By Steve Bittenbender | The Center Square contributor
(The Center Square) – Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture reveals fewer Indiana farmers grew flowers last year.
A study by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service found the state was responsible for $56.6 million in sales of floriculture products last year. That was down roughly $300,000 from the previous year.
However, that total came from fewer producers, as 197 farmers sold at least $10,000 of floriculture goods in 2022. That was down more than 18% from the 241 that sold at least that much in 2021.
Nearly all of that decline came from businesses that sold $20,000 or less, according to Nathanial Warenski, a USDA statistician in the Indiana Field Office. The state had 66 such operators in 2021 and just 23 last year.
The report indicated 68 producers sold $100,000 or more in floral products last year, compared to 67 the year before.
Indiana also saw a slight reduction in greenhouse space used to grow flowers. The 6.2 million square feet of space used in production was down about 70,000 square feet from 2021.
Indiana’s floriculture market accounts for just less than 1% of the domestic sales reported by the USDA. In 2022, producers sold nearly $6.5 billion in floral commodities.
Indiana’s floriculture industry does lag behind some of its neighbors. In Michigan, operators sold $711.2 million in commodities last year, a 12% increase from 2021.
Illinois producers reported sales of $107.4 million in 2022, up 4.4% from the previous year. Ohio producers sold $243.5 million in commodities last year. However, that was down nearly 10% from the $269.1 million the state was responsible for in 2021.
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