LibGuides: Agriculture Research Guide: Ag Census and Historic Research

Agriculture Census Data

Agricultural Census of the United States
This link goes to the three most recent agricultural census data (2017, 2012 and 2007). It also links to specialized reports and older census years, back to 1840. Clicking on a Census will bring up the full reports, state data, and specialized reports including Agricultural Atlases and Maps, Specialty Crops Reports, Horticulture Specialties, land ownership, and others.
Historical Statistics of the United States colonial times to 1970, Bicentennial Edition, 1975
Supplement to the Statistical Abstract, bicentennial edition. Contains annual, time-series data with national coverage on almost any aspect of United States economics, population or infrastructure since the government began recording statistics. Data by decade from 1850 to 1970. MSU Main Library First Floor, East Wing C 3.134/2:H 62/789-970/ pt.1 and pt. 2
Researching Farms and Farmers in the U.S. Census
Guidance searching U.S. Agricultural Schedules.
Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940
1967.
On the 692 rolls of this microfilm publication, M595, are reproduced Indian census rolls, 1885-1940, with a few later rolls. These census rolls were usually submitted each year by agents or superintendents in charge of Indian reservations as required by an act of Congress of July 4, 1884 (23 Stat. 98)
1910 Census Instructions to Enumerators
The text is excerpted on pages 45-57 from Measuring America: The Decennial Censuses From 1790 to 2000.

Agriculture Census of Michigan, current to 1930

USDA Census of Agriculture Historical Archive
The site serves as a public archive of Census publications published 1840-2002. The first agriculture Census was taken in 1840 as part of the Sixth Decennial Census of Population. For 156 years (1840 - 1996) the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census was responsible for collecting data for the Census of Agriculture. In 1997, responsibility for conducting the Census of Agriculture transferred to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
2002 Census of Agriculture, Michigan
2002 Census of Agriculture, vols 2 & 3
1997 Census of Agriculture, Michigan
1997 Census of Agriculture, vols 2 & 3
1992 Census of Agriculture, Michigan
1992 Census of Agriculture, vols. 2-4
VOLUME 4: AGRICULTURAL FEATURE STORIES
1. Large Farms are Thriving in the United States
2. Thanksgiving Feast - An American Tradition
3. American Ginseng-Wisconsin
4. The 4th of July Picnic
1987 Census of Agriculture, Michigan
1987 Census of Agriculture, vols 2-4
1982 Census of Agriculture, Michigan
1982 Census of Agriculture, vols. 2 & 3
1978 Census of Agriculture, Michigan
1978 Census of Agriculture, vols 3-6
1974 Census of Agriculture, Michigan
1974 Census of Agriculture, vols 2-5
1969 Census of Agriculture, Michigan
1969 Census of Agriculture, vols. 2,3 and 5
1964 Census of Agriculture, vol. 1: Michigan
1964 Census of Agriculture, vol. 2: Crops, Horticultural Products, and Forest Products
Some state-level data, but not county level.
1959 Census of Agriculture, Michigan
1959 Census of Agriculture, vols 2-6
1954 Census of Agriculture, Michigan
1954 Census of Agriculture, vols 2& 3
1950 Census of Agriculture, Michigan
1950 Census of Agriculture, vol 2: General Report
1950 Census of Agriculture, vols 3-5
1945 Census of Agriculture, Michigan
1945 Census of Agriculture, vols. 2 & 3
1940 Census of Agriculture, Michigan
1940 Census of Agriculture, vols 2- 4
1935 Census of Agriculture, Michigan
1935 Census of Agriculture, vols. 2-4
United States census of agriculture: 1935. Michigan by counties and minor civil divisions
MSU SPECIAL COLL REMOTE: C3.31/4: 1935/Michigan/worksheets.
Table 1. Number of farms, land in farms classified according to use, rented farm land, farm operators by tenure, and part-time work off the farm -- Table 2. Value of farms, farm dwellings, farm population, wheat, oats, barley, rye and mixed grains -- Table 3. Sorghums, hays, cotton, tobacco, Irish potatoes and sweetpotatoes -- Table 4. Vegetables harvested for sale, strawberries, sugarcane or sugarbeets, corn and "all other" crops -- Table 5. Horses and mules, cattle, cows milked, sheep, chickens, turkeys, swine, goats, flax and rice -- Table 6. Land in fruit orchards, vineyards and planted nut trees, and specified tree fruits

