USDA’s farm “typology” report: defines small, midsize, large

The USDA has just posted its enormous—more than 700 pages—2012 Census of Agriculture (Farm Typology) report.

Its definitions and results are impressive.  Definitions are based on a metric called Gross Case Farm Income (GCFI):

• Small             <$350,000
• Midsize          >$350,000 but less than $1 million
• Large              >$1 million but less than $5 million
• Very large     >$5 million

Another metric: average number of acres per category (one square mile is 640 acres):

• Small:  GCFI between $150,000 and $350,000:   961 acres
• Midsize:             1582 acres
• Large:                 2926 acres
• Very large:       4673 acres

And some basic facts:

• 88% of farms are Small (GCFI <$350,000).
• 12% are Midsize and Large, but they account of 80% of agriculture sales.

That’s US agriculture in a snapshot.