Photo from Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner/Weighs & Measures.
The Census of Agriculture is a complete count of farms and ranches in the United States and the people who operate them. Even small plots of land - whether rural or urban - growing fruit, vegetables or some food animals count if $1,000 or more of such products were raised and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the year the census is taken. The Census of Agriculture is taken only once every five years.
Data from the 2022 Census of Agriculture is expected to be released in Feb. 2024.
Stock | 2017 | 2012 | 2007 | 2002 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | |
Cattle, Including Calves | 73 | 6,889 | 104 | 6,315 | 172 | 8,687 | 136 | 5,063 |
Cows | 64 | * | 66 | 4,063 | 102 | 5,449 | 97 | * |
Beef Cows | 63 | * | 61 | * | 89 | 992 | 75 | * |
Milk Cows | 1 | * | 9 | * | 13 | 4,457 | 22 | * |
Cattle, Excluding Cows | 41 | * | 78 | 2,252 | 132 | 3,238 | 107 | 2,092 |
* Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual farms
The last cattle brand registered in Los Angeles County is reported to have been filed in 1935.
Stock | 2017 | 2012 | 2007 | 2002 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | |
Hogs & Pigs | 26 | 145 | 36 | 239 | 67 | 453 | 67 | 550 |
Stock | 2017 | 2012 | 2007 | 2002 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | |
Sheep, Including Lambs | 70 | 857 | 87 | 999 | 97 | 2,853 | 93 | 2,969 |
Stock | 2017 | 2012 | 2007 | 2002 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | |
All Goats | 78 | 1,040 | 109 | 1,277 | 196 | 2,306 | 131 | 1,953 |
Milk Goats | 30 | 253 | 36 | 285 | 62 | 1,025 | 74 | 766 |
Angora Goats | 10 | 29 | 12 | 41 | 5 | 13 | 17 | 64 |
Meat Goats & Other | 50 | 758 | 86 | 951 | 151 | 1,268 | 96 | 1,123 |
Stock | 2017 | 2012 | 2007 | 2002 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | |
Horses & Ponies | 380 | 5,112 | 435 | 6,018 | 923 | 11,213 | 669 | 6,142 |
Mules, Burros & Donkeys | 89 | 208 | 88 | 344 | 102 | 215 | 24 | 37 |
Stock | 2017 | 2012 | 2007 | 2002 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | |
Chickens, Layers | 132 | 3,005 | 163 | 3,579 | 192 | * | 143 | 8,458 |
Chickens, Pullets, Replacement | 9 | 68 | 34 | 2,423 | 30 | 2,420 | 21 | 2,208 |
Chickens, Broilers | 16 | 250 | 29 | 456 | 1 | * | 20 | 154 |
Chickens, Roosters | 36 | 169 | 19 | 368 | 75 | * | 84 | * |
Stock | 2017 | 2012 | 2007 | 2002 | ||||
Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | |
Turkeys | 13 | 49 | 20 | 203 | 21 | 352 | 13 | 92 |
Ducks | 14 | 155 | 24 | 259 | 34 | 220 | 55 | 457 |
Emus | 11 | 38 | 9 | 52 | 15 | 80 | 16 | 36 |
Geese | 12 | 89 | 14 | 103 | 46 | 764 | 34 | 293 |
Stock | 2017 | 2012 | 2007 | 2002 | ||||
Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | |
Ostriches | NA | N/A | N/A | N/A | 2 | * | 7 | 17 |
Guineas | 2 | * | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Peafowl, Hens & Cocks | 13 | 59 | 9 | 128 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Pheasants | 3 | 18 | 6 | 44 | 8 | 28 | 15 | * |
Stock | 2017 | 2012 | 2007 | 2002 | ||||
Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | |
Pigeons & Squab | 13 | 4,150 | 14 | 1,651 | 30 | 2,340 | 26 | 1,425 |
Quail | 6 | 10 | 6 | 120 | 1 | * | 9 | * |
* Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual farms
N/A No data provided.
Stock | 2017 | 2012 | 2007 | 2002 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | |
Honey, Bee Colonies | 62 | 4,384 | 50 | 9,441 | 33 | 5,043 | 31 | 4,998 |
Stock | 2017 | 2012 | 2007 | 2002 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | Farms | Inventory | |
Alpacas | 13 | 258 | 26 | 417 | 26 | 440 | N/A | N/A |
Llamas | 15 | 119 | 29 | 78 | 58 | 239 | 55 | 555 |
Rabbits, Live | 7 | 97 | 15 | 134 | 41 | 198 | 32 | 590 |
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture - Census of Agriculture
In 1850, the U.S. Census conducted its first count in the newly established Los Angeles County. Recorded were 5,487 horses (1.6 horses for every resident, being as important to Angelenos then as cars are today), 351 "asses" and mules, 338 milk cows, 1,185 working oxen, 6,541 sheep, 172 swine and 88,454 cattle. Cattle, outnumbering people 25 to one, was then the county's most dominant industry.