CCFB News» May 2025

The Census of Agriculture is a count of U.S. farms, ranches, and the people who farm them. Even small plots of land, regardless of whether they're in rural or urban areas, are counted as long as $1,000 or more of agricultural products were raised or sold. The census is conducted every five years. The 2022 Census of Agriculture, which surveyed changes in land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, and income and expenditures from 2017 until 2022, was released on February 13, 2024.

For Cook County, the data shows that:

• The average farm size is 67 acres, which is a 2 percent increase from the 2017 survey. The vast majority of farms are between one and nine acres, likely due to the urban nature of Cook County.
• The number of farms and the amount of land in farms have declined.
• Nearly half of farm operators in Cook County are new and beginning farmers. Over 75 percent of producers are also family farmers.
• While Cook County only has a handful of organic growers, it is home to nearly 150 certified organic handling facilities, including bakeries, pizza producers, candy producers, distilleries, meat processors, and grain handling facilities.
• Over 35 farms sell directly to consumers, up from 2017. These farms generate over $2.3 million.
• There are nearly 120 farmers' markets in Cook County, many of which are located in the City of Chicago.

The 2024 Decision Innovation Solutions (DIS) Economic Contribution Study, conducted by Decision Innovation Solutions for the Institute for Feed Education and Research, examined categories within agriculture, including crops, livestock and poultry, and other agriculture.

For Cook County, the study shows that:

• Cook County has the highest total agriculture value added in Illinois at over $15.4 billion up 3 percent.
• Cook County is second among all counties in Illinois in jobs derived from crops, first in jobs derived from livestock and poultry, and first in jobs derived from other agriculture.
• Overall, Cook County has the highest total jobs derived from agriculture in Illinois at over 110,000, up 3 percent from prior studies.

The 2023 Feeding the Economy report again shows that the U.S. food and agriculture sector is a foundational pillar of America. Digging into county-level data, the report shows that Cook County agriculture has a tremendous economic impact. Data shows:

• A significant aspect of Cook County’s economy is food processing as of 2022. Food manufacturing accounted for $9.1 billion in Chicago’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• Bread and bakery products, except frozen manufacturing alone, accounted for just under $1 billion in GDP.
• Nonchocolate confectionery manufacturing not only provides nearly 3,500 jobs but also contributes over $540 million in added GDP.

The data shows that Cook County agriculture while more urban than in neighboring counties is thriving.