Agriculture Census,1930 to 1935

1930, 15th, Census of Agriculture
v. 1 Farm acreage and farm values by townships or other minor civil divisions;
v. 2. Reports by states, with statistics for counties and a summary for the United States:
v. 2 pt. 1. The northern states;
v. 2 pt. 2. The southern states;
v. 2 pt. 3. The western states;
v.3. Type of farm. Reports by states, with statistics for counties and a summary for the United States:
v.3 pt. 1. The northern states;
v.3 pt. 2. The southern states;
v.3 pt. 3. The western states;
v. 4. General report, statistics by subjects.
1930, 15th, Census of the United States: Horticulture (1932)
This report contains the statistics on horticulture in six sections:
Flowers, plants, and vegetables grown under glass, and flowers grown in the open;
Nurseries;
Bulb farms;
Flower and vegetable seed production;
Mushrooms; and
Blueberries (including huckleberries).
1930, 15th, Census of the United States: The Farm Horse (1933)
A Special or Miscellaneous Agriculture Reports of the 1930, 15th, Census of the United States.
1930, 15th, Census of the United States:Agricultural commodity series (1933)
Titles include:
V. 1 - The assembling of agricultural commodities by retailers;
V. 2 - Cooperatives as a factor in the distribution of agricultural commodities;
V. 3 - Assembling of butterfat through cream stations;
V. 4 - Distribution of butter, cheese, evaporated and condensed milk, and ice cream;
V. 5 - Distribution of grain;
V. 6 - Distribution of livestock.
1930 Census Bulletin: Irrigation Summary for the United States, 1929 and 1930
Also, Population–Agriculture: Composition and Characteristics of the Population, Number of Farms, Acreage, Production, and Livestock
1930 Census: Drainage of Agricultural Lands. Reports by States with Statistics for Counties, a Summary for the United States, and a Synopsis of Drainage Laws (1932)
This is the second census of drainage. The first was taken in 1920. The data collected on the special drainage schedule cover the 35 States reporting organized drainage enterprises.
1930 Census: Irrigation of Agricultural Lands. General Reports and Analytical Tables, Reports by States with Statistics for Counties, and a Summary for the United States (1932)
This volume contains four principal parts and incorporates the series of advance irrigation bulletins issued for 19 States.
1. General discussion,
2. Summary for the 19 irrigation States and reports by States with statistics by counties,
3. Tenure of farm operator; size and type of farm; and value of farm products sold or traded; and
4. Crops grown on irrigated land. This fourth part was also published as a separate.
1930 Census of Agriculture: Chickens and Chicken Eggs, and Turkeys, Ducks, and Geese Raised on Farms (1933)
1930 Census of Agriculture: Farm Real-Estate Values in the New England States, 1850 to 1930 (1933)
1930 Census of Agriculture: Large-scale Farming in the United States, 1929 (1933)
1930 Census of Agriculture: Taxes on Farm Property in the United States (1933)
1930 Census of Agriculture: The Negro Farmer in the United States (1933)
The text and tables describe the negro rural population in relationship to the total negro population, racial distribution of farm operators, geographic distribution of negro farmers, negro farmers by tenure, values of land and buildings, use of machinery and implements, and comparisons with results of Censuses of 1920 and 1910.
1930 Census of Agriculture: Types of Farming in the United States (1933)

