Statistics on Urban Agriculture in California

How much urban agriculture is there in your city or county? It’s difficult to know, since no statistics are gathered specifically about urban agriculture either statewide or nationally. Some local efforts have been made, such as the Cultivate Los Angeles report by UCLA Urban Planning Students, which mapped urban agriculture sites in Los Angeles in 2013.

However, the USDA Census of Agriculture, taken every five years, gathers important data about farms in each county in the U.S. Data for 2012 is now available. By generating a county-level report you can find out the number of farms in your county, their size, and other important information. According to the USDA, “a farm is defined as any place that produced and sold, or normally would have sold, $1,000 or more of agricultural products during the Census year”. Urban farmers who meet this criterion are encouraged to participate in the next Census in 2017.

You can also contact your county’s Agricultural Commissioner. County Agriculture Commissioners generally release an annual crop and livestock report that provides details about the county’s agriculture, including local crops, acreage, number of farms, and other helpful information.