Maryland Data and Statistics - FIC

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Maryland Data and Statistics

Welcome to the Maryland 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 6,693,800
Agricultural land in 2016 2,292,400
Cropland in 2016 1,434,300
Pastureland in 2016 424,400
Rangeland  in 2016 100
Woodland in 2016 433,600
Agricultural land in 2001 2,365,700

High-quality Agricultural Land

Data Item Acres
Nationally Significant agricultural land in 2016 1,523,000
Nationally Significant agricultural land in 2001 1,551,700
Best agricultural land in 2016 1,231,900
Best agricultural land in 2001 1,224,700

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 102,700
Agricultural land converted to urban and highly-developed land use (UHD) 30,200
Agricultural land converted to low-density residential land use (LDR) 72,600
Nationally Significant agricultural land developed or compromised 58,500
Nationally Significant agricultural land converted to UHD 16,200
Nationally Significant agricultural land converted to LDR 42,300
Best agricultural land developed or compromised 37,400
Best agricultural land converted to UHD 3,200
Best agricultural land converted to LDR 34,300

Learn More


2012 National Resources Inventory

1997-2002 2002-2007 2007-2012 1982-2012
Agricultural land converted to developed land (acres) 46,100 28,800 14,700 276,900
Agricultural land at the beginning of the reporting period (acres) 2,071,800 1,942,000 1,886,800 2,304,000
Prime agricultural land at the beginning of the reporting period (acres) 868,600 827,500 801,600 949,100
Forest land converted to developed land (acres) 43,200 43,600 19,100 257,100
Other rural land converted to developed land (acres) 2,000 1,700 2,700 10,400
Total surface area (acres) 7,869,900 7,869,900 7,869,900 7,869,900

 

Census of Agriculture

Data Item 2007 2012 2017
Farms 12,834 12,256 12,429
Land in Farms (acres) 2,051,756 2,030,745 1,990,122
Cropland (acres) 1,405,442 1,396,144 1,426,671
Permanent Pasture and Rangeland (acres) 156,375 161,243 133,321
Woodland (acres) 373,002 348,482 316,647
Land in Buildings (acres) 116,937 124,876 113,483
Total Land Area (acres) 6,693,787 6,693,787 6,693,787
All operators/All producers 20,241 19,469 21,645
All operators/All producers 34 and younger 1,652 1,617 2,047
All operators/All producers 65 and older 4,828 5,560 6,901
All producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm 12,822
Principal producers 16,879
Principal producers 34 and younger 1,193
Principal producers 65 and older 6,000
Principal producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm 4,057
Principal operators / Primary producers 12,834 12,256 12,429
Principal operators / Primary producers 34 and younger 621 603 780
Principal operators / Primary producers 65 and older 3,834 4,288 4,651
Primary producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm 2,787
Market value of agricultural products sold $1,835,090,000 $2,271,397,000 $2,472,805,000
Average market value of agricultural products sold per operation $142,987 $185,329 $198,954
Market value of agricultural products sold directly to consumers $21,220,000 $28,038,000 $54,097,000
Market value of agricultural products sold directly to retail markets, institutions, and food hubs for local or regionally branded products $63,206,000

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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