The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service has released new agricultural census data, showing Indiana’s agricultural products are valued at over $18 billion. Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch stated that Indiana’s total value of agriculture production has grown by 62% over the past five years. The Census of Agriculture, conducted once every five years, provides a comprehensive look at U.S. farms and ranches, including land use, operator characteristics, production practices, and income. Indiana’s data reveals it is the number one producer of popcorn, gourds, and duck. The state has 53,599 farms, covering 14.6 million acres, with an average farm size of 272 acres. The top five Indiana counties with the largest number of farms are: LaGrange, Elkhart, Allen, Adams, and Daviess. The top five Indiana counties with the highest value of agriculture production are: Jay, Jasper, Elkhart, LaGrange, and Dubois.
