Rhode Island Data and Statistics - FIC

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Rhode Island Data and Statistics

Welcome to the Rhode Island 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 698,200
Agricultural land in 2016 56,000
Cropland in 2016 13,300
Pastureland in 2016 16,200
Rangeland  in 2016 0
Woodland in 2016 26,400
Agricultural land in 2001 62,000

High-quality Agricultural Land

Data Item Acres
Nationally Significant agricultural land in 2016 27,600
Nationally Significant agricultural land in 2001 30,000
Best agricultural land in 2016 28,800
Best agricultural land in 2001 31,000

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 3,600
Agricultural land converted to urban and highly-developed land use (UHD) 2,300
Agricultural land converted to low-density residential land use (LDR) 1,300
Nationally Significant agricultural land developed or compromised 1,700
Nationally Significant agricultural land converted to UHD 900
Nationally Significant agricultural land converted to LDR 800
Best agricultural land developed or compromised 1,800
Best agricultural land converted to UHD 900
Best agricultural land converted to LDR 800

Learn More


2012 National Resources Inventory

1997-2002 2002-2007 2007-2012 1982-2012
Agricultural land converted to developed land (acres) 2,200 1,900 NA 11,600
Agricultural land at the beginning of the reporting period (acres) 45,800 44,100 43,000 61,800
Prime agricultural land at the beginning of the reporting period (acres) 28,400 28,400 26,700 34,100
Forest land converted to developed land (acres) 12,000 6,300 3,000 45,000
Other rural land converted to developed land (acres) NA NA 0 NA
Total surface area (acres) 813,300 813,300 813,300 813,300

Census of Agriculture

Data Item 2007 2012 2017
Farms 1,219 1,243 1,043
Land in Farms (acres) 67,819 69,589 56,864
Cropland (acres) 24,457 22,593 17,654
Permanent Pasture and Rangeland (acres) 6,144 6,440 5,914
Woodland (acres) 28,874  (D) 25,535
Land in Buildings (acres) 8,344  (D) 7,761
Total Land Area (acres) 698,183 698,183 698,183
All operators/All producers 1,912 2,055 1,868
All operators/All producers 34 and younger 139 183 151
All operators/All producers 65 and older 417 472 562
All producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm 1,042
Principal producers 1,423
Principal producers 34 and younger 105
Principal producers 65 and older 494
Principal producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm 381
Principal operators / Primary producers 1,219 1,243 1,043
Principal operators / Primary producers 34 and younger 57 67 53
Principal operators / Primary producers 65 and older 343 363 407
Primary producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm 252
Market value of agricultural products sold $65,908,000 $59,652,000 $57,998,000
Average market value of agricultural products sold per operation $54,067 $47,990 $55,607
Market value of agricultural products sold directly to consumers $6,292,000 $6,253,000 $10,164,000
Market value of agricultural products sold directly to retail markets, institutions, and food hubs for local or regionally branded products $4,061,000

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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