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Diverse Mix of Farm Types

Massachusetts Agricultural Census 2017

What are the predominant types of farms in Massachusetts? Massachusetts consists of a very diverse group of farms. If we rank farm types by the numbers of farms, the most predominant type of farm in 2017 was hay farming, accounting for 1,001 farms, or about 14 percent of all Massachusetts farms in 2017 (Figure 2.1). Close behind are the farms involved in vegetable and melon farming, accounting for 908 farms, or about 13 percent of all Massachusetts farms in 2017. Horse and other equine farming followed, accountnig for 892 farms, or about 12 percent of all Massachusetts farms in 2017. Fruit, tree nut and berry farming, which includes the Commonwealth’s cranberry growers and orchards, accounted for 845 farms, or about 11.7 percent of total Massachusetts farms. Greenhouse, nursery and floriculture accounted for 777 farms, or about 10.7 percent of total Massachusetts farms.  

Figure 2.2 and the tables below summarize the total land in farms by type for the years 2007, 2012, and 2017. Hay farming was at number one in 2007 and 2012 in terms of the total land in acres utilized and continued at number one in 2017 with over 104,000 acres of land in hay. Hay farming accounted for 21 percent of the total Massachusetts land in farms. In 2017, hay farming declined in acreage by over 10 percent from 2012. While the number of fruit, tree nut and berry farming increased by about 8 percent between 2012 and 2017, the amount of land used for fruit, tree nut and berry farming decreased by about 1 percent. In 2017 fruit, tree nut and berry farming represented 16 percent of the total land in farms with slightly under 80,000 acres of Massachusetts’s farmland. Dairy cattle and milk production, which was ranked third in 2007 and 2012, continues to hold the third spot, but the number of acres has fallen about 1 percent to just under 50,000 acres. Land in dairy farms fell from nearly 18 percent of the Commonwealth’s farmland in 2002, to around 13 percent in 2007, and less than 10 percent in 2012, where it has held steady in 2017. Vegetable and melon farming and beef cattle ranching and farming were ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, in 2017. Interestingly, horse and other equine farms, which neared the top five with nearly 41,000 acres of farmland in 2012, decreased 70 percent from the 2012 acreage.

 

Table 2.2 Land in Farms by Type 2007
Commodity Acres Percent of Total Farms Acres Per Farm
Oilseed and grain farming 4,253 0.8% 22 193.3
Vegetable and melon 44,974 8.7% 662 67.9
Fruit and tree nut 68,566 13.2% 893 76.8
Greenhouse, nursery, floriculture 31,705 6.1% 865 36.7
Tobacco farming 3,914 0.8% 46 85.1
Hay 142,168 27.5% 1278 111.2
Other crop 25,018 4.8% 246 101.7
Beef cattle ranching and farming 50,890 9.8% 804 63.3
Dairy cattle and milk production 65,645 12.7% 258 254.4
Hog and pig farming  5,199 1.0% 82 63.4
Poultry and egg production 14,677 2.8% 480 30.6
Sheep and goat farming 15,100 3.1% 279 57.7
Animal aquaculture 2,402 0.5% 252 9.5
Apiculture 1,774 0.3% 84 35.9
Horse and other equine production 27,987 5.4% 1117 21.1
Other animal production 12,607 2.4% 323 39.0
Total 517,879 100.00% 7691  
Table 2.3 Land in Farms by Type 2012
Commodity Acres Percent of Total Farms Acres Per Farm
Oilseed and grain farming 7,375 1.4% 41 179.9
Vegetable and melon 42,248 8.1% 923 45.7
Fruit, tree nuts and berries 80,568 15.4% 779 103.4
Greenhouse, nursery, floriculture 34,886 6.7% 968 36.0
Tobacco farming 1,672 0.3% 11 152.0
Hay 116,980 22.3% 1097 106.6
Other crop 42,024 8.0% 394 106.7
Beef cattle ranching and farming 37,967 7.3% 628 60.5
Dairy cattle and milk production 50,367 9.6% 147 342.6
Hog and pig farming  7,128 1.4% 135 52.8
Poultry and egg production 15,851 3.0% 380 41.7
Sheep and goat farming 24,278 4.6% 365 66.5
Animal aquaculture 1,809 0.3% 175 10.3
Apiculture 1,508 0.3% 89 16.9
Horse and other equine production 40,968 7.8% 1183 34.6
Other animal production 17,988 3.4% 440 40.9
Total 523,517 100.00% 7755  
Table 2.3 Land in Farms by Type 2017
Commodity Acres Percent of Total Farms Acres Per Farm
Oilseed and grain farming 7,990 1.63% 55 145.3
Vegetable and melon 47,082 9.58% 908 51.9
Fruit, tree nuts and berries 79,697 16.21% 845 94.3
Greenhouse, nursery, floriculture 30,301 6.16% 777 39.0
Tobacco farming 1,152 0.23% 9 128.0
Hay 104,304 21.21% 1001 104.2
Other crop 44,625 9.08% 401 111.3
Beef cattle ranching and farming 45,200 9.19% 626 72.2
Dairy cattle and milk production 49,744 10.12% 140 355.3
Hog and pig farming  3,473 0.71% 119 29.2
Poultry and egg production 10,643 2.16% 265 40.1
Sheep and goat farming 20,629 4.20% 474 43.5
Animal aquaculture 5,508 1.12% 195 28.2
Apiculture 812 0.17% 95 8.5
Horse and other equine production 24,132 4.91% 892 27.1
Other animal production 16,370 3.33% 439 37.3
Total 491,653 100.00% 7241