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  • Michigan Ag Facts

  • County Ag Facts     

    County Ag Facts Map
    Take a look at the agriculture statistics from your county! See what kind of impact agriculture has locally.

     

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    MI Grown MI Great
    Get accurate agriculture facts and meet Michigan farmers from around the state at Michigan GROWN, Michigan GREAT! 

     

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  • Facts about Michigan agriculture

    Boost your intelligence and impress your family, friends and colleagues with your knowledge of Michigan's often overlooked but truly impressive agriculture industry.

    MI Ag Facts  
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    Agricultural Diversity

    • Michigan produces more than 300 commodities, making us the state with the second most diverse agriculture industry in the nation just behind California.
    • Michigan has a diverse commodity mix that is made up of about 60 percent crops and 40 percent livestock.

     Farms & Farmland

    • In 2014, the number of farms in Michigan totaled 51,600.
    • Michigan has nearly 10 million acres of farmland. 
    • The average size farm in Michigan was 193 acres in 2014.

    Farm Structure

    • 95 percent of Michigan farms are single-family operated and/or family partnerships.
    • Of the few Michigan farms structured as corporations, 99 percent of those are family-owned and involve multiple generations and family members.
    • The average age of a Michigan farmer is 56 years old.
     

    Economics

    • The food and agriculture industry contributes $101.2 billion annually to the state’s economy. 
    • Michigan is home to 2,166 licensed food processors generating nearly $25 billion in economic activity, making Michigan 19th in the nation for food processing.

    Employment

    • Agriculture, food processors, and related businesses employ 923,000 Michiganders — 22 percent of the state’s workforce. 
    • 24,795 Michiganders operate farms as their primary occupation. An additional 52,719 work part-time on farms, while maintaining off-farm jobs.
    • Michigan is home to the nation's pioneer land-grant university, Michigan State University, where the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources offers many agriculture-related majors.
     

    Specialty Sectors

    • Michigan ranks third in the nation for number of farmers markets.
    • The state is home to 129 wineries.
    • Michigan boasts more than 200 micro-breweries.

    Exports

    • Michigan exports about one-third of its agricultural commodities each year, generating nearly $2.8 billion.
    • Almost 40 percent of all Michigan’s agricultural exports go directly to Canada, our No. 1 export market.
    • Rounding out the top countries eager for Michigan-grown products are Mexico, Japan, China, and Thailand.

    Tops in National Agricultural Production 

     Our state ranks No. 1 nationally in the production of:
    • Dry Black and Cranberry Beans
    • Begonias
    • Blueberries
    • Tart Cherries
    • Pickling Cucumbers
    • Easter Lilies
    • Geraniums
    • Low Fat Ice Cream Mix
    • Impatiens
    • Petunias
    • Squash

    Major Commodity Sectors (based on cash receipts)

    • Milk
    • Floriculture
    • Corn
    • Soybeans
    • Vegetables
    • Fruit
    • Cattle
    • Hogs
    • Poultry
    • Sugar beets 
      

     Sources and additional resources