About Farming

Agriculture has been a dominant feature of Snohomish County's fertile landscape since the county was founded in 1861. County Executive Dave Somers supports the history and importance of commercial agriculture to the county's quality of life and economic health.

The following information is a comparison between the USDA 2002, 2007, and 2012 Census of Agriculture.

USDA Census of Agriculture Comparison

Snohomish County Agricultural Production 2002  Census % Change '02-'07 2007 Census % Change from '07-'12 2012 Census
Value of the Agricultural Industry $126.9 million -1 $125.6 million +11 $139.5 million
Average market value of production per farm $80,653 -7 $75,221 +29 $97,000
Average production expenses per farm $73,841 -7 $68,922 +30 $98,108
Average government payment per farm $15,502 -38 $9,547 -9 $8,729
Average net income of operation per farm $10,619 -.2 $10,597 -150 $4,244
Number of farms 1,574 +6 1,670 -14 1438
Farms that have sales <$25,00 per year 1,297 +10 1,438 -15 1,255
Acres in farm lands 68,612 +12 76,837 -8 70,863
Farms between 1 and 9 acres in size ~535 +11 ~600 +2 ~610
Farms between 10 and 49 acres in size ~740 +1 ~750 -30 ~580
Farms between 50 and 179 acres in size ~225 -2 ~220 -13 ~195
Average age of farmer 55.2 +3 56.7 +3 58.5
Percent female principal farm operators 26 +16 31 +6 33
Percent farming is primary occupation 52.2 -32 39.5 -11 35.5
Forage-land acreage (number 1 crop item) 13,929 -12 12,485 -4 11,960
Number of layers (number 1 livestock item) 362,301 +23 468,043 +62 759,220
Milk from cows (Value of sales, $1,000) 42,439 -14 37,330 +19 46,182
Commodities that rank First in the state Mink N/A Mink N/A Rabbits
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