Jul 21, 2020

Data: American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service  on July 21 released 2018 Census of Agriculture data for American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This is the first update to agricultural data for the four areas in over 10 years.

“The Census of Agriculture is the only source of comprehensive and impartial agricultural statistics about American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands,” said National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Administrator Hubert Hamer. “Conducted in close cooperation with local agencies, governments, and community stakeholders, the 2018 Census of Agriculture data provide locally-collected information on each area’s unique agriculture industry.” 

Highlights from the 2018 Census of Agriculture for each of the four areas include:

• American Samoa
  • There were 6,329 farms, up 489 farms from the last census. Land in farms totaled 14,404 acres, with an average farm size of 2.3 acres.
  • The total value of production was $44.3 million, with an average value of $6,994 per farm.  
  • Fruits and nuts represented the largest category of production, with a value of $20.5 million.
• Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)
  • There were 253 farms, virtually unchanged from the last census. Land in farms totaled 1,515 acres, with an average farm size of 6.0 acres.
  • The total value of sales was $1.6 million, with an average value of $6,245 per farm.
  • Vegetables and melons represented the largest category of production, with sales of $639,000.
• Guam
  • There were 264 farms, up 160 farms from the last census. Land in farms totaled 2,441 acres, with an average farm size of 9.2 acres.
  • The total value of sales was $3.8 million, with an average value of $14,556 per farm.
  • Vegetables and melons represented the largest category of production, with sales of $1.8 million.
• U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI)
  • There were 565 farms, up 346 farms from the last census. Land in farms totaled 9,324 acres, with an average farm size of 16.5 acres. 
  • The total value of sales was $3.3 million, with an average value of $5,902 per farm.
  • Vegetables represented the largest category of production, with sales of $1.1 million.

“Statistics from the Census of Agriculture allow stakeholders and lawmakers to more accurately develop and improve farm programs, study historical trends, assess current conditions, and plan for the future,” said Hamer. “At the local level, agencies such as the local departments of agriculture use census data to develop policies and programs and as a benchmark to estimate losses and damages caused by natural disasters such as hurricanes and typhoons, flooding, and severe droughts.”

The Census of Agriculture is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. To access the entire set of data products from the Census of Agriculture program, visit www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus.