Fun Ag Facts

As you know, I love sharing Ag facts. I love the crazy facts the most, like what is the number of jaw movements a cow has a day, or what was the first vegetable grown in outer space. And then there are other facts that I feel are important for us all to know, like what percentage of the U.S. population are farmers, and what percentage of their disposable income does the average American spend on food. The answers to the first questions you can find on my Ag Trivia page here. The answers to the last questions you can find below in this post.

The American Farm Bureau Federation, as part of their centennial celebration, have published a fun “fast facts about Agriculture and Food”. I highly encourage you to take a look at their page. I have included the link to their page at the bottom of my post. For this post, I am sharing just a few of their Ag facts.

Farm and ranch families comprise less than 2% of the U.S. population

• 2 million farms dot America’s rural landscape.
• About 98% of U.S. Farms are operated by families – individuals, family partnerships, or family corporations.
• One U.S. farm feeds 166 people annually in the U.S. and abroad. The world population is expected to increase by 2.2 billion by 2050, which means the world’s farmers will have to grow about 70% more food than what is now produced.
• 87% of U.S. agricultural products sold are produced on family farms or ranches.
• Farmers and Ranchers receive only 15 cents out of every dollar spent on food at home and away from home. In 1980 farmers and ranchers received 31 cents.

ON ANY GIVEN DAY , ONE IN EIGHT AMERICANS WILL EAT PIZZA

• 25% of all farmers are beginning farmers (in business less then 10 years) with their average age being 46.
• Women make up 36% of the total number of U.S. farm operators; 56% of all farms have at least one female decision-maker.
• One acre of land can grow a variety of crops, including 50,000 lbs of strawberries, or 2,784 pounds of wheat.
• Careful stewardship by America’s food producers has spurred a 34% decline in erosion of cropland by wind and water since 1982.
• 40% of all food grown and produced in the U.S. is never eaten.

More than half of American’s farmers intentionally provide habitat for wildlife.

• Americans spend less than 10% of their disposable income on food each year. 46% of that is food eaten at home and 54% is for food eaten away from home.
• Total U.S. corn yield (tons per acre) has increased more than 360% since 1950.
• Americans throw away an estimated 25% of the food they bring home every month.
• Americans enjoy a food supply that is abundant, affordable overall and among the worlds safest, thanks in large part to the efficiency and productivity of America’s farm and ranch families.

I encourage you to check out more facts at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s website here and on my trivia page here.

I will be adding these facts to my Ag Trivia Page soon, when time allows. haha.