CEA in the Census of Agriculture

The Resource Innovation Institute (RII) has compiled a report summarizing trends and findings relevant to controlled environments from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2022 Census of Agriculture. 

The report highlights significant 10-year trends in controlled environment production, providing valuable insights for industry professionals looking at the U.S. market potential for CEA. The report is available in two versions: a free preview for the public and a more extensive version alongside raw data tables accessible to RII members or available for purchase by non-members. 

The 2022 Census of Agriculture is the 30th federal census. Throughout the evolution of the CEA sector, the USDA has recorded core statistics. Today, CEA is captured in the census as crops “grown under glass or other protection.” This category includes only crops that are grown from seed to harvest under permanent structures and does not include crops that may be started or finished in temporary structures like hoop houses or in the field.

In addition to the Census of Agriculture, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service publishes the Census of Horticultural Specialties detailing production and sales data for floriculture, nursery and specialty crops. This report provides more granular information about CEA crops and has only become a regular publication since 2009, also published every five years (typically two years after the overall Census of Agriculture). The most recent Census of Horticultural Specialties was published in December 2020, and the next one is expected to be published by the end of 2025 to early 2026.

The insights derived from the USDA Census of Agriculture are crucial for the future of controlled environment agriculture. This report not only highlights significant trends but also provides a roadmap for industry growth and resilience.

We have included a sampling of the RII report below.