Welcome to the Louisiana 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.
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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 | 29,574,600 |
| Agricultural land in 2016 | 7,816,200 |
| Cropland in 2016 | 4,687,900 |
| Pastureland in 2016 | 2,132,500 |
| Rangeland in 2016 | 65,900 |
| Woodland in 2016 | 929,800 |
| Agricultural land in 2001 | 8,038,100 |
High-quality Agricultural Land
| Data Item | |
| Nationally Significant agricultural land in 2016 | 6,381,700 |
| Nationally Significant agricultural land in 2001 | 6,540,100 |
| Best agricultural land in 2016 | 3,985,200 |
| Best agricultural land in 2001 | 3,927,800 |
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 | 177,000 |
| Agricultural land converted to urban and highly-developed land use (UHD) | 62,300 |
| Agricultural land converted to low-density residential land use (LDR) | 114,700 |
| Nationally Significant agricultural land developed or compromised | 145,100 |
| Nationally Significant agricultural land converted to UHD | 49,600 |
| Nationally Significant agricultural land converted to LDR | 95,500 |
| Best agricultural land developed or compromised | 35,300 |
| Best agricultural land converted to UHD | 800 |
| Best agricultural land converted to LDR | 34,500 |
Learn More
- Read the full report Farms Under Threat: The State of the States
- Explore our maps, policy scorecard, and background data from Farms Under Threat: The State of the States on our interactive website, www.farmland.org/farmsunderthreat.
2012 National Resources Inventory
| 1997-2002 | 2002-2007 | 2007-2012 | 1982-2012 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural land converted to developed land (acres) | 53,800 | 35,500 | 23,600 | 332,700 |
| Agricultural land at the beginning of the reporting period (acres) | 8,366,900 | 8,112,100 | 8,001,700 | 8,871,000 |
| Prime agricultural land at the beginning of the reporting period (acres) | 6,705,100 | 6,499,700 | 6,431,000 | 7,026,100 |
| Forest land converted to developed land (acres) | 75,300 | 52,500 | 46,600 | 365,800 |
| Other rural land converted to developed land (acres) | NA | NA | 2,100 | 9,000 |
| Total surface area (acres) | 31,376,800 | 31,376,800 | 31,376,800 | 31,376,800 |
Census of Agriculture
| Data Item | 2007 | 2012 | 2017 |
| Farms | 30,106 | 28,093 | 27,386 |
| Land in Farms (acres) | 8,109,975 | 7,900,864 | 7,997,511 |
| Cropland (acres) | 4,691,344 | 4,275,637 | 4,345,843 |
| Permanent Pasture and Rangeland (acres) | 1,544,080 | 1,738,667 | 1,692,443 |
| Woodland (acres) | 1,188,689 | 1,255,635 | 1,306,928 |
| Land in Buildings (acres) | 685,862 | 630,925 | 652,297 |
| Total Land Area (acres) | 29,574,558 | 29,574,558 | 29,574,558 |
| All operators/All producers | 43,774 | 41,592 | 44,272 |
| All operators/All producers 34 and younger | 3,030 | 3,131 | 3,353 |
| All operators/All producers 65 and older | 11,035 | 11,901 | 14,443 |
| All producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm | — | — | 25,802 |
| Principal producers | — | — | 35,829 |
| Principal producers 34 and younger | — | — | 2,574 |
| Principal producers 65 and older | — | — | 12,566 |
| Principal producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm | — | — | 10,027 |
| Principal operators / Primary producers | 30,106 | 28,093 | 27,386 |
| Principal operators / Primary producers 34 and younger | 1,405 | 1,485 | 1,788 |
| Principal operators / Primary producers 65 and older | 9,193 | 9,493 | 10,214 |
| Primary producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm | — | — | 7,254 |
| Market value of agricultural products sold | $2,617,981,000 | $3,809,401,000 | $3,172,978,000 |
| Average market value of agricultural products sold per operation | $86,959 | $135,600 | $115,861 |
| Market value of agricultural products sold directly to consumers | $9,175,000 | $7,452,000 | $9,846,000 |
| Market value of agricultural products sold directly to retail markets, institutions, and food hubs for local or regionally branded products | — | — | $30,551,000 |
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.
- FIC 2017 Census of Agriculture Fact Sheet
- Download: Table of Land in Farms by State
- Census of Agriculture Website