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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.


County by county, the 2010 MDAR statistics highlight how agriculture and the Department of Agricultural Resources’ programs and services impact communities across the state:

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% fit the category of "small farms", 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.