A comprehensive understanding of agroforestry adoption across a landscape is critical for effective agroforestry planning. The objectives of this study are to identify the sources of agroforestry data that can be used in the United States (U.S.) for national inventory purposes, discuss the possible uses and nuances of the datasets, synthesize the data to create regional maps, and provide recommendations for improving future agroforestry inventory efforts. To accomplish this, we queried multiple government databases containing agroforestry inventory data and spoke with agency representatives with in-depth knowledge of each dataset. Data from federal conservation programs were found to be useful for assessing practice-level adoption through a conservation program but not for general inventory use, since agroforestry systems can be established without federal assistance. For inventory purposes, the 2017 U.S. Census of Agriculture was found to be the most comprehensive dataset, with 30,853 farm operations reporting agroforestry use, representing 1.5% of all U.S. farms. However, this value is likely an underestimate, due to respondent unfamiliarity with agroforestry terminology. We propose several strategies to improve the accuracy of future agroforestry surveys, since a greater understanding of agroforestry adoption will influence decisions related to agricultural policies, technical assistance, and planning of these integrated systems.

Agroforestry offers producers climate mitigation and adaptation benefits and the opportunity to diversify income and enhance ecosystem services. Though these benefits are well-researched, few studies document agroforestry implementation through time in the United States using consistent national data sources. To fill this knowledge gap, we investigated changes in the number of farm operations with agroforestry across the United States using data from the 2017 and 2022 United States Census of Agriculture. Through this analysis, we showed that the number of farm operations with agroforestry increased by 6% nationally between 2017 (30,853) and 2022 (32,717). States with the highest percent of total farms reporting at least one type of agroforestry were Vermont (7.8%), Maine (6.0%), and New Hampshire (5.6%), while states with the lowest percent were Arizona (0.3%), Utah (0.4%), and North Dakota (0.4%). States on the eastern half of the country tended to see increases in the number of farm operations with agroforestry between census years, while states on the western half of the country saw the largest decreases. Reasons for these changes are complex and require additional analysis. Additionally, we identified potential factors that may decrease the accuracy of agroforestry census data, along with recommendations on how to improve overall data quality going forward. We outlined how national agroforestry census data can inform decision-making related to farm policies, funding, programs, research, and extension delivery. With an online supplement, we also provided detailed maps of the extent of agroforestry in all 50 states.

This archive contains research data collected and/or funded by Forest Service Research and Development (FS R&D), U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is a resource for accessing both short and long-term FS R&D research data, which includes Experimental Forest and Range data. It is a way to both preserve and share the quality science of our researchers.

This archive contains research data collected and/or funded by Forest Service Research and Development (FS R&D), U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is a resource for accessing both short and long-term FS R&D research data, which includes Experimental Forest and Range data. It is a way to both preserve and share the quality science of our researchers.

This archive contains research data collected and/or funded by Forest Service Research and Development (FS R&D), U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is a resource for accessing both short and long-term FS R&D research data, which includes Experimental Forest and Range data. It is a way to both preserve and share the quality science of our researchers.

Over the past several decades, research has documented increased adoption of silvopasture in the United States. However, no national survey has been conducted on silvopasture use, limiting understanding of key information needed to inform technical assistance and research. The National Agroforestry Producer Survey was conducted to address this gap. The survey was completed by 5,682 producers with agroforestry (52% response rate). This study provides results from the 1,747 producers who reported using silvopasture, one of the five agroforestry practices covered in the survey. The average acreage in silvopasture per farm operation was 80.7 acres (32.7 hectares), although acreages varied by region. Conversion of forests to silvopasture was the most common establishment pathway (59%), while 25% of producers planted trees into a field or pasture. Most respondents (74%) grazed cattle in their silvopastures, though many livestock types were reported. Producers cited high-value timber tree species or those providing edible crops as most important for use in their silvopastures. A majority (60%) of silvopastures were established over 15 years ago. Key benefits of silvopasture were improved animal welfare and wildlife habitat, while top challenges were added labor and management complexity and expense of maintenance. Roughly 88% of respondents use crops and products from their silvopastures for personal use, while 64% reported selling crops and products. Animal stockyards (59%) were the primary market outlet where producers sold products from their silvopastures. When asked about future intentions, 87% of producers reported maintaining or expanding the acres they have in silvopasture. Graphical Abstract The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.