Agroforestry Extent in the United States: A Review of National Datasets and Inventory Efforts

Matthew M. Smith, Gary Bentrup, Todd Kellerman, Katherine MacFarland, Richard Straight and Lord Ameyaw
Additional contact information
Matthew M. Smith: USDA National Agroforestry Center, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
Gary Bentrup: USDA National Agroforestry Center, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
Todd Kellerman: USDA National Agroforestry Center, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
Katherine MacFarland: USDA National Agroforestry Center, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
Richard Straight: USDA National Agroforestry Center, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
Lord Ameyaw: Nebraska Forest Service, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68503, USA

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 5, 1-17

Abstract: A comprehensive understanding of agroforestry adoption across a landscape is critical for effective agroforestry planning. The objectives of this study are to identify the sources of agroforestry data that can be used in the United States (U.S.) for national inventory purposes, discuss the possible uses and nuances of the datasets, synthesize the data to create regional maps, and provide recommendations for improving future agroforestry inventory efforts. To accomplish this, we queried multiple government databases containing agroforestry inventory data and spoke with agency representatives with in-depth knowledge of each dataset. Data from federal conservation programs were found to be useful for assessing practice-level adoption through a conservation program but not for general inventory use, since agroforestry systems can be established without federal assistance. For inventory purposes, the 2017 U.S. Census of Agriculture was found to be the most comprehensive dataset, with 30,853 farm operations reporting agroforestry use, representing 1.5% of all U.S. farms. However, this value is likely an underestimate, due to respondent unfamiliarity with agroforestry terminology. We propose several strategies to improve the accuracy of future agroforestry surveys, since a greater understanding of agroforestry adoption will influence decisions related to agricultural policies, technical assistance, and planning of these integrated systems.

Keywords: windbreak; silvopasture; riparian forest buffer; alley cropping; forest farming; silvopastoral; intercropping; survey; census of agriculture; conservation programs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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