HDR1012000170150730971500FARMS AND LAND IN FARMS                                
Farms and                                                                       
Land in Farms                                                                   
                                                                                
National                                                                        
Agricultural                                                                    
Statistics                                                                      
Service                                                                         
                                                                                
United States                                                                   
Department of                                                                   
Agriculture                                                                     
                                                                                
Washington, D.C.                                                                
                                                                                
Released July 30, 1997, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), 
Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture.  For information 
on "Farms and Land in Farms" call Brad Parks at (202) 690-3229, office hours    
7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.                                                      
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
           Farm Numbers and Land in Farms Down Slightly                         
                                                                                
The number of farms in the United States in 1997 is estimated at 2.06 million,  
down less than one percent from 1996.  Total land in farms is 968 million acres,
also down less than one percent from last year.  This decline in farm numbers   
and land in farms continues to follow historical trends.  The average farm size 
was unchanged from 1996 at 470 acres.                                           
                                                                                
The West and Northeast Regions were both up in farm numbers from 1996.  The West
Region showed the largest increase up 2,000 farms or 0.7%, while the Northeast  
was up 300 farms or 0.2% from 1996.  The largest decrease was in the South with 
a loss of 3,800 farms or 0.4%.  The North Central Region was down 3,500 farms or
0.4%.                                                                           
                                                                                
Texas remained the State with the most farms at 205,000, the same as a year     
earlier.  Missouri was second with 102,000 farms, down 2,000 from last year,    
followed by Iowa with 98,000 farms, the same as 1996.                           
                                                                                
Eight States increased in farm numbers while 14 states decreased from a year    
ago.  California showed the largest increase with 2,000 farms while Indiana,    
Montana, Ohio, and Oklahoma showed increases of 1,000 farms from last year.     
Missouri showed the largest decrease, 2,000 farms.                              
                                                                                
Texas continued to lead the nation in land in farms and ranches with 129.0      
million acres, the same as 1996. Four states with decreases of 200,000 acres in 
agricultural land from a year ago were Arkansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, and 
New Mexico.  There were nine states with decreases of 100,000 acres in          
agricultural land from a year ago.  There were no states that increased acres in
agricultural land in farms from a year ago.                                     
                                                                                
The number of U.S. farms in the economic sales class between $1,000 and $9,999  
increased from 1,021,110 in 1996 to 1,032,510 in 1997.  Those with sales in the 
$10,000-$99,999 group decreased from 705,100 to 678,500.  The $100,000 and over 
sales group increased from 337,700 to 347,900 farms.                            
                                                                                
Estimates for the number of farms and land in farms refer to June 1.  A farm is 
defined as "any establishment from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products
were sold or would normally be sold during the year."                           
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
Sp Sy 3 (7-97)                                                                  
                                                                                
             Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size:             
                        United States, June 1, 1987-97 1/                       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             :        Number        :          Land           :     Average     
     Year    :       of Farms       :        in Farms         :    Farm Size    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             :        1,000                 1,000 Acres              Acres      
             :                                                                  
1987         :        2,213                   998,923                 451       
1988         :        2,201                   994,423                 452       
1989         :        2,175                   990,723                 456       
1990         :        2,146                   986,850                 460       
1991         :        2,117                   981,736                 464       
1992         :        2,108                   978,503                 464       
1993         :        2,083                   976,463                 469       
1994         :        2,065                   973,403                 471       
1995         :        2,072                   972,253                 469       
1996         :        2,064                   970,048                 470       
1997         :        2,059                   968,338                 470       
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
1/  A farm is any establishment from which $1,000 or more of agricultural       
    products were sold or would normally be sold during the year.               
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
          Number of Farms:  By State and United States, June 1, 1995-7          
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
   State   :        1995        :         1996          :         1997          
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
           :                               Number                               
           :                                                                    
AL         :        47,000                 45,000                  45,000       
AK         :           520                    510                     510       
AZ         :         7,400                  7,500                   7,500       
AR         :        43,000                 43,000                  42,500       
CA         :        80,000                 82,000                  84,000       
CO         :        25,000                 24,500                  24,500       
CT         :         3,800                  3,800                   3,900       
DE         :         2,500                  2,500                   2,400       
FL         :        39,000                 40,000                  40,000       
GA         :        45,000                 43,000                  43,000       
HI         :         4,800                  4,600                   4,600       
ID         :        21,500                 22,000                  22,000       
IL         :        77,000                 76,000                  76,000       
IN         :        62,000                 61,000                  62,000       
IA         :       100,000                 98,000                  98,000       
KS         :        66,000                 66,000                  65,000       
KY         :        89,000                 88,000                  88,000       
LA         :        27,000                 27,000                  26,500       
ME         :         7,600                  7,400                   7,300       
MD         :        14,300                 13,700                  13,000       
MA         :         6,000                  6,100                   6,200       
MI         :        54,000                 53,000                  52,000       
MN         :        87,000                 87,000                  87,000       
MS         :        42,000                 44,000                  43,000       
MO         :       105,000                104,000                 102,000       
MT         :        22,000                 22,000                  23,000       
NE         :        56,000                 56,000                  55,000       
NV         :         2,500                  2,500                   2,500       
NH         :         2,300                  2,400                   2,400       
NJ         :         9,000                  9,200                   9,400       
NM         :        13,500                 13,500                  13,500       
NY         :        36,000                 36,000                  36,000       
NC         :        58,000                 58,000                  57,000       
ND         :        32,000                 31,000                  30,500       
OH         :        74,000                 72,000                  73,000       
OK         :        71,000                 72,000                  73,000       
OR         :        38,500                 38,500                  37,500       
PA         :        50,000                 50,000                  50,000       
RI         :           700                    700                     700       
SC         :        22,000                 21,500                  21,500       
SD         :        33,000                 32,500                  32,500       
TN         :        81,000                 80,000                  80,000       
TX         :       202,000                205,000                 205,000       
UT         :        13,400                 13,400                  13,400       
VT         :         6,000                  6,000                   6,000       
VA         :        47,000                 48,000                  47,000       
WA         :        36,000                 36,000                  36,000       
WV         :        20,000                 20,000                  20,000       
WI         :        80,000                 79,000                  79,000       
WY         :         9,200                  9,100                   9,100       
           :                                                                    
US         :     2,071,520              2,063,910               2,058,910       
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
           Land in Farms:  By State and United States, June 1, 1995-97          
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
   State   :        1995        :         1996          :         1997          
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
           :                            1,000 Acres                             
           :                                                                    
AL         :       10,200                  9,800                   9,700        
AK         :          920                    920                     920        
AZ         :       35,400                 35,400                  35,400        
AR         :       15,000                 15,000                  14,800        
CA         :       30,000                 30,000                  30,000        
CO         :       32,700                 32,500                  32,500        
CT         :          380                    380                     380        
