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Farms Under Threat
National Resources Inventory
Census of Agriculture
Other Data Sources
Farms Under Threat: The State of the States
All estimates represent figures for the Conterminous U.S.
Total and Agricultural Land Cover/Use
Data Item | Acres |
Total land area in 2016 | 49,503,100 |
Agricultural land in 2016 | 44,877,200 |
Cropland in 2016 | 20,238,800 |
Pastureland in 2016 | 1,996,500 |
Rangeland in 2016 | 22,441,100 |
Woodland in 2016 | 200,800 |
Agricultural land in 2001 | 44,484,600 |
High-quality Agricultural Land
Data Item | Acres |
Nationally Significant agricultural land in 2016 | 16,248,500 |
Nationally Significant agricultural land in 2001 | 16,246,800 |
Best agricultural land in 2016 | 22,533,400 |
Best agricultural land in 2001 | 22,336,600 |
Nationally Significant agricultural land is the land best-suited to long-term, intensive crop production within the Conterminous United States; and each state’s “best land” is approximately the better half of all agricultural land in each state. For more information about these categories of high-quality agricultural land and how they were identified, see the interactive website for Farms Under Threat: The State of the States, and the fact sheet about AFT’s Productivity, Versatility, and Resiliency (PVR) Analysis.
Agricultural Land Converted from 2001-2016
Data Item | Acres |
Agricultural land developed or compromised | 66,400 |
Agricultural land converted to urban and highly-developed land use (UHD) | 43,400 |
Agricultural land converted to low-density residential land use (LDR) | 23,000 |
Nationally Significant agricultural land developed or compromised | 29,700 |
Nationally Significant agricultural land converted to UHD | 19,100 |
Nationally Significant agricultural land converted to LDR | 10,600 |
Best agricultural land developed or compromised | 33,700 |
Best agricultural land converted to UHD | 17,600 |
Best agricultural land converted to LDR | 16,100 |
Learn More
- Read the full report Farms Under Threat: The State of the States
- Explore our maps, policy scorecard, and background data from Farms Under Threat: The State of the States on our interactive website, www.farmland.org/farmsunderthreat.
2012 National Resources Inventory
1997-2002 | 2002-2007 | 2007-2012 | 1982-2012 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Agricultural land converted to developed land (acres) | 29,100 | 31,500 | 11,400 | 162,000 |
Agricultural land at the beginning of the reporting period (acres) | 45,695,400 | 45,655,700 | 45,643,200 | 45,906,700 |
Prime agricultural land at the beginning of the reporting period (acres) | 11,727,900 | 11,719,800 | 11,727,700 | 11,740,700 |
Forest land converted to developed land (acres) | 1,500 | 1,800 | NA | 7,300 |
Other rural land converted to developed land (acres) | NA | 1,600 | 3,500 | 6,300 |
Total surface area (acres) | 49,509,600 | 49,509,600 | 49,509,600 | 49,509,600 |
Census of Agriculture
Data Item | 2007 | 2012 | 2017 |
Farms | 47,712 | 49,969 | 46,332 |
Land in Farms (acres) | 45,480,358 | 45,331,783 | 44,986,821 |
Cropland (acres) | 21,486,025 | 21,597,393 | 22,242,599 |
Permanent Pasture and Rangeland (acres) | 22,619,904 | 22,297,424 | 21,531,851 |
Woodland (acres) | 409,785 | 442,660 | 352,535 |
Land in Buildings (acres) | 964,644 | 994,306 | 859,836 |
Total Land Area (acres) | 49,503,142 | 49,503,142 | 49,503,142 |
All operators/All producers | 71,924 | 75,855 | 78,015 |
All operators/All producers 34 and younger | 6,582 | 8,416 | 8,226 |
All operators/All producers 65 and older | 16,715 | 17,491 | 23,787 |
All producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm | — | — | 48,716 |
Principal producers | — | — | 60,849 |
Principal producers 34 and younger | — | — | 6,374 |
Principal producers 65 and older | — | — | 19,790 |
Principal producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm | — | — | 12,133 |
Principal operators / Primary producers | 47,712 | 49,969 | 46,332 |
Principal operators / Primary producers 34 and younger | 3,353 | 4,747 | 4,622 |
Principal operators / Primary producers 65 and older | 13,062 | 13,177 | 15,702 |
Primary producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm | — | — | 8,680 |
Market value of agricultural products sold | $15,506,035,000 | $23,068,756,000 | $21,983,430,000 |
Average market value of agricultural products sold per operation | $324,992 | $461,661 | $474,476 |
Market value of agricultural products sold directly to consumers | $5,902,000 | $8,360,000 | $9,041,000 |
Market value of agricultural products sold directly to retail markets, institutions, and food hubs for local or regionally branded products | — | — | $8,560,000 |
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.
- FIC 2017 Census of Agriculture Fact Sheet
- Download: Table of Land in Farms by State
- Census of Agriculture Website