Report in a Snapshot

The 2022 Census of Agriculture (AgCensus) is out, and it has valuable information for the ever-changing profile of the agricultural sector. We present selected information for Louisiana and discuss changes reported between the 2017 and the 2022 AgCensus. Do note that the 2022 Census received responses well below the USDA expected response threshold of 60% so even though we do not notice particular changes in several categories there is more to consider as we discuss Louisiana’s producers and their operations. Below are some highlights:

1) Age Profile: The percentage of producers under 25 years old has doubled since 2017, indicating a growing interest among younger people in entering the agricultural sector, despite a decrease in the total number of producers.

2) Off-farm Income: About 61% of producers report off-farm jobs as their primary source of income, reflecting the diverse and multi-faceted economic lives of modern farmers.

3) Decision Involvement: Day-to-day decisions are the predominant concern of operators. The 2022 AgCensus showed even less involvement in succession planning, a multigenerational and long-term decision involvement.

4) Farm Size: The highest concentration of farms is in the 10-49 acres and 50-179 acres farm size, suggesting a robust middle sector that continues to form the backbone of the agricultural landscape. However, the number of farms reporting 2,000 acres or more increased by 16%.

5) Production: Key industries including livestock, aquaculture, soybean, rice and sugarcane drive the state’s agricultural economic sector.

6) Hired Labor: Hired labor expenses amounted to 3.4 million accounting for 9.1% of total production expenses.

7) Tenure: A significant portion of land operation making up 34% of the total acreage, relies on renting or leasing.

Visit the Farm Labor website to find publications in the series for selected subgroups including female producers, young producers and new and beginning producers.

See PDF for the full report.