DE         :          570                    565                     565        
FL         :       10,300                 10,300                  10,300        
GA         :       12,000                 11,800                  11,800        
HI         :        1,590                  1,590                   1,590        
ID         :       13,500                 13,500                  13,500        
IL         :       28,100                 28,100                  28,000        
IN         :       15,900                 15,900                  15,900        
IA         :       33,200                 33,200                  33,200        
KS         :       47,800                 47,800                  47,800        
KY         :       14,000                 14,000                  13,900        
LA         :        8,500                  8,700                   8,500        
ME         :        1,350                  1,340                   1,340        
MD         :        2,200                  2,100                   2,100        
MA         :          570                    570                     570        
MI         :       10,700                 10,600                  10,500        
MN         :       29,800                 29,800                  29,800        
MS         :       13,000                 12,600                  12,500        
MO         :       30,000                 30,000                  29,900        
MT         :       59,700                 59,700                  59,600        
NE         :       47,000                 47,000                  47,000        
NV         :        8,800                  8,800                   8,800        
NH         :          440                    430                     430        
NJ         :          850                    840                     830        
NM         :       44,000                 43,700                  43,500        
NY         :        7,700                  7,700                   7,700        
NC         :        9,200                  9,200                   9,000        
ND         :       40,300                 40,300                  40,200        
OH         :       15,200                 15,100                  15,100        
OK         :       34,000                 34,000                  34,000        
OR         :       17,500                 17,500                  17,500        
PA         :        7,700                  7,700                   7,700        
RI         :           63                     63                      63        
SC         :        5,050                  5,000                   5,000        
SD         :       44,000                 44,000                  44,000        
TN         :       12,000                 11,800                  11,800        
TX         :      129,000                129,000                 129,000        
UT         :       11,100                 11,000                  11,000        
VT         :        1,370                  1,350                   1,350        
VA         :        8,600                  8,600                   8,500        
WA         :       15,800                 15,700                  15,700        
WV         :        3,700                  3,700                   3,700        
WI         :       16,900                 16,800                  16,800        
WY         :       34,600                 34,600                  34,600        
           :                                                                    
US         :      972,253                970,048                 968,338        
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
                Number of Farms:  Economic Sales Class by State,                
                     Region, and United States, June 1, 1997                    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         :         Economic Sales Class         :               
          State          :--------------------------------------:               
           and           :  $1,000-   :  $10,000-  :  $100,000  :     Total     
          Region         :   $9,999   :  $99,999   :   & Over   :               
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         :                        Number                        
                         :                                                      
Northeast                :                                                      
  NY                     :    16,900      11,000        8,100          36,000   
  PA                     :    24,000      17,700        8,300          50,000   
  Other States 1/        :    22,400       7,100        6,400          35,900   
  Total                  :    63,300      35,800       22,800         121,900   
                         :                                                      
North Central            :                                                      
  IL                     :    21,000      31,500       23,500          76,000   
  IN                     :    25,000      23,800       13,200          62,000   
  IA                     :    25,000      39,500       33,500          98,000   
  KS                     :    25,000      29,000       11,000          65,000   
  MI                     :    28,000      16,000        8,000          52,000   
  MN                     :    33,000      31,000       23,000          87,000   
  MO                     :    53,900      37,500       10,600         102,000   
  NE                     :    11,000      26,000       18,000          55,000   
  ND                     :     5,800      13,000       11,700          30,500   
  OH                     :    36,500      26,000       10,500          73,000   
  SD                     :     6,500      16,000       10,000          32,500   
  WI                     :    32,400      27,400       19,200          79,000   
  Total                  :   303,100     316,700      192,200         812,000   
                         :                                                      
South                    :                                                      
  AL 2/                  :    30,000                                   45,000   
  AR                     :    20,500      12,100        9,900          42,500   
  FL 2/                  :    25,000                                   40,000   
  GA                     :    24,500      12,000        6,500          43,000   
  KY 2/                  :    48,000                                   88,000   
  LA 2/                  :    15,500                                   26,500   
  MS 2/                  :    29,500                                   43,000   
  NC                     :    32,000      16,000        9,000          57,000   
  OK                     :    42,200      25,500        5,300          73,000   
  TN 2/                  :    57,000                                   80,000   
  TX                     :   133,000      54,000       18,000         205,000   
  VA 2/                  :    31,000                                   47,000   
  Other States 2/ 3/     :    43,800                                   56,900   
  Total                  :   532,000     233,900       81,000         846,900   
                         :                                                      
West                     :                                                      
