According to the United States Dept. of Agriculture’s 2017 Census of Agriculture there were 1,257 farms in Johnson County with a total of 304,239 acres of farmland, and an average farm size of 242 acres.
Economic impact
4,044 jobs in agriculture
• 3% of residents were employed by agricultural or ag-related industries
• $312.3 million total value-added from ag
• $171 million in wages from ag
• $866.8 million in total ag sales
Animal agriculture, by the numbers
1% of jobs are in livestock production
• Market value of livestock sold = $76.3 million
• 7,537 cattle sold for slaughter
• 20,668 cattle and calves sold
• 7,490 cattle on feed
• 206,855 hogs sold
• 90,685 hogs
• 58,232 turkeys
204,387 layers
Crop production, by the numbers
1% of jobs are in crop production
• Market value of crops = $143.4 million
• 118,135 acres of corn
• Average corn yield per acre = 211 bushels
• 107,687 acres of soybeans
• Average soybean yield per acre = 54 bushels
The Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers’ 2019 Iowa Agricultural Economic Contribution Study, based on the 2017 USDA census, found Iowa is home to 86,104 farms with more than 90% family owned. The Coalition said the average farm size has held steady since the turn of the century: 355 acres in 2017, 345 in 2012, 331 in 2007, and 350 in 2002.
“Iowa farms support a healthy and productive livestock industry,” the Coalition said. “In 2017, Iowa farms helped raise 3.95 million cattle and calves, 938,818 beef cows, 223,579 dairy cows, and 22,730,540 hogs and pigs.” The state was No.1 in production of hogs, corn, eggs, and soybeans while ranking in the top-five for red meat production, number of farms, cattle on feed, cash receipts, and total value of ag exports. In 2017, Iowa was the nation’s top producer of corn and soybeans, producing approximately 2.6 billion bushels of corn and nearly 554 million bushels of soybeans.
About the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF)
The Coalition was created by farmers in 2004 with the mission of working with farmers to advocate and help implement on-farm best-management practices that assist Iowa’s farm families in raising livestock responsibly and successfully.
The Coalition is a partnership involving the Iowa Beef Industry Council, Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Poultry Association, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Turkey Federation, and Midwest Dairy.
CSIF is a non-profit, non-partisan organization providing assistance to farmers at no cost. It does not lobby nor develop policy.
Farm families wanting a helping hand can contact the Coalition at 800-932-2436.
The Coalition has assisted more than 4,800 Iowa farm families to:
• Follow all rules and regulations – There are hundreds of type-written, single-spaced pages applicable to most families who raise livestock
• Choose good locations for new livestock farms that take into account the proximity of neighboring residences, towns, roads, parks, churches, and other public use areas as well as topography and prevailing wind direction
• Enhance relationships with neighbors by fostering better and more timely communication about the construction of new livestock farms, participating in community discussions, and networking with members of the news media to discuss intentions about moving forward on new livestock farms
• Safeguard air, soil and water quality by planting trees around new and existing farms