Contents Page Introduction ................................................................................... V Islands Map ................................................................................... VIII TABLES American Samoa Data 1. Farms, Land in Farms, and Land Use: 2008 and 2003 ............................................. 1 2. Farms and Land in Farms, by Size of Farm: 2008 and 2003 . 1 3. Tenure, Paid Labor, and Characteristics of Operators: 2008 and 2003 . 2 4. Selected Farm Production Expenses: 2008...................................................... 2 5. Farm Characteristics: 2008 and 2003 .......................................................... 3 6. Value of Agricultural Products Sold and Used for Family Consumption: 2008 and 2003 . 4 7. Field Crops, Melons, and Vegetables: 2008 and 2003 ............................................. 5 8. Fruits, Nuts, and Ornamental Plants and Nursery Products: 2008 and 2003 . 6 9. Livestock, Chickens, and Chicken Eggs: 2008 and 2003 . 8 10. Fish and Other Aquaculture Products: 2008 and 2003 . 9 District and County Data 11.Farms, Land in Farms, and Land Use: 2008 and 2003 ............................................. 10 12. Farms, Land in Farms, and Size of Farm: 2008 and 2003 . 12 13.Farms by Number of Parcels: 2008 and 2003.................................................... 14 14. Farms, Land in Farms, Cropland Used for Crops, and Tenure of Operator: 2008 and 2003 . 15 15. Field Crops, Melons, and Vegetables: 2008 and 2003 . 18 16. Fruits, Nuts, and Ornamental Plants and Nursery Products: 2008 and 2003 . 32 17. Livestock, Chickens, and Chicken Eggs: 2008 and 2003 . 47 18. Fish and Other Aquaculture Products: 2008 and 2003 . 52 19. Farms with Selected Equipment and Specified Facilities: 2008 and 2003 . 54 20.Paid Labor by Days Worked: 2008 and 2003.................................................... 56 21.Operator Characteristics: 2008 and 2003 ....................................................... 57 22. Selected Farm Production Expenses: 2008 and 2003 . 58 23. Value of Agricultural Products Sold and Consumed: 2008 and 2003 . 59 24.Type of Land Ownership: 2008 and 2003....................................................... 67 Summary Data 25.Summary by Tenure of Operator: 2008......................................................... 69 26.Summary by Size of Farm: 2008 ............................................................. 72 27.Summary by Age of Operator: 2008 .......................................................... 78 28. Summary by Value of Agricultural Products Sold: 2008 . 84 APPENDICES A. Census of Agriculture Methodology........................................................... A-1 B. General Explanation and Census Report Form................................................... B-1 Index .......................................................................................Index 1 2008 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE CONTENTS III Introduction HISTORY Census statistics are used to measure agricultural production and to identify trends For more than 150 years, the U.S. Department in the ever-changing agricultural sector. Many of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, local programs use census data as a conducted the census of agriculture. benchmark for designing and evaluating However, the 1997 Appropriations Act surveys. Private industry uses census statistics transferred the responsibility from the Bureau to provide a more effective production and of the Census to the U.S. Department of distribution system for the agricultural Agriculture (USDA), National Agricultural community. The 2008 Census of Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS). of American Samoa provides data on production and value of agriculture both for The census of agriculture is taken to obtain sale and for home consumption. The data for agricultural statistics for each county, State home consumption reflect the importance of (including territories and protectorates), and this sector of agriculture in American Samoa, the Nation. The first U.S. agricultural census where a majority of households provide a data were collected in 1840 as a part of the portion of their food needs through sixth decennial census. From 1840 to 1920, agricultural activities that may fall outside the an agricultural census was taken as a part of commercial marketplace. Home consumption each decennial census. Since 1920, a separate data are useful for agencies and organizations national agricultural census has been taken estimating total economic output. every 5 years. AUTHORITY The 2008 census is the eleventh census of agriculture of American Samoa, but only the The census of agriculture is required by law third to be conducted strictly as a census of under the “Census of Agriculture Act of agriculture. The first eight agriculture 1997,” Public Law 105-113 (Title 7, United censuses in American Samoa, beginning in States Code, Section 2204g). The law directs 1920, were taken in conjunction with the the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a decennial censuses, and agriculture census of agriculture in 1998 and in every fifth information was collected only for those year thereafter, covering the prior year. The households that answered affirmatively to a census of agriculture includes each State, question about agricultural activities asked at Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the end of the decennial questionnaire. American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands. USES OF CENSUS DATA American Samoa was included in the five year The census of agriculture is the leading source agriculture census program at the request of of statistics about American Samoa’s the U.S. Department of Interior’s Office of agricultural production and the only source of Insular Affairs and the American Samoa consistent, comparable data at the island level. Department of Commerce. The census data 2008 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE INTRODUCTION V for American Samoa were collected in REFERENCE PERIODS accordance with a Memorandum of Agreement between NASS, the Department of Inventories of livestock, poultry, and Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs, and the machinery and equipment are the number on American Samoa Department of Commerce. hand at the time of enumeration. Crop It was conducted with the cooperation and production, crop and livestock sales, and assistance of the American Samoa Department expense data are for the 12-month period of Agriculture and American Samoa between January 1 and December 31, 2008. Community College - Land Grant. TABLES AND APPENDICES FARM DEFINITION Tables 1 through 10 show detailed island data The statistics collected in the census represent for all farms, commercial farms, and all places in American Samoa with noncommercial farms, accompanied by agricultural operations during the 2008 historic data from the previous census. Tables calendar year qualifying as farms. The farm 11 through 24 show 2008 and 2003 data for definition was any place that raised or the three categories of farms, presented by produced any agricultural products for sale or legal districts and counties. Tables 25 through home consumption. The 2008 Census of 28 provide 2008 island data cross-tabulated Agriculture found approximately sixty percent by tenure of operator, size of farm, age of of all households in American Samoa fit this operator, and value of agricultural products definition. This is the same farm definition sold. used in the 2003 Census of Agriculture, but a broader farm definition than was used prior to Appendix A provides information about data that. The 1990 farm definition required a collection and data processing activities and minimum of $100 in sales, and previous discusses the statistical methodology used in censuses used sales or some minimum number conducting and evaluating the Census of of livestock to qualify as a farm. This Agriculture in American Samoa. publication provides 2008 and 2003 data for all farms, commercial farms, and Appendix B includes definitions of specific noncommercial farms. Commercial farms are terms and phrases used in this publication, defined as those with sales of $100 or more, including items in the publication tables that and noncommercial farms are those with less carry the note “see text.” It also provides than $100 in sales. Many of the commercial facsimiles of the report form used to collect farms produce more for home consumption data. than for sale, but by virtue of having sales in excess of $100 are classified as commercial. RESPONDENT CONFIDENTIALITY DATA COMPARABILITY In keeping with the provisions of Title 7, United States Code, no data are published that In general, the data from the 2008 census are would disclose the operations of an individual comparable to those of the 2003 census. All farm. However, the number of farms in a dollar values presented in this report are in given size category or other classification is current dollars, i.e., 2008 data are in 2008 not considered confidential information and is dollars and 2003 data in 2003 dollars. The provided even though other information is dollar values have not been adjusted for withheld. changes in price levels between census years. VI INTRODUCTION 2008 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE SPECIAL TABULATIONS or Custom-designed tabulations may be [email protected] developed when data are not published elsewhere. These tabulations are developed to ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS individual user specifications on a cost- reimbursable basis and shared with the public. The following abbreviations and symbols All custom tabulations