  CA                     :    35,500      28,500       20,000          84,000   
  OR 2/                  :    27,000                                   37,500   
  WA                     :    20,500       8,100        7,400          36,000   
  Other States 2/ 4/     :    51,110                                  120,610   
  Total                  :   134,110      92,100       51,900         278,110   
                         :                                                      
US                       : 1,032,510     678,500      347,900       2,058,910   
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ, RI, and VT.                                             
2/  Estimates not available for all sales classes.                              
3/  DE, MD, SC, and WV.                                                         
4/  AK, AZ, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, and WY.                                 
                 Land in Farms:  Economic Sales Class by State,                 
                     Region, and United States, June 1, 1997                    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         :         Economic Sales Class         :               
          State          :--------------------------------------:               
           and           :  $1,000-   :  $10,000-  :  $100,000  :     Total     
          Region         :   $9,999   :  $99,999   :   & Over   :               
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         :                     1,000 Acres                      
                         :                                                      
Northeast                :                                                      
  NY                     :    1,500        2,100        4,100          7,700    
  PA                     :    1,800        3,000        2,900          7,700    
  Other States 1/        :    1,595        1,318        2,050          4,963    
  Total                  :    4,895        6,418        9,050         20,363    
                         :                                                      
North Central            :                                                      
  IL                     :      800        6,550       20,650         28,000    
  IN                     :    1,300        4,600       10,000         15,900    
  IA                     :    1,600        8,900       22,700         33,200    
  KS                     :    3,200       20,300       24,300         47,800    
  MI                     :    1,400        2,900        6,200         10,500    
  MN                     :    3,200        8,900       17,700         29,800    
  MO                     :    5,300       13,300       11,300         29,900    
  NE                     :    1,000       15,700       30,300         47,000    
  ND                     :    1,500       12,100       26,600         40,200    
  OH                     :    2,600        5,200        7,300         15,100    
  SD                     :    1,200       17,800       25,000         44,000    
  WI                     :    2,700        5,100        9,000         16,800    
  Total                  :   25,800      121,350      211,050        358,200    
                         :                                                      
South                    :                                                      
  AL 2/                  :    3,400                                    9,700    
  AR                     :    1,700        2,200       10,900         14,800    
  FL 2/                  :    1,800                                   10,300    
  GA                     :    2,500        3,400        5,900         11,800    
  KY 2/                  :    3,800                                   13,900    
  LA 2/                  :    1,700                                    8,500    
  MS 2/                  :    3,000                                   12,500    
  NC                     :    1,600        2,500        4,900          9,000    
  OK                     :    5,500       16,500       12,000         34,000    
  TN 2/                  :    4,300                                   11,800    
  TX                     :   22,000       55,000       52,000        129,000    
  VA 2/                  :    2,100                                    8,500    
  Other States 2/ 3/     :    4,900                                   11,365    
  Total                  :   58,300      112,253      114,612        285,165    
                         :                                                      
West                     :                                                      
  CA                     :    2,500        7,000       20,500         30,000    
  OR 2/                  :    1,700                                   17,500    
  WA                     :      950        3,700       11,050         15,700    
  Other States 2/ 4/     :    9,540                                  241,410    
  Total                  :   14,690       98,620      191,300        304,610    
                         :                                                      
US                       :  103,685      338,641      526,012        968,338    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ, RI, and VT.                                             
2/  Estimates not available for all sales classes.                              
3/  DE, MD, SC, and WV.                                                         
4/  AK, AZ, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, and WY.                                 
                Number of Farms:  Economic Sales Class by State,                
                     Region, and United States, June 1, 1996                    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         :         Economic Sales Class         :               
          State          :--------------------------------------:               
           and           :  $1,000-   :  $10,000-  :  $100,000  :     Total     
          Region         :   $9,999   :  $99,999   :   & Over   :               
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         :                        Number                        
                         :                                                      
Northeast                :                                                      
  NY                     :    16,800      11,200        8,000          36,000   
  PA                     :    24,000      17,700        8,300          50,000   
  Other States 1/        :    22,100       7,200        6,300          35,600   
  Total                  :    62,900      36,100       22,600         121,600   
                         :                                                      
North Central            :                                                      
  IL                     :    21,000      32,000       23,000          76,000   
  IN                     :    24,000      24,000       13,000          61,000   
  IA                     :    26,000      41,000       31,000          98,000   
  KS                     :    25,000      30,500       10,500          66,000   
  MI                     :    28,000      17,000        8,000          53,000   
  MN                     :    31,000      33,000       23,000          87,000   
