AUGUSTA - USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service has reported that Maine horticulture sales increased 43.6 percent from $49.1 million in 2009 to $70.5 million in 2014. The number of Maine horticultural operations increased from 250 to 320, a 28 percent increase over the same time period. The 43.6 percent increase in sales experienced by Maine is more than double the national average increase of 18 percent.

Maine Horticulture Statistics reported by NASS: "In 2014, the United States had 23,221 horticultural operations that produced and sold $13.8 billion in floriculture, nursery, and other horticultural specialty products. Maine had 320 horticultural operations that sold $70.5 million in horticultural products in 2014, compared to 250 horticultural operations that sold $49.1 million in horticultural products in 2009. Horticulture producers in Maine had $66.7 million in total production expenses in 2014. Hired labor expenses in Maine accounted for 32 percent of the total production expenses. Of the 1,828 hired workers in Maine, 1,082 worked less than 150 days compared to 746 who worked 150 days or more."

NASS provides accurate, timely, and useful statistics in service to U.S. agriculture. The Horticultural Specialties Highlights and all other NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov

For more information about the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, go to: www.maine.gov/dacf