Farm Census

Jefferson County, Wisconsin

Farms, crops and livestock in the 2022 Census of Agriculture

955 farms191,783 acres in farms$469 million in farm sales

Among US counties with published figures, Jefferson County ranks tenth for laying hens.

Its largest product group with a published figure, poultry and eggs, makes up 37.2% of farm sales, against 4.7% across Wisconsin.

Poultry and eggs: 37.2%Poultry and eggs37.2%Grains and oilseeds: 22.9%Grains and oilseeds22.9%Milk: 16.8%Milk16.8%Withheld groups: 11.6%Withheld groups11.6%Nursery and greenhouse: 4.3%4.3%Cattle and calves: 4.0%4.0%Hay and other crops: 1.6%1.6%Vegetables and melons: 1.4%1.4%Hogs and pigs: 0.2%Fruit and nuts: 0.1%Sheep and goats: under 0.1%Christmas trees: under 0.1%Tobacco: under 0.1%Poultry and eggs: 37.2%Poultry and eggs37.2%Grains and oilseeds: 22.9%22.9%Milk: 16.8%Milk16.8%Withheld groups: 11.6%11.6%Nursery and greenhouse: 4.3%4.3%Cattle and calves: 4.0%4.0%Hay and other crops: 1.6%1.6%Vegetables and melons: 1.4%1.4%Hogs and pigs: 0.2%Fruit and nuts: 0.1%Sheep and goats: under 0.1%Christmas trees: under 0.1%Tobacco: under 0.1%
Farm sales by product group, 2022, sized by value. Withheld to protect individual farms: horses and mules, aquaculture products and other animal products.
Sales by product group
Product groupSalesRank in state
Poultry and eggs$175 million1st of 51
Grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas$107 million14th of 67
Milk from cows$78.8 million37th of 63
Nursery, greenhouse and floriculture crops$20.0 million1st of 53
Cattle and calves$18.8 million38th of 65
Hay and other crops$7.3 million27th of 67
Vegetables, melons and potatoes$6.3 million15th of 56
Hogs and pigs$748,00015th of 50
Fruit, tree nuts and berries$609,00035th of 53
Sheep, goats, wool, mohair and goat milk$141,00041st of 57
Christmas trees and short-rotation woody crops$38,00035th of 46
Tobacco$31,0005th of 5

What the fields held

Jefferson County harvested 146,218 acres of cropland in 2022, 26th of 67 counties in Wisconsin. Corn for grain covered acreage equal to 44% of that, soybeans 31%.

CropAcresShare of US
Corn for grain65,0140.08%
Soybeans44,6020.05%
Hay and haylage18,465under 0.1%
Corn for silage9,8250.16%
Wheat4,693under 0.1%
Vegetables833under 0.1%
Orchard land135under 0.1%
of which grapes52under 0.1%
of which apples27under 0.1%
Oats66under 0.1%
Berries31under 0.1%
Tobacco6under 0.1%

Withheld to protect individual farms: barley, potatoes, almonds and pecans.

How much of the county is farmland

Share of the county land in farms53.9%

Jefferson County ranks 25th of 67 counties in Wisconsin on this measure.

  • 156,681 acres of cropland, 82% of farmland
  • 8,303 acres of pastureland, 4% of farmland
  • 11,542 acres of woodland, 6% of farmland
  • 8,844 acres irrigated

Farm sizes

The typical farm in Jefferson County is smaller than the national median of 72 acres, at 70 acres. The average, pulled up by the largest operations, is 201 acres, 54th-largest of 67 in Wisconsin. The most common size class is 50–179 acres, with 31.9% of farms. Farms of 1,000 acres or more are 3.7% of the total.

1–911%10–4931%50–17932%180–49917%500–9995%1,000–1,9992%2,000+1%
Jefferson County US · farms by size

Barns, pens and pastures

AnimalsHeadShare of US
Laying hens3,943,4851.0%
Milk cows15,2950.16%
Cattle and calves37,630under 0.1%
Horses and ponies829under 0.1%
Sheep and lambs1,105under 0.1%
Goats342under 0.1%
Beef cows1,819under 0.1%
Hogs and pigs1,079under 0.1%
Turkeys143under 0.1%
Broilers sold in 20221,488under 0.1%

Who farms here

Decisions on Jefferson County's 955 farms are made by 1,658 producers. Their average age is 58.5, 1.8 years above the Wisconsin average. Women are 35.5% of them.

Under 359%35–4411%45–5414%55–6428%65–7424%75+14%
Jefferson County US · producers by age

Five years earlier

Measure2017Change to 2022
Farms1,098−13.0%
Land in farms, acres221,355−13.4%
Average farm size, acres202−0.5%
Farm products sold (current dollars)$305 million+53.6%
Laying hens, head5,685,942−30.6%
Corn for silage, acres9,873−0.5%
Milk cows, head15,595−1.9%
Corn for grain, acres70,270−7.5%

Nearest rivals

Counties with a similar sales mix

Jefferson County accounts for 2.8% of farm sales in Wisconsin and 1.6% of the farms in Wisconsin. Rank Wisconsin counties for laying hens.

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