Squash Production in the United States

The growing demand for plant-based diets and fresh, seasonal, and locally grown produce is contributing to a steady increase in demand for squash. The per capita availability of squash in the United States has shown a steady upward trend over the past five decades. Starting at just 1.33 pounds per person in 1970, availability gradually rose throughout the 1970s and 1980s, reaching 3.45 pounds by 1989. The 1990s saw continued growth. Following fluctuations in the early 2000s, squash availability increased significantly in the 2010s. Although there was a slight decline thereafter, with 5.26 pounds recorded in 2022 (the most recent available data), the overall trend remains positive.

This article uses both the NASS Census of Agriculture and NASS Survey data. Census data, collected every five years, provides a comprehensive snapshot of production across all states, capturing the distribution of commodity production at both national and regional levels. In contrast, survey data offers insights into current production trends, such as the quantity produced each year. According to the 2022 Agricultural Census, squash production in the United States spanned 63,684 harvested acres across 18,834 operations. Florida led in harvested acreage with 10,212 acres, followed by Michigan (7,480 acres), California (6,164 acres), New York (4,582 acres), and Georgia (4,373 acres). In terms of the number of operations, New York topped the list with 1,109 operations, reflecting its strong presence in smaller-scale squash farming and direct-to-consumer sales. California and Michigan followed closely with 894 and 885 operations, respectively, while Pennsylvania (808 operations) and Arizona (797 operations) also contributed significantly. These figures show that both large-scale and smaller operations play vital roles in meeting consumer demand.

Examining trends in production, the number of acres harvested remained relatively stable at around 71,000 in 1997 and 2002, before dropping sharply to 54,454 in 2007. Production rebounded over the next decade, peaking again at 70,190 acres in 2017 before easing to 63,684 in 2022. In contrast, the number of operations has risen consistently—from 9,502 in 1997 to more than double that by 2022. However, the decline in the number of operations, from 22,704 in 2017 to 18,834 in 2022, suggests a modest phase of industry consolidation.

U.S. squash imports have shown a steady long-term upward trend over the past decade, nearly doubling from 662 million pounds in 2012 to over 1 billion pounds by the late 2010s. Most imports are from Mexico. The growth was especially rapid between 2013 and 2016, jumping from 722 to 964 million pounds. Imports peaked in 2021 at roughly 1.09 billion pounds and have since stabilized just above or slightly below the one-billion mark. According to Wu et al. (2022), the rapid increase in imports from Mexico has created significant challenges for U.S. squash producers, particularly in southeastern states, because their growing seasons overlap. In their 2022 report, the authors mentioned that Mexico's cost advantages, coupled with its large-scale production and export capabilities supported by government initiatives, are expected to drive continued growth in U.S. imports. As a result, domestic production in the U.S. may decline further. However, the most recent year shows a slight pullback—from 1,091 million pounds in 2021 to 994 million in 2024, suggesting the market may level off after a decade of expansion. 

The amount of squash produced is captured by annual survey data.  Production peaked in 2002 at 8,792,000 cwt, followed by another high in 2016 with 8,156,200 cwt. More recently, production has stabilized, with 6,555,000 cwt in 2022, 6,032,000 cwt in 2023, and a slight increase in 2024.

Squash production in the United States has experienced notable fluctuations over the years, reflecting changes in growing conditions, import pressures, and shifts in consumer demand. After decades of steady growth in both domestic production and import dependence, the most recent production and import data suggest the U.S. squash market may be entering a new phase. Whether this marks a temporary adjustment or the beginning of a longer-term shift remains to be seen.

References

Economic Research Service. (2025). Food availability (per capita) data system. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

Miller, C. (2024, April 17). Squash growers weigh in on current state of the crop. American Vegetable Grower. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service. (2022). Agricultural Census. 

Wu, F., Guan, Z., & Huang, K. (2022). The decline of the US cucumber and squash industry. University of Florida, IFAS Extension.

This study was supported by the USDA NIFA Specialty Crop Research Initiative 2019-51181-30019 project number 7123