Land devoted to farming in the 14 counties belonging to western Washington decreased by 16% between 1982-1992 despite farmland protection strategies due to pressure from population, regulatory and socioeconomic forces. The region, which is undergoing rapid urbanization, is home to small-sized farm operations which sell produce to earn additional income. At present, however, the percentage of farmers who own their land have dropped while the average age of farmers has increased from 51 years in 1978 to 54 years in 1992.