Arkansas Data and Statistics - FIC

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Arkansas Data and Statistics

Welcome to the Arkansas Statistics page. Here you will find frequently requested data specific to this state from AFT's Farms Under Threat: The State of the States report, the National Resources Inventory, and the Census of Agriculture. You also can link to additional information and data sources.

On This Page

Farms Under Threat

National Resources Inventory

Census of Agriculture

Other Data Sources

Farms Under Threat: The State of the States

All estimates represent figures for the Conterminous U.S.

Total and Agricultural Land Cover/Use

Data Item Acres
Total land area in 2016 34,034,000
Agricultural land in 2016 13,768,500
Cropland in 2016 7,084,000
Pastureland in 2016 4,902,200
Rangeland  in 2016 17,100
Woodland in 2016 1,765,200
Agricultural land in 2001 14,228,800

High-quality Agricultural Land

Data Item Acres
Nationally Significant agricultural land in 2016 8,509,300
Nationally Significant agricultural land in 2001 8,645,200
Best agricultural land in 2016 7,399,300
Best agricultural land in 2001 7,418,100

Nationally Significant agricultural land is the land best-suited to long-term, intensive crop production within the Conterminous United States; and each state’s “best land” is approximately the better half of all agricultural land in each state. For more information about these categories of high-quality agricultural land and how they were identified, see the interactive website for Farms Under Threat: The State of the States, and the fact sheet about AFT’s Productivity, Versatility, and Resiliency (PVR) Analysis.

Agricultural Land Converted from 2001-2016

Data Item Acres
Agricultural land developed or compromised 267,000
Agricultural land converted to urban and highly-developed land use (UHD) 65,200
Agricultural land converted to low-density residential land use (LDR) 201,800
Nationally Significant agricultural land developed or compromised 112,700
Nationally Significant agricultural land converted to UHD 32,300
Nationally Significant agricultural land converted to LDR 80,400
Best agricultural land developed or compromised 74,500
Best agricultural land converted to UHD 4,400
Best agricultural land converted to LDR 70,100

Learn More


2012 National Resources Inventory

1997-2002 2002-2007 2007-2012 1982-2012
Agricultural land converted to developed land (acres) 71,700 61,000 31,200 318,000
Agricultural land at the beginning of the reporting period (acres) 13,099,100 12,298,700 12,680,000 13,639,300
Prime agricultural land at the beginning of the reporting period (acres) 8,475,300 8,365,700 8,226.600 8,666,200
Forest land converted to developed land (acres) 74,000 65,300 38,500 323,000
Other rural land converted to developed land (acres) 4,900 7,500 3,000 18,400
Total surface area (acres) 34,036,900 34,036,900 34,036,900 34,036,900

Census of Agriculture

Data Item 2007 2012 2017
Farms 49,346 45,071 42,625
Land in Farms (acres) 13,872,862 13,810,786 13,888,929
Cropland (acres) 8,432,221 7,931,111 7,825,947
Permanent Pasture and Rangeland (acres) 2,637,556 3,123,642 3,188,973
Woodland (acres) 2,239,119 2,258,259 2,370,481
Land in Buildings (acres) 563,966 497,774 503,528
Total Land Area (acres) 34,033,982 34,033,982 34,033,982
All operators/All producers 75,308 69,704 72,555
All operators/All producers 34 and younger 6,646 5,730 6,065
All operators/All producers 65 and older 18,032 20,010 23,864
All producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm 42,513
Principal producers 58,346
Principal producers 34 and younger 4,702
Principal producers 65 and older 20,673
Principal producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm 15,833
Principal operators / Primary producers 49,346 45,071 42,625
Principal operators / Primary producers 34 and younger 2,958 2,593 3,098
Principal operators / Primary producers 65 and older 14,227 15,300 16,137
Primary producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm 10,815
Market value of agricultural products sold $7,508,806,000 $9,775,758,000 $9,651,160,000
Average market value of agricultural products sold per operation $152,166 $216,897 $226,420
Market value of agricultural products sold directly to consumers $8,161,000 $6,369,000 $9,215,000
Market value of agricultural products sold directly to retail markets, institutions, and food hubs for local or regionally branded products $22,835,000

Notes on Changes to the 2017 Census of Agriculture

  • Producer characteristic data were collected for a maximum of four producers on each farm, up from a maximum of three producers in prior years.
  • Principal producer is a new term that identifies up to two main decision-makers on each farm, up from one principal operator in prior years.
  • Market value of agricultural products sold directly to consumers expanded to include value-added products.
  • Market value of agricultural products sold directly to retail markets, institutions, and food hubs for local or regionally branded products is a new data item.

 


Other Data Sources

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