Guess how many farms NJ has — you’re probably not even close

Nationally, the number of farms dropped 7% in the year 2022.

New Jersey, the Garden State, saw numbers move in the opposite direction.

A report released on Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture — their 2022 census — found that New Jersey's agricultural industry added 115 new farms.

To be counted, a farm must have sold or had the potential to sell at least $1,000 worth of agricultural products.

The addition brought the state's total to just under the 10,000 mark, at 9,998.

Despite the increase, the amount of land used by farms in New Jersey dropped by more than 20,000 acres, according to officials. The drop is nearly in line with the national average.

"It is encouraging to see that more residents of our state are taking a deeper interest in our industry by becoming more heavily involved in agriculture," said New Jersey Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Joe Atchison III.

In 2022, the state recorded nearly $1.5 billion worth of agriculture products sold. That number was around $1.1 billion in 2017.

In terms of sales, the nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod industry is at the top in New Jersey. Sales totaled $725 million in 2022, up from $500 million during the previous census.

The vegetable industry is the state's second highest in sales — nearly $295 million in one year, according to officials. Fruits and veggies brought in nearly $200 million.

According to officials, the expense to farm in New Jersey increased by an average of $37,000 per farm per year. The national average increase was more than $60,000 per farm.

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