2002 Census of Agriculture

Aquaculture Summary

There were 6,653 farms that reported selling $ 1,132,524,000 worth of aquaculture products during 2002.  These figures include items sold or moved by commercial farms and by State and Federal hatcheries.  These hatcheries primarily distribute fish for restoration, conservation, and recreational purposes receiving no payment.  Values based on sales of farm raised fish were assigned to distributed fish.  Not all hatcheries were included in the 1997 census and, while they were surveyed for the 1998 Aquaculture Census, no values were assigned to distributed fish.  Thus, the 2002 value is not comparable with values from the 1997 and 1998 censuses.

Thirty percent of the aquaculture farms had sales of $50,000 or more, and these farms accounted for 97% of the total aquaculture sales.

All farms reporting aquaculture sales:

Fifty-seven percent of the aquaculture farms were less than 50 acres in size, and five percent had 1,000 acres or more.

            Sixty-seven percent of the farms are individual or family farms.

            Ten percent of the farms are partnerships.

            Fourteen percent of the farms are corporations.

            Nine percent of the farms are trusts, cooperatives, estates, etc.

Fifty-eight percent of the operators list farming as their primary occupation.

            Seventy-one percent of the operators are 45 years of age or older.

            Sixty-eight percent of the operators are full owners.

            Fifty-five percent of the farms have only one operator.

Aquaculture farms with $50,000 or more sales of aquaculture products:

Forty-three percent were less than 50 acres in size, and eleven percent had 1,000 acres or more.

Forty-two percent of the farms are individual or family farms.

            Twelve percent of the farms are partnerships.

            Twenty-seven percent of the farms are corporations.

Nineteen percent of the farms are trusts, cooperatives, estates, etc.

Seventy-seven percent of the operators list farming as their primary occupation.

            Sixty-eight percent of the operators are 45 years of age or older.

            Sixty-one percent of the operators are full owners.

            Fifty-nine percent of the farms have only one operator.                                                                                                 

The United States, state, and county data from the 2002 Census of Agriculture may be viewed on the National Agricultural Statistics Service’s website, www.usda.gov/nass/.  Click on  2002 Census of Agriculture  (lower right-hand corner).