Maine Data and Statistics - FIC

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Maine Data and Statistics

Welcome to the Maine 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, the Census of Agriculture, and the Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement (PACE) program survey. You also can link to additional information and data sources.

On This Page

Farms Under Threat

National Resources Inventory

Census of Agriculture

Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement Programs

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 20,906,400
Agricultural land in 2016 1,129,600
Cropland in 2016        586,200
Pastureland in 2016        137,800
Rangeland  in 2016                100
Woodland in 2016        405,500
Agricultural land in 2001 1,108,800

High-quality Agricultural Land

Data Item
Nationally Significant agricultural land in 2016        552,200
Nationally Significant agricultural land in 2001        545,500
Best agricultural land in 2016        564,100
Best agricultural land in 2001        556,800

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           17,700
Agricultural land converted to urban and highly-developed land use (UHD)             3,400
Agricultural land converted to low-density residential land use (LDR)           14,400
Nationally Significant agricultural land developed or compromised             6,900
Nationally Significant agricultural land converted to UHD 1,000
Nationally Significant agricultural land converted to LDR             5,900
Best agricultural land developed or compromised             7,100
Best agricultural land converted to UHD             1,100
Best agricultural land converted to LDR             6,100

Learn More


2012 National Resources Inventory

1997-2002 2002-2007 2007-2012 1982-2012
Agricultural land converted to developed land (acres) 12,100 8,600 6,800 76,200
Agricultural land at the beginning of the reporting period (acres) 630,,600 599,100 573,800 828,700
Prime agricultural land at the beginning of the reporting period (acres) 223,200 208,300 200,800 253,100
Forest land converted to developed land (acres) 79,500 45,800 18,700 289,500
Other rural land converted to developed land (acres) NA NA NA 7,100
Total surface area (acres) 20,966,200 20,966,200 20,966,200 20,966,200

Census of Agriculture

Data Item 2007 2012 2017
Farms 8,136 8,173 7,600
Land in Farms (acres) 1,347,566 1,454,104 1,307,613
Cropland (acres) 529,253 477,343 472,508
Permanent Pasture and Rangeland (acres) 62,014 81,707 62,369
Woodland (acres) 660,679 773,652 685,529
Land in Buildings (acres) 95,620 121,402 87,207
Total Land Area (acres) 20,906,402 20,906,402 20,906,402
All operators/All producers 13,063 13,406 13,685
All operators/All producers 34 and younger 1,013 1,206 1,253
All operators/All producers 65 and older 2,788 3,266 4,247
All producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm 7,436
Principal producers 10,705
Principal producers 34 and younger 935
Principal producers 65 and older 3,586
Principal producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm 3,269
Principal operators / Primary producers 8,136 8,173 7,600
Principal operators / Primary producers 34 and younger 396 550 579
Principal operators / Primary producers 65 and older 2,121 2,367 2,659
Primary producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm 2,214
Market value of agricultural products sold $617,190,000 $763,062,000 $666,962,000
Average market value of agricultural products sold per operation $75,859 $93,364 $87,758
Market value of agricultural products sold directly to consumers $18,419,000 $24,793,000 $37,868,000
Market value of agricultural products sold directly to retail markets, institutions, and food hubs for local or regionally branded products $74,513,000

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.

 


Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement Programs

For summaries of PACE activity by state, use the links for the downloadable table or most recent fact sheets on the national statistics page under Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement Programs.


Other Data Sources

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