U.S. Down 18,000 Farms in 2015, USDA Says

Farms are getting a bit bigger, but there are less of them, according to the USDA’s annual Farm and Land in Farms report. 

The U.S. was down 18,000 farms in 2015 compared to 2014. With an estimated 2.07 million farms in the U.S., the land in farms fell 1 million acres totaling 912 million acres in farmland. 

Average farm size went up in 2015 by 3 acres to 441 acres. Almost 31% of all farmland was taken on by farms with less than $100,000 in sales. Farms with sales of $500,000 of more operated 41% of all farmland.

A vast majority of U.S. farms, 80%, fell into the category that had less than $100,000 in sales, but 50% of farms found themselves with less than $10,000 in sales in 2015. 8% of all farms had sales of $500,000 or more. 

To see the full report, click here.