U.S. loses 18,000 farms in 2014

The number of farms in the United States for 2014 is estimated at 2.08 million, down 18,000 farms from 2013 according to USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Total land in farms, at 913 million acres, decreased 1.03 million acres from 2013. The average farm size for 2014 is 438 acres, up 3 acres from the previous year.

 

North Dakota - North Dakota's number of farms and ranches declined during 2014. The number of farms and ranches in the State, at 30,300, was down 500 farms from 2013. Numbers of farms and ranches in North Dakota with less than $100,000 in agricultural sales declined 1,100 farms from the year earlier while operations with more than $100,000 were up 600 farms from 2013.

 

Land in farms and ranches in North Dakota totaled 39.3 million acres, unchanged from 2013. The average size of operation, at 1,297 acres, was up 21 acres from the year earlier.

 

Minnesota - The total number of farms in Minnesota in 2014 was 74,000, down 400 farms compared to a year ago. The largest decrease in number of farms came in the $1,000-$9,999 range with a decrease of 400 farms from 27,000 in 2013 to 26,600 in 2014.

 

Total land in farms in Minnesota in 2014 was 25.9 million acres, unchanged from 2013. Farms in the $1,000,000 and over sales class showed a decrease of 30,000 acres from a year ago while farms in the $500,000-$999,999 range showed an increase of 30,000 acres.

 

The average farm size in Minnesota in 2014 was 350 acres, up two acres from 2013. The average farm size in the $1,000,000 and over sales class increased 29 acres from 1,798 acres on average in 2013 to 1,827 in 2014.