USDA Breaks Down American Horticultural Industry

What's the size of the U.S. horticultural industry? And how has it changed over the past five years? The answers to that and other related questions are now available.

The USDA is just out with its 2019 Census of Horticultural Specialties, which Lance Hoenig with the Department's Statistic Service calls the most comprehensive look at the horticulture industry. He noted the 600 page report looks at several area of specialty industry, such as the sale of horticultural crops.

"We're seeing $13.8 billion dollars in sales in 2019 that's virtually unchanged from 2014."

But what has changes is the number of horticultural farming operations. 

"The number of operations down about 11% from what we saw back in 2014. And so you know kind of a similar trend what we see across agriculture in general. You know, fewer operations but of course averaging a larger size."

52% of horticultural operations in 2019 were individually or family owned, but these only generated 25% of total horticultural sales. For a complete break down of the report, visit the USDA's Website.

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