Farm Census

Allegan County, Michigan

Farms, crops and livestock in the 2022 Census of Agriculture

1,120 farms209,410 acres in farms$728 million in farm sales

Among US counties with published figures, Allegan County ranks fifth for laying hens.

Within Michigan, no other county with a published figure has more hogs and pigs, or sells more farm products.

Poultry and eggs: 29.8%Poultry and eggs29.8%Milk: 22.5%Milk22.5%Hogs and pigs: 14.6%Hogs and pigs14.6%Grains and oilseeds: 13.5%Grains and oilseeds13.5%Nursery and greenhouse: 6.7%6.7%Cattle and calves: 4.0%4.0%Vegetables and melons: 3.8%3.8%Fruit and nuts: 3.6%Fruit and nuts3.6%Withheld groups: 0.8%0.8%Other animals: 0.7%0.7%Poultry and eggs: 29.8%Poultry and eggs29.8%Milk: 22.5%Milk22.5%Hogs and pigs: 14.6%14.6%Grains and oilseeds: 13.5%13.5%Nursery and greenhouse: 6.7%6.7%Cattle and calves: 4.0%4.0%Vegetables and melons: 3.8%3.8%Fruit and nuts: 3.6%3.6%Withheld groups: 0.8%Other animals: 0.7%
Farm sales by product group, 2022, sized by value. Withheld to protect individual farms: hay and other crops, Christmas trees, sheep and goat products and horses and mules.
Sales by product group
Product groupSalesRank in state
Poultry and eggs$217 million1st of 67
Milk from cows$164 million5th of 52
Hogs and pigs$106 million1st of 60
Grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas$97.9 million20th of 76
Nursery, greenhouse and floriculture crops$48.7 million6th of 65
Cattle and calves$29.1 million8th of 74
Vegetables, melons and potatoes$27.4 million7th of 62
Fruit, tree nuts and berries$26.3 million9th of 67
Other animals and animal products$5.2 million1st of 63

What the fields held

Allegan County harvested 154,296 acres of cropland in 2022, 17th of 81 counties in Michigan. Corn for grain covered acreage equal to 38% of that, soybeans 28%.

CropAcresShare of US
Corn for grain59,2320.07%
Soybeans42,9610.05%
Hay and haylage22,077under 0.1%
Corn for silage12,7330.21%
Vegetables6,4380.15%
Wheat6,308under 0.1%
Berries2,6950.76%
Orchard land1,424under 0.1%
of which grapes368under 0.1%
of which apples6090.15%
Oats64under 0.1%

Withheld to protect individual farms: dry edible beans and potatoes.

How much of the county is farmland

Share of the county land in farms39.6%

Allegan County ranks 25th of 81 counties in Michigan on this measure.

  • 168,011 acres of cropland, 80% of farmland
  • 10,126 acres of pastureland, 5% of farmland
  • 18,584 acres of woodland, 9% of farmland
  • 20,293 acres irrigated

Farm sizes

The typical farm in Allegan County is smaller than the national median of 72 acres, at 39 acres. The average, pulled up by the largest operations, is 187 acres, 33rd-largest of 73 in Michigan. The most common size class is 10–49 acres, with 38.9% of farms. Farms of 1,000 acres or more are 5.2% of the total.

1–919%10–4939%50–17924%180–49910%500–9994%1,000–1,9993%2,000+2%
Allegan County US · farms by size

Barns, pens and pastures

AnimalsHeadShare of US
Laying hens6,495,6091.7%
Turkeys325,0310.33%
Hogs and pigs221,4370.30%
Milk cows25,1240.27%
Cattle and calves50,8680.06%
Horses and ponies1,129under 0.1%
Goats1,166under 0.1%
Sheep and lambs1,893under 0.1%
Broilers sold in 20222,282,346under 0.1%
Beef cows3,084under 0.1%

Who farms here

Decisions on Allegan County's 1,120 farms are made by 2,002 producers. Their average age is 55.6, 0.9 years below the Michigan average. Women are 34.5% of them.

Under 3510%35–4414%45–5420%55–6427%65–7421%75+8%
Allegan County US · producers by age

Five years earlier

Measure2017Change to 2022
Farms1,172−4.4%
Land in farms, acres229,743−8.9%
Average farm size, acres196−4.6%
Farm products sold (current dollars)$584 million+24.5%
Laying hens, head6,155,985+5.5%
Berries, acres2,969−9.2%
Turkeys, head312,229+4.1%
Hogs and pigs, head206,926+7.0%

Nearest rivals

Counties with a similar sales mix

Allegan County accounts for 6.0% of farm sales in Michigan and 2.5% of the farms in Michigan. Rank Michigan counties for laying hens.

Source: USDA NASS Census of Agriculture. How to read these pages.