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Massachusetts Ag Facts & Statistics

Contact: Mary Jordan, Director at Mary.Jordan@state.ma.us -- 617.626.1750

  • Fingertip Facts - quick facts and national ranks of Massachusetts agriculture.


Across the state, see how the preservation of working landscapes and the Department of Agricultural Resources’ work is a win/win for local communities everywhere:

Statewide Across Massachusetts (PDF)


Bet you didn't know that...
  • Massachusetts is 2nd in New England for direct sales of farm products to consumers. At $42M in direct sales, Massachusetts farmers were responsible for 40 percent of New England's total.
  • Massachusetts ranks 9th nationally in total value of direct sales, following states such as California, New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, and Washington.
  • Massachusetts ranks 2nd nationally in value of average direct market sales at $25,356 per farm.
  • More than 80% of Massachusetts farms are family-owned. Over 95% t fit the category of "small farms" according to the USDA definition of sales below $250,000.
  • Massachusetts ranks 1st in the U.S. for farmland value at $12,202 per acre.
  • Female farm operators account for 29% of the farm operators in MA, up from 21% in 2002.
  • Massachusetts increased number of organic farms from 129 in 2002 to 295 in 2007, and organic sales from $7.8M in sales in 2002 to $17.5M in 2007.
  • Agritourism income totaled $5.3M, up from $665,000 in 2002.

Sources: New England Agricultural Statistics 2007 and U.S. Census of Agriculture 2007.