Iowa Data and Statistics - FIC

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Iowa Data and Statistics

Welcome to the Iowa 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 36,015,300
Agricultural land in 2016 30,983,600
Cropland in 2016 26,517,400
Pastureland in 2016 3,401,600
Rangeland  in 2016 0
Woodland in 2016 1,064,600
Agricultural land in 2001 30,398,800

High-quality Agricultural Land

Data Item Acres
Nationally Significant agricultural land in 2016 25,752,100
Nationally Significant agricultural land in 2001 25,403,300
Best agricultural land in 2016 16,813,800
Best agricultural land in 2001 16,724,100

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 114,200
Agricultural land converted to urban and highly-developed land use (UHD) 75,400
Agricultural land converted to low-density residential land use (LDR) 38,800
Nationally Significant agricultural land developed or compromised 74,400
Nationally Significant agricultural land converted to UHD 49,300
Nationally Significant agricultural land converted to LDR 25,100
Best agricultural land developed or compromised 23,000
Best agricultural land converted to UHD 6,500
Best agricultural land converted to LDR 16,500

Learn More


2012 National Resources Inventory

1997-2002 2002-2007 2007-2012 1982-2012
Agricultural land converted to developed land (acres) 60,400 50,800 34,100 287,800
Agricultural land at the beginning of the reporting period (acres) 30,486,500 30,302,200 30,168,800 30,915,400
Prime agricultural land at the beginning of the reporting period (acres) 17,722,200 17,669,000 17,619,900 17,843,200
Forest land converted to developed land (acres) 13,200 11,600 5,500 44,400
Other rural land converted to developed land (acres) 3,200 3,500 1,600 9,800
Total surface area (acres) 36,016,500 36,016,500 36,016,500 36,016,500

Census of Agriculture

Data Item 2007 2012 2017
Farms 92,856 88,637 86,104
Land in Farms (acres) 30,747,550 30,622,731 30,563,878
Cropland (acres) 26,316,332 26,256,347 26,545,960
Permanent Pasture and Rangeland (acres) 1,914,924 1,906,410 1,780,649
Woodland (acres) 1,193,303 1,165,549 1,103,650
Land in Buildings (acres) 1,322,991 1,294,425 1,133,619
Total Land Area (acres) 36,015,260 36,015,260 36,015,260
All operators/All producers 136,068 131,535 145,432
All operators/All producers 34 and younger 11,827 11,686 13,258
All operators/All producers 65 and older 33,118 34,147 47,565
All producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm 92,930
Principal producers 115,630
Principal producers 34 and younger 10,234
Principal producers 65 and older 40,543
Principal producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm 22,700
Principal operators / Primary producers 92,856 88,637 86,104
Principal operators / Primary producers 34 and younger 6,278 6,242 7,141
Principal operators / Primary producers 65 and older 25,996 26,105 31,356
Primary producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm 15,707
Market value of agricultural products sold $20,418,096,000 $30,821,532,000 $28,956,455,000
Average market value of agricultural products sold per operation $219,890 $347,728 $336,296
Market value of agricultural products sold directly to consumers $16,506,000 $17,522,000 $19,974,000
Market value of agricultural products sold directly to retail markets, institutions, and food hubs for local or regionally branded products $15,851,000

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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