  MO                     :    54,600      39,200       10,200         104,000   
  NE                     :    11,500      26,500       18,000          56,000   
  ND                     :     5,000      15,000       11,000          31,000   
  OH                     :    35,000      27,000       10,000          72,000   
  SD                     :     6,000      17,500        9,000          32,500   
  WI                     :    32,400      27,400       19,200          79,000   
  Total                  :   299,500     330,100      185,900         815,500   
                         :                                                      
South                    :                                                      
  AL 2/                  :    31,000                                   45,000   
  AR                     :    20,500      12,500       10,000          43,000   
  FL 2/                  :    25,000                                   40,000   
  GA                     :    24,000      12,000        7,000          43,000   
  KY 2/                  :    47,000                                   88,000   
  LA 2/                  :    15,500                                   27,000   
  MS 2/                  :    31,500                                   44,000   
  NC                     :    32,000      17,000        9,000          58,000   
  OK                     :    40,200      26,500        5,300          72,000   
  TN 2/                  :    57,000                                   80,000   
  TX                     :   133,000      55,000       17,000         205,000   
  VA 2/                  :    32,000                                   48,000   
  Other States 2/ 3/     :    39,300                                   57,700   
  Total                  :   528,000     242,700       80,000         850,700   
                         :                                                      
West                     :                                                      
  CA                     :    33,500      30,000       18,500          82,000   
  OR 2/                  :    27,500                                   38,500   
  WA                     :    20,400       8,000        7,600          36,000   
  Other States 2/ 4/     :    49,310                                  119,610   
  Total                  :   130,710      96,200       49,200         276,110   
                         :                                                      
US                       : 1,021,110     705,100      337,700       2,063,910   
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ, RI, and VT.                                             
2/  Estimates not available for all sales classes.                              
3/  DE, MD, SC, and WV.                                                         
4/  AK, AZ, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, and WY.                                 
                 Land in Farms:  Economic Sales Class by State,                 
                     Region, and United States, June 1, 1996                    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         :         Economic Sales Class         :               
          State          :--------------------------------------:               
           and           :  $1,000-   :  $10,000-  :  $100,000  :     Total     
          Region         :   $9,999   :  $99,999   :   & Over   :               
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         :                     1,000 Acres                      
                         :                                                      
Northeast                :                                                      
  NY                     :    1,500        2,200        4,000          7,700    
  PA                     :    1,800        3,000        2,900          7,700    
  Other States 1/        :    1,573        1,300        2,100          4,973    
  Total                  :    4,873        6,500        9,000         20,373    
                         :                                                      
North Central            :                                                      
  IL                     :      800        6,950       20,350         28,100    
  IN                     :    1,300        4,700        9,900         15,900    
  IA                     :    1,700       10,700       20,800         33,200    
  KS                     :    3,400       21,300       23,100         47,800    
  MI                     :    1,400        3,100        6,100         10,600    
  MN                     :    3,400        9,300       17,100         29,800    
  MO                     :    5,300       13,800       10,900         30,000    
  NE                     :    1,100       15,700       30,200         47,000    
  ND                     :      900       13,500       25,900         40,300    
  OH                     :    2,700        5,500        6,900         15,100    
  SD                     :    1,000       20,000       23,000         44,000    
  WI                     :    2,600        5,200        9,000         16,800    
  Total                  :   25,600      129,750      203,250        358,600    
                         :                                                      
South                    :                                                      
  AL 2/                  :    3,600                                    9,800    
  AR                     :    1,800        2,300       10,900         15,000    
  FL 2/                  :    1,800                                   10,300    
  GA                     :    2,300        3,500        6,000         11,800    
  KY 2/                  :    3,700                                   14,000    
  LA 2/                  :    1,800                                    8,700    
  MS 2/                  :    3,100                                   12,600    
  NC                     :    1,700        2,600        4,900          9,200    
  OK                     :    5,400       18,100       10,500         34,000    
  TN 2/                  :    4,300                                   11,800    
  TX                     :   22,000       56,000       51,000        129,000    
  VA 2/                  :    2,200                                    8,600    
  Other States 2/ 3/     :    4,100                                   11,365    
  Total                  :   57,800      116,000      112,365        286,165    
                         :                                                      
West                     :                                                      
  CA                     :    2,300        7,600       20,100         30,000    
  OR 2/                  :    1,700                                   17,500    
  WA                     :      950        3,700       11,050         15,700    
  Other States 2/ 4/     :    9,500                                  241,710    
  Total                  :   14,450       98,960      191,500        304,910    
                         :                                                      
US                       :  102,723      351,210      516,115        970,048    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ, RI, and VT.                                             
2/  Estimates not available for all sales classes.                              
