table 8 of the Kentucky 2002 State and County Data reflect 449 farms versus the 1997 Census count of 392. For consistency from one official census to the other, we are using the 392 as a baseline figure.

The increase of farms reversed a decline of farms from 1992 to 1997 as reflected in the 1997 Census of Agriculture. In that Census, the number of farms decreased from 468 in 1992 to 392 in 1997.

Ø Land in acres in farms in Oldham County decreased 11,704 acres (16 percent) from 1997. The 2002 Census reflected 62,561 acres in farms versus 70,535 in 1997, and 84,434 in 1992. The county covers a total land area of 189 square miles--a total of approximately 121,664 land acres.

Ø The average size of farms in Oldham County decreased from 180 acres in 1997 and 1992 to 130 acres in 2002. The chart below shows that the increase in the number of farm operations from 1997 to 2002 were all in operations of 180 acres and less while the number of larger farms (over 180 acres) decreased. The medium size of farms in the county was 57 acres in 2002.

Oldham County Farms by Size	1997 Census	2002 Census	Change
1 to 9 acres	40	59	19
10 to 49 acres	125	197	72
50 to 179 acres	126	142	16
180 to 499 acres	63	57	-6
500 to 999 acres	27	17	-10
1,000 acres or more	11	9	-2
	392	481	89

Ø The market value of agricultural products sold in 2002 was $21,267,000, increasing 32 percent from 1997 ($16,085,000).

- Livestock, poultry, and their products sales accounted for $12,310,000 of the market value (58%)

Ø The 2002 Agriculture Census indicates that 177 farms in Oldham County hired 968 workers with an annual payroll of $5,937,000. Of that total, 71 farms employed 826 workers.

Ø Table 40 provides data on the tenure, number of operators, type of organization, and principal operator characteristics for 2002 and 1997. The number of all operators in Oldham County totaled 707, including 205 women. Principal operators totaled 407 including 74 women. 396 farm operators’ place of residence was on the farm they operated.

Principal operators averaged 18.6 years on their present farm, down from 18.8 years in 1997. The average of principal operators in Oldham County was 56.9 years in 2002, up slightly from 55.6 years in 1997.

Type of Organization	Number
Family or Individual	404
Partnership	20
Corporation: Family Held	49
Corporation: Other than Family Held	3
Other – Cooperative, Estate, or Trust, Institutional, etc	5

The complete Census is available at www.usda.gov/nass/. The Kentucky State and County Data , Volume 1, Geographic Area Series Part 17, AC-02-A-17 comprises 763 pages of State and county detailed data and background information.

The census of agriculture is the leading source of facts and statistics about the Nation’s agricultural production. It provides a detailed picture of U.S. farms and ranches every five years and is the only source of uniform, comprehensive agricultural data for every State and county or county equivalent in the United States .

The census provides a fascinating view of the business of agriculture in Oldham County and its value to the local economy. Census data include range from inventories of horses, ponies, cows and goats to production figures for corn, wheat, tobacco, bedding and garden plants.

We invite you to review our paper below summarizing Oldham County data from the 2002 Census of Agriculture.

Purpose: To provide an extract of Oldham County Agriculture Census data from the 2002 Census of Agriculture.

Background:

U.S.

Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the 2002 Census of Agriculture the first week of June 2004. The 2002 Census of Agriculture is the most comprehensive source of statistics portraying our Nation's agriculture. Data from the census of agriculture provides a true picture of American agriculture operators once every 5 years.

The complete Census is available at www.udda.gov/nass/. The Kentucky State and County Data , Volume 1, Geographic Area Series Part 17, AC-02-A-17 comprises 763 pages of State and county detailed data and background information.

Agriculture census data are routinely used by farm organizations, businesses, State departments of agriculture, elected representatives and legislative bodies at all levels of government, public and private sector analysts, and colleges and universities.

• Evaluate, change, promote, and formulate farm and rural policies and programs that help agricultural producers;

• Study historical trends, assess current conditions, and plan for the future;

• Formulate market strategies, provide more efficient production and distribution systems, and locate facilities for agricultural communities;

• Make energy projections and forecast needs for agricultural producers and their communities;

• Develop new and improved methods to increase agricultural production and profitability;

• Allocate local and national funds for farm programs, e.g. extension service projects, agricultural research, soil conservation programs, and land-grant colleges and universities;

The increase of farms reversed a decline of farms from 1992 to 1997 as reflected in the 1997 Census of Agriculture. In that Census, the number of farms decreased from 468 in 1992 to 392 in 1997.

