The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has released the 2023 Census of Agriculture data for American Samoa and Guam, revealing significant growth in both territories' agricultural sectors.
Conducted every five years, the Census of Agriculture provides comprehensive data at the island level, crucial for shaping policies, allocating resources, and supporting agricultural growth and sustainability.
In American Samoa, the number of farms increased by 13% to 7,157, with a total land area of 9,253 acres. The territory's total agricultural sales value reached $35.3 million, averaging $4,932 per farm. Taro emerged as the leading crop, generating sales of $1,245,378.
Guam experienced a more substantial increase in farm numbers, rising from 264 to 583 since the 2018 census. The total farmland in Guam covered 2,848 acres, with an average farm size of 4.9 acres. The territory's agricultural sales totaled $6,162,085, averaging $10,570 per farm. Vegetables and melons were the top-producing category, with sales of $2,636,157.
NASS Administrator Joseph Parsons emphasized the importance of the census data in telling the agriculture story of these territories. The information gathered supports various initiatives, including research funding, infrastructure development, and disaster preparedness.
The census defined farms differently for each territory. In American Samoa, a farm was any place that raised or produced agricultural products for sale or home consumption in 2023. For Guam, the definition included places that produced and sold, or normally would have sold, $1,000 or more of agricultural products in 2023.
