Kansas Agriculture

• Who is Kansas Agriculture?

  • In 2012, there were 61,773 farms in Kansas, which generated more than $18.5 billion in agricultural output.
  • Family-owned farms and ranches are the backbone of Kansas agriculture:
    • 86.4% family
    • 6.2% partnership
    • 4.6% corporation
    • 2.7% other-cooperative, estate or trust, institutional, etc.
  • The face of agriculture is changing in Kansas. The average age of the Kansas farmer is 58.2, according to the USDA Census on Agriculture.
  • The average size of a Kansas farm is 747 acres.

   *Data according to the USDA 2012 Census on Agriculture.

• How Does Kansas Agriculture affect the Kansas Economy?

  • Agriculture is the largest economic driver in Kansas, valued at nearly $67.5 billion, accounting for 44.5 percent of the state's total economy. 
  • In Kansas, there are 46,137,295 acres of  farmland, which accounts for 88 percent of all Kansas land. More than 21 million acres in Kansas is harvested for crops and over 16 million is pastureland for grazing animals.
  • The agriculture sector in Kansas employs more than 246,877 people through direct, indirect and induced effect careers, or 13% of the entire workforce in the state. 
  • Agriculture in Kansas is not just about growing crops and raising animals. The Kansas agricultural sector includes renewable energy production, food processing, research and education, agribusiness and more.
  • Kansas is part of the animal health corridor. Between Columbia, Missouri and Manhattan, Kansas sits the single largest concentration of animal health interests in the world.
  • Kansas farmers and ranchers are feeding the world. In 2016, Kansas exported nearly $3.4 billion in agricultural products. The top five exports include wheat, beef and veal, soybeans, feeds and forage, and corn.
  • Click here for more data and a full report on the estimated impact of agriculture, food and food processing sectors on the Kansas economy.

• What do Kansas Farmers and Ranchers Grow?

  • The top five agricultural products grown or raised in Kansas include:
    • Cattle and Calves
    • Wheat
    • Corn
    • Sorghum
    • Soybeans
  • Kansas is a recognized leader in agriculture in the United States.
    • Kansas is ranked first grain sorghum production, growing more than 46% of the nation's crop
    • Kansas is ranked second in sorghum for silage production
    • Kansas is ranked second in wheat production
    • Kansas is ranked third in cattle production and beef processing.
    • Kansas is ranked fourth in sunflower production.
  • Kansas is quickly becoming the new dairy frontier in the United States. In 2014 Kansas was home to 143,000 dairy cows that produced more than 2.9 billion pounds of milk.

  To view Kansas' complete ranking in U.S. Agriculture, click here ​

   

• Kansas Farm Facts

  Farm Facts is a reliable reference book that contains statistical data on agricultural production, prices, farm income and various other economic figures within the state. Data for this publication is collected through the voluntary cooperation of Kansas farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses who responded to surveys conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistic Service (USDA NASS) and the Census of Agriculture.

  Farm Facts is an active document that is updated regularly when new facts are released. The information is compiled by the Kansas Department of Agriculture.
  
  Kansas Farm Facts, August 14, 2017
  Kansas Farm Facts, October 5, 2016
  Kansas Farm Facts, September 1, 2015
  Kansas Farm Facts, February 13, 2015
  Farm Facts, August 5, 2013
  Farm Facts, 2012