Vast flatland, fertile soil and endless prairie make up USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service’s (NASS) Northern Plains Region, which is comprised of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas. According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, this region is known for its cattle and calf sales, crop sales — in particular grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas, with each ranking top 10 in the nation — and being near the top in the nation for number of young producers (producers under the age of 35).
North Dakota ranks third in the nation in producers under 35 at 11.3%. It has the sixth highest sales of grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas in the nation at $9.7 billion, helping the nineteenth largest state rank seventh in the nation in total crop sales with $10.6 billion.
One state below, South Dakota comes in at seventh in the nation in producers under 35 at 10.5%. The Mount Rushmore State ranks ninth in the nation in grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas sales with $7.4 billion, and ranks eighth in cattle and calf sales at $3.1 billion.
Further south, Nebraska comes in fourth in producers under 35 at 11.2%. The Cornhusker State boasts an impressive ranking of fifth in the nation in total crop sales, thanks to its fourth-place ranking in grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas sales at $13.4 billion. To follow that up, Nebraska ranks fifth in the nation in sales of livestock at $15.4 billion, primarily due to being third in the nation in cattle and calf sales with $12.2 billion.
While not quite as high as its northern counterparts in young producers, Kansas comes in at 16th in the nation with 9.6% of producers under 35. However, the Sunflower State more than makes up for that by being fourth in the nation in livestock sales at $15.6 billion, $13.6 billion of that coming from their cattle and calf sales, ranking them second in the nation in this category.
Learn more about the Northern Plains Region by visiting nass.usda.gov/AgCensus or contact your state agricultural statistician.