Survey: Agriculture Remains The Backbone Of Indiana

In 2017, agricultural production in the U.S. was valued at $389 billion, of which, more than 11 billion dollars came from the Hoosier state.

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - Indiana farmers are the most productive and efficient in the U.S.

That’s according to the latest Census of Agriculture, which is the nation’s most comprehensive agricultural survey that is taken every five years.

In 2017, agricultural production in the U.S. was valued at $389 billion, of which, more than 11 billion dollars came from the Hoosier state.

“The value of agricultural production has more than doubled over the past two decades in Indiana,” said Bruce Kettler, Indiana State Department of Agriculture director. “This census sheds light on Indiana's agricultural footprint, historically and economically, and we can use this data to support farmers and drive our strategic efforts in the state.”

According to the census, Indiana had 56,649 farms in 2017, down by about 2,000 over the previous five years.

Indiana’s net farm income was down to just over $50,000 in 2017, about 7-thousand dollars higher than the national average.

Female farmers in Indiana were up 30 percent from 2012 to 2017.

Indiana’s top five agricultural products sold by market value as of 2017 are grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas; poultry and eggs; hogs and pigs; milk from cows; and cattle and calves.

Other highlights found the number of renewable energy systems in Indiana more than doubled, and more Hoosier farmers had access to the internet, increasing from 65 percent in 2012 to 72 percent in 2017, mirroring national trends.

To read the complete census, visit agcensus.usda.gov.