The number of farms in Iowa has declined and the average age of farmers has increased, according to the most recent U.S. Department of Agriculture Census of Agriculture. The 2017 data, the most recent census, shows there are 86-million farms in Iowa, a 2.9% decline from 2012. The average age of Iowa producers is up 1.8 years from 2012 to 57.4 years old. Iowa ranked second nationally for total value of agricultural products sold and livestock sales, and Iowa’s crops sales ranked third. The largest values of sales for Iowa in 2017 were farmers in Washington, Sioux, Lyon, Plymouth, and Kossuth counties. No-till practices increased with 24.3 million acres of harvested crops, an 18% increase.

Demographic data shows just over one in five producers is a beginning farmer with 10 or fewer years of experience and an average age of 43.7. There are just under 15,000 producers under 35-years old on 11,136 farms. The Census of Agriculture started in 1840, and since 1982 has been conducted every five years.