Farm Census

Monmouth County, New Jersey

Farms, crops and livestock in the 2022 Census of Agriculture

931 farms44,226 acres in farms$120 million in farm sales

No other county in New Jersey with a published figure has more horses and ponies than Monmouth County.

Its largest product group with a published figure, nursery and greenhouse crops, makes up 70.9% of farm sales, against 48.8% across New Jersey.

Nursery and greenhouse: 70.9%Nursery and greenhouse70.9%Horses and mules: 14.9%Horses and mules14.9%Grains and oilseeds: 3.7%3.7%Vegetables and melons: 3.5%3.5%Fruit and nuts: 3.0%Fruit and nuts3.0%Poultry and eggs: 1.8%1.8%Hay and other crops: 1.2%1.2%Other animals: 0.5%Christmas trees: 0.3%0.3%Sheep and goats: 0.1%Cattle and calves: 0.1%Nursery and greenhouse: 70.9%Nursery and greenhouse70.9%Horses and mules: 14.9%Horses and mules14.9%Grains and oilseeds: 3.7%3.7%Vegetables and melons: 3.5%3.5%Fruit and nuts: 3.0%3.0%Poultry and eggs: 1.8%Hay and other crops: 1.2%1.2%Other animals: 0.5%Christmas trees: 0.3%Sheep and goats: 0.1%Cattle and calves: 0.1%
Farm sales by product group, 2022, sized by value. Withheld to protect individual farms: hogs and pigs and aquaculture products.
Sales by product group
Product groupSalesRank in state
Nursery, greenhouse and floriculture crops$84.7 million2nd of 17
Horses, ponies, mules, burros and donkeys$17.8 million1st of 15
Grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas$4.4 million8th of 16
Vegetables, melons and potatoes$4.1 million12th of 17
Fruit, tree nuts and berries$3.5 million9th of 17
Poultry and eggs$2.2 million3rd of 14
Hay and other crops$1.4 million7th of 16
Other animals and animal products$641,0005th of 16
Christmas trees and short-rotation woody crops$330,0004th of 16
Sheep, goats, wool, mohair and goat milk$174,0007th of 16
Cattle and calves$170,00010th of 15

What the fields held

Monmouth County harvested 23,522 acres of cropland in 2022, eighth of 19 counties in New Jersey. Soybeans covered acreage equal to 35% of that, hay and haylage 18%.

CropAcresShare of US
Soybeans8,287under 0.1%
Hay and haylage4,176under 0.1%
Corn for grain2,539under 0.1%
Vegetables803under 0.1%
of which potatoes7under 0.1%
Wheat584under 0.1%
Orchard land491under 0.1%
of which grapes68under 0.1%
of which apples2320.06%
Berries70under 0.1%

Withheld to protect individual farms: corn for silage and barley.

How much of the county is farmland

Share of the county land in farms14.8%

Monmouth County ranks ninth of 19 counties in New Jersey on this measure.

  • 27,235 acres of cropland, 62% of farmland
  • 8,169 acres of pastureland, 18% of farmland
  • 5,757 acres of woodland, 13% of farmland
  • 4,837 acres irrigated

Barns, pens and pastures

AnimalsHeadShare of US
Horses and ponies4,1080.17%
Goats1,4200.06%
Sheep and lambs1,038under 0.1%
Laying hens65,226under 0.1%
Beef cows194under 0.1%
Cattle and calves287under 0.1%
Hogs and pigs84under 0.1%
Milk cows9under 0.1%
Broilers sold in 2022399under 0.1%

Withheld: turkeys.

Who farms here

Decisions on Monmouth County's 931 farms are made by 1,796 producers. Their average age is 60.2, 1.5 years above the New Jersey average. Women are 35.7% of them.

Under 356%35–449%45–5414%55–6431%65–7424%75+16%
Monmouth County US · producers by age

Five years earlier

Measure2017Change to 2022
Farms838+11.1%
Land in farms, acres39,198+12.8%
Average farm size, acres47+2.1%
Farm products sold (current dollars)$80.6 million+48.2%
Horses and ponies, head3,818+7.6%
Apples, acres210+10.5%
Goats, head1,421−0.1%
Sheep and lambs, head1,280−18.9%

Nearest rivals

Counties with a similar sales mix

Monmouth County accounts for 8.0% of farm sales in New Jersey and 9.3% of the farms in New Jersey. Rank New Jersey counties for horses and ponies.

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