Food Systems

US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Agricultural Library (NAL). Provides access to a wide variety of open data relevant to agricultural research and related domains. Include subjects such as agronomy, genomics, hydrology, soils, agro-ecosystems, sustainability science, and economic statistics.

Supports the proactive sharing of open data to make information about agriculture and nutrition available, accessible and usable to deal with the urgent challenge of ensuring world food security.

The National Resources Inventory is a statistical survey of land use and natural resource conditions on non-federal croplands and grazing lands. This website provides access to primary data sources looking at issues such as land development, land use, soil erosion, and water quality.

This interactive map gives a spatial overview of food access at a national, state or county-level, looking at statistics related to food choices, health and well-being, and community characteristics. The Atlas provides specific data for local foods, including direct-to-consumer sales, farmers’ markets, and farm-to-school programming.

The Agricultural Research Service is the USDA’s primary scientific research agency. Their website provides access to information on nutrition and food safety, animal and crop production, and the interface between sustainable agriculture and natural resources, including soil, water and air. The site also provides access to a number of reports on local food systems that can be accessed by a simple keyword search.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides national data on the “Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing” industry, broken down to employment, pay and benefits, and productivity. The website also provides timely reports on organic food production and local food production, including an occupational outlook.

The Census of Agriculture, conducted every five years, provides “a detailed picture of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them.” This website provides access to current and historical data on organic production at a national, state and county level.

The Consumer Expenditure Survey provides access to data on the buying habits of American consumers. Detailed information is available on how much food is spent on food away from home versus food at home; the food at home is broken into further categories, including cereals and bakery products; meats, poultry, fish, and eggs; dairy products; fruits and vegetables; and other.

An annual report from the U .S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns provides regional economic activity data on industries such as forestry, fishing, hunting and agriculture; manufacturing; wholesale trade; and retail trade. Organized by NAICS codes, information will include number of employees, payroll, and number of establishments. **Excludes data on self-employed individuals and agricultural production employees; see also Nonemployer Statistics, United States Census Bureau.

The Economic Research Service provides research and economic data from the USDA, including statistics on crops, farm economy, farm practices and management (including organic and sustainable farming practices), organic prices, and organic production. The site also provides access to a number of publications on local food systems that can be accessed by a simple keyword search.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service serves as a gateway to United States agricultural statistics, including the Census of Agriculture, with an emphasis on demographics, commodities, agricultural economics, and chemical usage. Statistics can be accessed at a national or state level, including state agriculture overviews.

An annual report from the U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics provides regional economic activity data on businesses without paid employees, including agricultural production. Organized using NAICS codes, information is available for industries such as forestry, fishing, hunting and agriculture; manufacturing; wholesale trade; and retail trade. **An important complement to the economic census reports in American FactFinder and County Business Patterns, United States Census Bureau.