Status of Goat Farms in the United States I: All Goats and Angora Goats
According to the 2002 USDA Census, the number of goat farms increased more than 19 percent, with more than a 12-percent increase in the goat population, from 1997 to 2002. However, the number of farms selling goats increased by more than 45 percent, and goat sales were up by more than 55 percent (Table 1). USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service 2007 sample data indicated that goat numbers are up 19 percent from the 2002 USDA Census.
Table 1. Changes in all goat farming from 1997 to 2002 in the United States.
| 1997 | 2002 | 2007* | Most Recent % of 1997 | |
| Number of farms | 76,543 | 91,462 | 119.5 | |
| Number of goats | 2,251,613 | 2,530,466 | 3,015,000 | 134.0* |
| Number of farms selling goats | 29,937 | 43,495 | 145.3 | |
| Number of goats sold | 843,773 | 1,314,310 | 155.8 |
- Reflects the 2007 USDA-NASS sample data.
It is notable that during the same period, the number of Angora goat farms declined, with more than a 63-percent decrease in the population by 2002. The number of farms selling Angora goats declined, with more than 61 percent fewer goats sold (Table 2); and farms selling mohair declined more than 36 percent, with more than 54 percent less mohair sold (Table 3). The number of Angora goats declined another 29 percent from 2002 to 2007, as indicated by sample data.
Table 2. Changes in Angora goat farming from 1997 to 2007 in the United States.
| 1997 | 2002 | 2007* | Most Recent % of 1997 | |
| Number of farms | 5,485 | 5,075 | 92.5 | |
| Number of goats | 829,263 | 300,753 | 210,000 | 28.7* |
| Number of farms selling goats | 1,883 | 1,662 | 88.3 | |
| Number of goats sold | 238,674 | 91,037 | 38.1 |
- Reflects the 2007 USDA-NASS sample data.
Table 3. Changes in mohair production from 1997 to 2002 in the United States.
| 1997 | 2002 | Most Recent % of 1997 | |
| Number of farms selling mohair | 3,826 | 2,434 | 63.62 |
| Pounds of mohair sold | 5,287,312 | 2,416,376 | 45.70 |
Source: USDA Census (2002).