3/  DE, MD, SC, and WV.                                                         
4/  AK, AZ, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, and WY.                                 
                Number of Farms:  Economic Sales Class by State,                
                     Region, and United States, June 1, 1995                    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         :         Economic Sales Class         :               
          State          :--------------------------------------:               
           and           :  $1,000-   :  $10,000-  :  $100,000  :     Total     
          Region         :   $9,999   :  $99,999   :   & Over   :               
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         :                        Number                        
                         :                                                      
Northeast                :                                                      
  NY                     :    16,800      11,400        7,800          36,000   
  PA                     :    24,000      17,700        8,300          50,000   
  Other States 1/        :    21,700       8,000        5,700          35,400   
  Total                  :    62,500      37,100       21,800         121,400   
                         :                                                      
North Central            :                                                      
  IL                     :    22,000      31,500       23,500          77,000   
  IN                     :    24,500      25,000       12,500          62,000   
  IA                     :    26,000      42,800       31,200         100,000   
  KS                     :    25,000      30,500       10,500          66,000   
  MI                     :    29,000      17,000        8,000          54,000   
  MN                     :    35,000      34,000       18,000          87,000   
  MO                     :    55,000      40,100        9,900         105,000   
  NE                     :    10,500      27,500       18,000          56,000   
  ND                     :     5,600      15,600       10,800          32,000   
  OH                     :    37,500      26,500       10,000          74,000   
  SD                     :     6,000      17,000       10,000          33,000   
  WI                     :    32,600      28,100       19,300          80,000   
  Total                  :   308,700     335,600      181,700         826,000   
                         :                                                      
South                    :                                                      
  AL 2/                  :    32,000                                   47,000   
  AR                     :    20,500      12,500       10,000          43,000   
  FL 2/                  :    24,000                                   39,000   
  GA                     :    25,400      12,500        7,100          45,000   
  KY 2/                  :    48,000                                   89,000   
  LA 2/                  :    15,500                                   27,000   
  MS 2/                  :    29,000                                   42,000   
  NC                     :    32,000      17,000        9,000          58,000   
  OK                     :    39,200      26,500        5,300          71,000   
  TN 2/                  :    57,000                                   81,000   
  TX                     :   123,000      61,000       18,000         202,000   
  VA 2/                  :    31,000                                   47,000   
  Other States 2/ 3/     :    38,500                                   58,800   
  Total                  :   515,100     252,700       82,000         849,800   
                         :                                                      
West                     :                                                      
  CA                     :    33,000      28,800       18,200          80,000   
  OR 2/                  :    27,500                                   38,500   
  WA                     :    20,300       8,000        7,700          36,000   
  Other States 2/ 4/     :    45,820                                  119,820   
  Total                  :   126,620     100,000       47,700         274,320   
                         :                                                      
US                       : 1,012,920     725,400      333,200       2,071,520   
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ, RI, and VT.                                             
2/  Estimates not available for all sales classes.                              
3/  DE, MD, SC, and WV.                                                         
4/  AK, AZ, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, and WY.                                 
                 Land in Farms:  Economic Sales Class by State,                 
                     Region, and United States, June 1, 1995                    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         :         Economic Sales Class         :               
          State          :--------------------------------------:               
           and           :  $1,000-   :  $10,000-  :  $100,000  :     Total     
          Region         :   $9,999   :  $99,999   :   & Over   :               
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         :                     1,000 Acres                      
                         :                                                      
Northeast                :                                                      
  NY                     :    1,500        2,200        4,000          7,700    
  PA                     :    1,900        3,000        2,800          7,700    
  Other States 1/        :    1,523        1,300        2,200          5,023    
  Total                  :    4,923        6,500        9,000         20,423    
                         :                                                      
North Central            :                                                      
  IL                     :      800        6,800       20,500         28,100    
  IN                     :    1,300        5,100        9,500         15,900    
  IA                     :    1,800       11,200       20,200         33,200    
  KS                     :    3,400       21,300       23,100         47,800    
  MI                     :    1,500        3,100        6,100         10,700    
  MN                     :    3,600        9,600       16,600         29,800    
  MO                     :    5,400       14,000       10,600         30,000    
  NE                     :      900       15,700       30,400         47,000    
  ND                     :    1,200       13,600       25,500         40,300    
  OH                     :    2,800        5,600        6,800         15,200    
  SD                     :    1,300       19,400       23,300         44,000    
  WI                     :    2,700        5,200        9,000         16,900    
  Total                  :   26,700      130,600      201,600        358,900    
                         :                                                      
South                    :                                                      