Agriculture Census, up to 1926

1925 Census of Agriculture, Michigan
1925 Census of Agriculture, vol. 2
1920, 14th, Census of Agriculture
1920 Census Monograph 6. Farm Population of the United States (1926)
Monograph VI is an analysis of the differences of the farm population from the so-called “rural” group that includes people in small cities and villages, miners, suburban residents, and other populations that are very distinct from the farm population.
1920 Census Monograph 4. Farm Tenancy in the United States (1924)
Monograph IV is a statistical and descriptive analysis of farm tenure, specifically comparing the status of farm tenant, farm owner, and farm laborer.
1920 Census Bulletins: Agriculture: Agriculture Statistics and Drainage Statistics
(no report for Irrigation statistics for Michigan was generated)
1910, 13th, Census of Agriculture
Vols 5, 6 and 7 applied to agriculture.
1900, 12th, Census of Agriculture
Vols 5 and 6 applied to agriculture.
1900 Census: Bulletins - Agriculture
Includes Agriculture by Geography (Michigan) and the topics of Cotton and Domestic Animals.
1900 Census: Bulletins - Manufacturing & Industry
Topis include: Food and Drink, Lumber Industry, Flax, Hemp and Jute Products, and Agricultural Implements (these are just some of the examples.
1890, 11th, Census of Agriculture
1890 Census Bulletins - Agriculture
Many topics, some of which are: Horticulture, Floriculture, Flax and Hemp, Hops, Statistics of Agriculture, Truck Farming and Viticulture.
1890 Census Bulletins - Manufacturing & Industry
Some applications to Michigan includes named Michigan cities; Fisheries of the Great Lakes; Coal Mines; Floating Equipment on the Great Lakes; Transportation—Railway Statistics
1880, 10th, Census of Agriculture
1870, 9th, Census of Agriculture
1860, 8th, Census of Agriculture
1850, 7th, Census of Agriculture
1840 - Compendium of the Enumeration of the Inhabitants of the United States
Census for 1820
The results of the inquiry as to the manufactures of the United States are presented in separate tables for each district (State) and Territory by counties. Includes the "number of persons engaged in agriculture"

Historic Ag Information

Transactions of the State Agricultural Society, with reports of county agricultural societies [online]
Print are at MSU REMOTE STORAGE A, S75.A2 M5 v.1 (1849) - v.11 (1859), http://catalog.lib.msu.edu/record=b2172170.
Annual report of the secretary of the State Board of Agriculture of the State of Michigan, for the year ..
1st (1862)-34th (1894/1985); LD3245 .M01; Index: 1st (1862)-27th [full text in Google books];; continued under a new title.
Annual report of the secretary of the State Board of Agriculture of the State of Michigan and ... annual report of the Agricultural College Experiment Station from ..
35th (1895/1896)-87th (1947/1948), LD3245 .M01 [full text in Google books]; continued under a new title...
Annual report, secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, State of Michigan and ... annual report, Agricultural Experiment Station.
88th (1948/1949)-96th (1956/1957), LD3245 .M01

A general index of the agricultural reports of the Patent Office, for twenty-five years, from 1837 to 1861 : and of the Department of Agriculture, for fifteen years, from 1862 to 1876 by The Commission of Agriculture
Call Number: Gov Docs A 1.1:Index 1837-76
Publication Date: 1876
Coverage from 1837-1885.

Historical Statistics of the United States: Millennial Edition This link opens in a new window
The last edition of the Historical Statistics of the United States was published by the Census Bureau in 1975. When the Census Bureau decided in the early 1990's that it would not publish a new edition of Historical Statistics, a team of renowned social scientists came together with Cambridge University Press to create a new edition. More than 200 of the nation's leading economists, historians, political scientists, sociologists, and other scholars contributed to the Millennial Edition of Historical Statistics. This new edition adds thirty years of data and contains coverage of topics that received little or no coverage in the 1975 edition: American Indians, slavery, poverty, race, and ethnicity. The most recent scholarship has been brought to bear in every table.

The electronic edition has been designed to give users a variety of means to search and navigate the vast amount of data in the Historical Statistics. Users will be able to graph individual tables or to combine data from different tables into "custom tables" and to download tables for use in spreadsheets and other applications.

Farm & garden index by Indexing Center, Micro Photo Division, Bell & Howell Company
Call Number: Z5071.A3 F3
Publication Date: 1979-1986

MSU Libraries

Research Guides

Agriculture Research Guide: Ag Census and Historic Research

Agriculture Census Data

Agriculture Census of Michigan, current to 1930

Agriculture Census,1930 to 1935

Agriculture Census, up to 1926

Historic Ag Information