For Colorado agriculture statistics you can quote safely, start with the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s publications list, then take each figure from a table that states its year, unit and geography.
The broader context for these figures sits in the colorado agriculture overview. This page is about where the numbers come from and how to cite them without distorting them.
Picture a grant writer, a student or a local reporter who needs one farm figure for a paragraph. The number is easy to find. The hard part is knowing which publication it came from, what period it describes and whether it covers the state or a single county. Six sources answer most of those questions. They are ranked below by how directly they suit a reader who needs a quotable figure.
Quick answer: which source for which job
- Statewide annual figures: use the Colorado Agricultural Statistics Bulletin.
- Figures for one county: use Colorado County Agricultural Statistics.
- Farm counts, average farm size and other structural measures: use the USDA Census of Agriculture and name the census year.
- Custom or recent series: use USDA NASS Quick Stats, and note the exact series and period.
- A one-page state summary: use the USDA Economic Research Service state fact sheet.
Colorado Agricultural Statistics Bulletin
The Colorado Department of Agriculture publications page lists the Colorado Agricultural Statistics Bulletin. It is the first place to look when you want a statewide, state-hosted reference for Colorado farm figures. It suits writers who want a document they can name in a citation.
Its limit is scope. A bulletin is a snapshot for the period it covers, so a figure copied from it should carry that edition’s date. If you are comparing years, make sure both figures come from the same publication series. Otherwise definitions or rounding may differ.
Colorado County Agricultural Statistics
The same publications page lists Colorado County Agricultural Statistics. It is the right choice when your story is about one of the Colorado counties rather than the whole state, for example a county comparison or a local planning document.
Keep county and state figures apart in your writing. A county number belongs to that county alone, and adding or averaging county figures yourself can create a statistic no publication has stated. If a statewide figure exists, quote it directly.
USDA NASS Colorado Field Office
The Colorado Department of Agriculture also lists the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Colorado Field Office. The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service is the federal statistical agency behind much of the data in this area, and the Colorado field office is its state-level contact point.
For citation, name the agency as USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service and, where relevant, its Colorado Field Office. Do not credit the state department for a number that originates with NASS. The state page points readers to the statistics, but the table you cite should name its producer.
Side by side: the state-listed resources
| Resource | Best for | Planning use |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Agricultural Statistics Bulletin | Statewide reference figures | Cite the edition and the period it covers beside each figure. |
| Colorado County Agricultural Statistics | Single-county questions | Name the county, and never add counties together yourself. |
| NASS Colorado Field Office | Finding the federal producer of the data | Credit NASS, not the state page, as the producer. |
All three resources appear on the Colorado Department of Agriculture publications page.
USDA Census of Agriculture, Colorado
The USDA Census of Agriculture is the usual source for structural farm measures, including the number of farms and the Colorado average farm size. Search for the Colorado state profile and the county profiles. Those are the tables that carry the figures people most often want to quote.
Three habits keep these figures accurate. State the census year every time. Give the unit as the table does, for example acres per farm. Remember that an average farm size is a mean. A few very large operations and many small ones can produce the same average, so the figure does not describe a typical farm. Avoid writing that most Colorado farms are about that size unless a table says so.
USDA NASS Quick Stats
Quick Stats is NASS’s searchable database. It suits readers who need a specific series, such as one commodity, for a specific year and place. Use it when the bulletin or census profile does not give the exact cut you need.
Its flexibility is also its risk. Two people can search the same database and report different numbers because they chose different survey types, periods or units. Record the commodity, the statistic category, the unit, the year and the geography, and cite all of them.
USDA ERS state fact sheet
The USDA Economic Research Service publishes state fact sheets that summarise a state’s farm economy on a single page. They suit a reader who wants orientation before looking at detailed tables. They also help when you are deciding which measure matters for your story.
A summary is not a replacement for the underlying table. If you quote a fact sheet figure, cite the fact sheet and its stated reference year. If you need the detail behind it, go to the census or Quick Stats table it draws on.
Decision checklist before you quote a figure
- Name the geography. Decide whether the figure is for Colorado as a whole or for one county.
- Pick the matching source. Use the bulletin or fact sheet for state summaries, county statistics for local questions and the census for structural measures.
- Copy the year and unit. Put them in the same sentence as the number.
- Credit the producer. Name NASS or ERS for federal data and the Colorado Department of Agriculture only for what it publishes.
- Avoid doing your own arithmetic. Quote totals and averages as published rather than combining figures from different tables.
Readers who want to see how these numbers play out in a specific region can continue to front range farming colorado. Those interested in how farm output reaches consumers can look at colorado farmers markets.
Frequently asked questions
Where do official Colorado farm statistics come from?
The Colorado Department of Agriculture publications page lists the Colorado Agricultural Statistics Bulletin, county-level agricultural statistics and the NASS Colorado Field Office. Federal series come from USDA NASS and ERS.
How should I cite the Colorado average farm size?
Cite the Census of Agriculture year, give the unit exactly as the table states it and describe the figure as an average. An average does not show how farm sizes are distributed.
Can I combine county figures into a state total?
It is better not to. County Agricultural Statistics describe each county on its own. If you need a state figure, quote the statewide publication so the definition and year match.
When should I use Quick Stats instead of a printed bulletin?
Use Quick Stats when you need a specific series or cut that the bulletin does not show. Record the commodity, unit, year and geography so another reader can reproduce your number.
