Local Agriculture News in Northeastern Massachusetts

 Massachusetts Agriculture Facts

There are approximately 7,755 farms in Massachusetts working on over 523,000 acres to produce $492 million in agricultural products.  The average farm produces $63,470 of agricultural products on just 68 acres.  Massachusetts farms provide employment to nearly 28,000 workers in the Commonwealth.

• At nearly $48 million, Massachusetts ranks 5th in the nation for direct market sales and 3rd in the nation for direct market sales per operation. Direct market sales account for 10% of the state’s total sales of agricultural products.
• Massachusetts ranks 6th in the nation for number of farms with Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). There was  a 95% increase in CSA farms since 2007. Also the state saw growth in agri-tourism sales of 127%.
• More than 80% of Massachusetts farms are family-owned. Over 95% fit the category of “small farms”, sales below $250,000.
• Massachusetts principal operators average age is 57.8 years old.
• Female farm operators account for 32% of the farm operators in MA, accounting for a 10% increase since 2002.
• Nationally the U.S. witnessed a decline in agriculture from 2007 to 2012, although Massachusetts was one of the few states that experienced a 1% growth in both number of farms and acres in farmland.
• Agricultural land preservation, environmental conservation, energy efficiency and business planning are some of the keys to the future viability of our Massachusetts agricultural enterprises.

Source: 2012 USDA Census of Agriculture