Ø Land in acres in farms in Oldham County decreased 11,704 acres (16 percent) from 1997. The 2002 Census reflected 62,561 acres in farms versus 74,265 in 1997, and 84,434 in 1992. The county covers a total land area of 189 square miles--a total of approximately 121,664 land acres. Note: Table 8 of the Kentucky 2002 State and County Data reflect a total of 74,265 acres as land in farms; however, the 1997 Census reflects 70,535 acres. For consistency, we are using the 70,535 as a baseline figure.

Oldham County Farms by Size	1997 Census	2002 Census	Change
1 to 9 acres	40	59	19
10 to 49 acres	125	197	72
50 to 179 acres	126	142	16
180 to 499 acres	63	57	-6
500 to 999 acres	27	17	-10
1,000 acres or more	11	9	-2
	392	481	89

Ø The market value of agricultural products sold in 2002 was $21,267,000, increasing 32 percent from 1997 ($16,085,000).

- Livestock, poultry, and their products sales accounted for $12,310,000 of the market value (58 percent).

Oldham County Farms by Value of Sales	Number of Farms	Percent
Less than $2,500	210	43.6
$2,500 to $4,999	47	9.7
$5,000 to $9,999	72	14.9
$10,000 to $24,999	57	11.9
$25,000 to $49,999	43	8.9
$50,000 to $99,999	14	2.9
$100,000 or more	38	7.9

Ø 62 farms received a total of $357,000 in government payments in 2002. The 1997 Census reflected that 63 farms received $239,000 in government payments.

Ø 247 of 481 principal operators (51 percent) of Oldham County farms reported in the Census that farming was their primary occupation. 267 principal operators worked some days off of the farm while 191 principal operators worked 200 days or more off the farm.

Ø The 2002 Agriculture Census indicates that 177 farms in Oldham County hired 968 workers with an annual payroll of $5,937,000. Of that total, 71 farms employed 826 workers.

Ø 192 farms reported a cattle and calves inventory of 7,604 for the 2002 Census. 200 farms reported a cattle and calves inventory of 11,127 in the 1997 Census.

Ø Nine farms reported a total of 561 milk cows in 2002, down from 11 farms with 771 milk cows in 1997.

Ø The Census indicates that 20,054 farms had an inventory of 149,465 horses and ponies in 2002 versus 15,948 farms with an inventory of 108,647 horses and ponies in 1997. In Oldham County , 190 farms reported an inventory of 2,959 horses and ponies in 2002. 85 of those farms reported the sales of 457 horses and ponies during that year.

Ø Eight farms reported a sheep and lamb inventory totaling 54 in 2002 versus nine farms with an inventory of 97 in 1997. Five farms had a wool production of 288 pounds in 2002 compared to four farms with production of 396 pounds in 1997.

Ø Bison data were collected for the first time in the 2002 Agriculture Census. Overall, 70 farms reported bison inventories totaling 3,215 in Kentucky during 2002. One Oldham County farm is included in those totals. The census withholds data from individual farms in the report but includes the totals in the state totals.

Ø Ten farms had a total of 55 goats in Oldham County in 2002. Five farms reported selling a total of 48 goats during the year.

Ø Nine farms reported a cumulative inventory of 64 llamas during 2002. Three farms sold a total of five for the year.

Ø The inventory of mules, burros, and donkeys totaled 15 for the county in 2002. Seven farms reported inventories.

Ø Table 23 of the 2002 Kentucky State and County Data provides information on selected crops harvested during 2002. The table below summarizes Oldham County data.

Item	2002 Farms	2002 Acres	Production
Harvested Cropland (Total)	308	20,830
Corn for silage or greenchop	9	252	3,895 tons
Wheat for Grain	14	1,164	57,743 bushels
Tobacco	71	245	436,065 pounds
Soybeans for beans	36	6,233	173,681 bushels
Forage	195	9,303	19,939 tons, dry
Vegetables, harvested for sale	13	43	Not Reported
Land in Orchards	10	32	Not Reported

Ø Data on Grains – Corn, Sorghum, Wheat and Other Field Crops for 2002 and 1997 show a general decline in farms producing grains in the county, and a corresponding decline in production. See the table below that summarizes Table 24 data for Oldham County .

Ø Data from Table 25 comparing tobacco, soybean, and other crop production is included below for Oldham County below.

2002 Census of Agriculture for Oldham County , Kentucky Released June 3, 2004: Number of Farms Increase While Land in Acres in Farms Decrease from 1997