- In 2022 Texas farms sold $32.2 billion in agricultural products compared to $24.9 billion in 2017
despite the decrease in number of farms. - Texas leads the nation in number of farms and ranches, with 230,662 covering 125.5 million acres.
- Out of 402,876 producers in Texas, 39% are women, an increase from 2017.
- For 38% of producers in Texas, farming is their primary occupation.
- The average farm in Texas is 544 acres.
- The average farm size in Texas increased by 33 acres since 2017.
- Although cattle farms (beef farms specifically) dominated in numbers in Texas, farms with poultry inventory
showed the largest increase since 2017. - The average age of Texas farmers and ranchers is 60 years in 2022 compared to 59 years in 2017.
- Texas producers with military service accounted for 39,998 farms (about a 10,000 decrease compared to 2017)
and 42,252 producers (about a 10,000 decrease compared to 2017) with the average age of 68. - Young producers (age 35 or less) account for 18,893 farms.
- New and beginning producers (10 years or less on any farm) came in at 129,760 operating 81,135 farms
with an average size of 366 acres. - The category of Asian farmers in Texas increased significantly compared to 2017, about 46%.
- Top 10 commodities in terms of 2022 market value:
- Cattle, $15.5 billion
- Poultry and Eggs, $5 billion
- Dairy, $3.5 billion
- Corn, $1.6 billion
- Cotton, $1.4 billion
- Greenhouse, $1.2 billion
- Fruits, Vegetables, Tree Nuts, $846 million
- Wheat, $443 million
- Sorghum, $435 million
- Rice, $269 million
- Texas Top 10 Farm Production Expenses:
Total Farm Expenses, $27.9 billion - Feed, $8.1 billion
- Livestock and poultry purchased or leased, $6.4 billion
- Hired Labor, $1.9 billion
- Supplies, repairs and maintenance, $1.6 billion
- Fertilizer, lime, and soil conditioners, $1.3 billion
- Fuels and oils, $1.2 billion
- Seeds, plants, vines, and trees, $869 million
- Chemicals, $ 865 million
- Interest, $840 million
- Cash rent for land, buildings, and grazing fields, $751 million
For more information on the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) please visit: https://www.nass.usda.gov/agcensus/ >>> |
FAQs
Exhibit 1: TOP 10 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCING STATES BY CASH RECEIPTS, 2021. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Texas has 247,000 farms — 12.3 percent of the U.S. total and by far the most of any state (Exhibit 2). (The USDA defines ranches as types of farms and includes them in the count.)
What were the top 5 counties for agricultural commodities in Texas? ›
Moreover, the top five counties in District 12 given their value of total agricultural production are Hidalgo, Cameron, Frio, Atascosa, and Willacy totaling around $805 million or around 63 percent of the total value of agricultural production.
Does Texas grow enough food to feed itself? ›
The necessary intake of calories per year, calculated in the introduction, is 21,400,000,000,000 (2.14x10^13) calories per year. The maximum yield that Texas could produce is 8,650,000,000 (8.65x10^9) calories per year. Sadly, this is not enough to sustain the population.
Which state has the highest agricultural output? ›
California ranks first in the U.S. for agricultural cash receipts followed by Iowa, Texas, Nebraska and Illinois. How much does agriculture contribute to the economy?
What is Texas ranked in agriculture? ›
Texas ranks first in the nation in the number of cattle and calves, accounting for 13% of the U.S. total. Texas also ranks first in the number of cattle operations and the value of all cattle and calves. Texas is the top producer of cotton, hay, sheep, goats, mohair and horses.
What is the biggest crop in Texas? ›
Since 1880, Texas has led all states in cotton production in most years, and today the annual Texas cotton harvest amounts to around 37.5 percent of total production in the United States. The annual Texas cotton crop has averaged 5.8 million 480-lb. bales since 1996.
What is Texas the largest producer of? ›
Texas leads the U.S. as the top producer of both crude oil and natural gas, with nearly 480,000 miles of pipelines running throughout the state. The state is home to one-fourth of the nation's proved natural gas reserves and is #2 in total LNG exports.
What fruit is most produced in Texas? ›
Texas is the country's top producer of watermelon—with harvest running from early May through October, depending on what region of the state they're grown—and is second in carrots and pumpkins. It is also a major grower of grapefruit, oranges, melons, peppers, cabbages, cucumbers, mushrooms, and spinach.
What is the primary crop in Texas? ›
Texas leads all other states in number of farms and ranches. While the primary crops of Texas are cotton, corn, feed grains (sorghum, milo, etc.), rice and wheat, there is an abundance of other crops, too. From peanuts, to sunflowers to sugarcane and more.
What state has the richest farmers? ›
The wealthiest farmer in the United States lives and farms in California. Stewart Resnick, 81, owner of The Wonderful Company and 65 percent of the nation's pistachios, has had a distinct and sweeping effect on agriculture in the Golden State.
Stewart Resnick is the biggest farmer in the United States and the overwhelming majority of his crops are rooted in the fertile lands of California, where the sunshine is plentiful, but the moisture is not.
What are the main challenges faced by Texas farmers and ranchers? ›
Unfortunately, due to increasing pressure from urban sprawl, population growth, climate change, water scarcity, and solar energy development, our farms and ranches across Texas are more threatened than ever before.
Where does most agriculture in the U.S. come from? ›
Although agricultural activity occurs in every U.S. state, it is particularly concentrated in the Central Valley of California and in the Great Plains, a vast expanse of flat arable land in the center of the nation, in the region west of the Great Lakes and east of the Rocky Mountains.
What is the main source of economy in Texas? ›
The economy of Texas relies largely on information technology, oil and natural gas, aerospace, defense, biomedical research, fuel processing, electric power, agriculture, and manufacturing.
