Iowa is growing more than just corn and soybeans. In fact, fruit and vegetable production in Iowa is on the increase, as shown by the 2007 Census of Agriculture. The ag census is conducted nationwide by USDA once every five years and the results were released last month and are being analyzed and studied to see what trends these latest numbers show.

"The census illustrates the increased interest statewide in locally grown produce," says Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture. "Not only do specialty crops grow the Iowa economy, but they allow farmers to diversify their production."

Many Iowa media outlets reported on the significant increase in the number of small farms since the 2002 Census of Agriculture but there are many other bright spots to mention for Iowa specialty crop growers.

Number of farms, and types of vegetables

The number of farms harvesting vegetables for sale has increased from 752 to 881 during the five-year census period. Vegetable growers have also expanded their selection. The number of farms harvesting potatoes showed an increase from 117 farms to 230, peppers increased from 104 to 137, squash increased form 92 to 138, tomato went from 288 to 346, and the number of farms growing the elusive "other vegetables" was up from 41 to 113.

The number of farms with fruit trees, nuts and berries showed an increase from 412 to 735 with corresponding increase in sales from $4.5 to $7.4 million. The number of farms increased in every fruit category including apples, apricots, cherries, peaches, pears and plums. Blackberries, blueberries and raspberries all saw significant gains in the number of growers and acres in production. Raspberries, for example, increased from 79 farms to 184 with a corresponding acreage increase from 38 to 98. Nuts showed increases in both number of farms and acres for hazelnuts, pecans and walnuts.

Biggest increase is in grape production

The most significant increase was seen in grape production, with an increase from 133 growers to 335 and a corresponding acreage increase from 154 to 797. The growth of the wine industry also helped increase agritourism in the state, which grew from $3.4 million in 2002 to $12.7 million in 2007.

Nursery, greenhouse, floriculture and sod operations increased their sales from $77.6 to $93.8 million. Bedding and garden plants alone accounted for over $46 million. The amount of area under glass or other protection increased sharply from just over 5 million square feet to 7.3 million square feet. The number of farms growing greenhouse vegetables and fresh cut herbs jumped dramatically from 41 to 106 and now accounts for over $7.5 million in sales. There are 90 greenhouses growing tomatoes that generate almost $1.7 million in sales.

Small farms generally sell direct to the consumer to remain viable and the number of farms selling direct increased from 2,455 to 2,987 with a corresponding increase in sales from $11.6 to 16.5 million. "These census numbers show the diversity of Iowa agriculture and the wide range of foods farmers grow and produce in the state," notes Northey.