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Farms Under Threat
National Resources Inventory
Census of Agriculture
Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement Programs
Other Data Sources
Farms Under Threat
Farms Under Threat is American Farmland Trust’s multi-year initiative to complete the most comprehensive assessment of the loss of U.S. farmland and ranchland ever undertaken, both past and future. AFT’s goal is to document the threats and offer policy solutions to ensure the long-term protection and conservation of agricultural land in the United States to sustain an expanding population and protect biodiversity.
Find interactive maps and state data for Farms Under Threat: The State of the States and Farms Under Threat 2040: Choosing an Abundant Future.
- Farms Under Threat: The State of the States Interactive Maps and Policy Scorecard
- Farms Under Threat: The State of the States Report
- Farms Under Threat 2040: Choosing an Abundant Future Interactive Maps
- Farms Under Threat 2040: Climate Web Mapping Tool
- Farms Under Threat 2040 Report
- AFT’s Farms Under Threat Initiative
2017 National Resources Inventory
The National Resources Inventory (NRI) is an appraisal of natural resource conditions and trends on non-federal land conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The 2017 NRI summary report includes details about land cover and use, soils, erosion, wetlands and conservation practices for the 48 contiguous states, Hawaii and Caribbean Territories. AFT’s Farmland Information Center developed maps and charts present data about agricultural land cover/use, the conversion of agricultural land to developed uses, and agricultural land in the context of total surface area.
Census of Agriculture
| Data Item | 2007 | 2012 | 2017 |
| Farms | 7,691 | 7,755 | 7,241 |
| Land in Farms (acres) | 517,879 | 523,517 | 491,653 |
| Cropland (acres) | 187,406 | 160,789 | 171,496 |
| Permanent Pasture and Rangeland (acres) | 48,120 | 62,234 | 46,341 |
| Woodland (acres) | 212,539 | 209,111 | 194,189 |
| Land in Buildings (acres) | 69,814 | 91,383 | 79,627 |
| Total Land Area (acres) | 5,192,927 | 5,192,927 | 5,192,927 |
| All operators/All producers | 12,265 | 12,595 | 13,371 |
| All operators/All producers 34 and younger | 869 | 1,055 | 1,082 |
| All operators/All producers 65 and older | 2,494 | 3,189 | 4,315 |
| All producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm | — | — | 7,618 |
| Principal producers | — | — | 10,154 |
| Principal producers 34 and younger | — | — | 705 |
| Principal producers 65 and older | — | — | 3,719 |
| Principal producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm | — | — | 2,536 |
| Principal operators / Primary producers | 7,691 | 7,755 | 7,241 |
| Principal operators / Primary producers 34 and younger | 341 | 419 | 428 |
| Principal operators / Primary producers 65 and older | 1,914 | 2,333 | 2,732 |
| Primary producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm | — | — | 1,734 |
| Market value of agricultural products sold | $489,820,000 | $492,211,000 | $475,184,000 |
| Average market value of agricultural products sold per operation | $63,687 | $63,470 | $65,624 |
| Market value of agricultural products sold directly to consumers | $42,065,000 | $47,909,000 | $100,466,000 |
| Market value of agricultural products sold directly to retail markets, institutions, and food hubs for local or regionally branded products | — | — | $57,189,000 |
Notes on Changes to the 2017 Census of Agriculture
- Producer characteristic data were collected for a maximum of four producers on each farm, up from a maximum of three producers in prior years.
- Principal producer is a new term that identifies up to two main decision-makers on each farm, up from one principal operator in prior years.
- Market value of agricultural products sold directly to consumers expanded to include value-added products.
- Market value of agricultural products sold directly to retail markets, institutions, and food hubs for local or regionally branded products is a new data item.
- AFT’s 2017 Census of Agriculture Fact Sheet
- Table of Land in Farms by State [Download]
- AFT’s Food in the Path of Development Talking Points
- USDA’s Census of Agriculture Website
Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement Programs
For summaries of PACE activity by state, use the links for the downloadable table or most recent fact sheets on the national statistics page under Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement Programs.
Other Data Sources
- Bureau of Economic Analysis
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Foreign Agricultural Trade of the United States [new link]
- Statistical Abstract of the United States [new link]
- U.S. Census Bureau [new link]
- U.S. Census Bureau Housing Topics [new link]
- U.S. Census Bureau State and County Quick Facts [new link]