  AL 2/                  :    3,800                                   10,200    
  AR                     :    1,800        2,300       10,900         15,000    
  FL 2/                  :    1,800                                   10,300    
  GA                     :    2,400        3,500        6,100         12,000    
  KY 2/                  :    3,700                                   14,000    
  LA 2/                  :    1,600                                    8,500    
  MS 2/                  :    3,100                                   13,000    
  NC                     :    1,600        2,700        4,900          9,200    
  OK                     :    5,300       18,400       10,300         34,000    
  TN 2/                  :    4,300                                   12,000    
  TX                     :   14,000       55,000       60,000        129,000    
  VA 2/                  :    2,200                                    8,600    
  Other States 2/ 3/     :    3,800                                   11,520    
  Total                  :   49,400      119,000      118,920        287,320    
                         :                                                      
West                     :                                                      
  CA                     :    2,300        7,500       20,200         30,000    
  OR 2/                  :    1,700                                   17,500    
  WA                     :      950        3,700       11,150         15,800    
  Other States 2/ 4/     :    8,500                                  242,310    
  Total                  :   13,450       99,300      192,860        305,610    
                         :                                                      
US                       :   94,473      355,400      522,380        972,253    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ, RI, and VT.                                             
2/  Estimates not available for all sales classes.                              
3/  DE, MD, SC, and WV.                                                         
4/  AK, AZ, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, and WY.                                 
             Percent of Farms and Land in Farms:  By Economic Sales             
                      Class, United States, June 1, 1995-97                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Economic      :       Percent of Total        :                          
        Sales        :-------------------------------:    Average Size Farm     
        Class        :     Farms     :     Land      :         (Acres)          
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     :                           1995                           
                     :                                                          
  $1,000 -   $2,499  :      21.5             2.7                   59           
  $2,500 -   $4,999  :      14.4             2.9                   94           
  $5,000 -   $9,999  :      13.0             4.1                  148           
 $10,000 -  $19,999  :      11.7             6.6                  265           
 $20,000 -  $39,999  :      10.5             9.8                  438           
 $40,000 -  $99,999  :      12.8            20.2                  734           
$100,000 - $249,999  :      10.3            25.7                1,170           
$250,000 - $499,999  :       3.5            13.1                1,755           
$500,000 +           :       2.3            14.9                3,038           
                     :                                                          
Total                :     100.0           100.0                  469           
                     :                                                          
                     :                           1996                           
                     :                                                          
  $1,000 -   $2,499  :      22.6             3.0                   62           
  $2,500 -   $4,999  :      14.3             3.1                  102           
  $5,000 -   $9,999  :      12.6             4.5                  168           
 $10,000 -  $19,999  :      11.4             6.5                  268           
 $20,000 -  $39,999  :      10.2             9.8                  452           
 $40,000 -  $99,999  :      12.6            19.9                  742           
$100,000 - $249,999  :      10.1            25.2                1,173           
$250,000 - $499,999  :       3.8            12.9                1,596           
$500,000 +           :       2.4            15.1                2,957           
                     :                                                          
Total                :     100.0           100.0                  470           
                     :                                                          
                     :                           1997                           
                     :                                                          
  $1,000 -   $2,499  :      24.3             3.1                   60           
  $2,500 -   $4,999  :      13.9             3.2                  109           
  $5,000 -   $9,999  :      12.0             4.4                  172           
 $10,000 -  $19,999  :      10.9             6.2                  268           
 $20,000 -  $39,999  :      10.1             9.5                  444           
 $40,000 -  $99,999  :      11.9            19.3                  760           
$100,000 - $249,999  :       9.9            23.3                1,170           
$250,000 - $499,999  :       4.2            14.6                1,635           
$500,000 +           :       2.8            16.4                2,726           
                     :                                                          
Total                :     100.0           100.0                  470           
                                                                                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Reliability of Data in this Report                              
                                                                                
                                                                                
Survey Procedures:  These data were collected by the National Agricultural      
                    Statistics Service during the first two weeks of June using 
sampling procedures to ensure every farm operator had a chance of being         
selected.  Two samples of farm operators are selected.  First, NASS maintains a 
list of farms which are classified and sampled by size and type.  Larger farms  
are selected with greater frequency but all farms are represented.  A second    
sample consists of segments of land scientifically selected from aerial         
photography.  Each June, highly trained interviewers locate each selected land  
segment and identify every farm operating land within the sample segment's      
boundaries.  The names of farms found in these area segments are matched against
the list of farms; those not found on the list represent all farms not on the   
NASS list.  This methodology is known as multiple frame sampling, with an area  
sample used to measure incompleteness of the list.  The area segments also      
provide independent indications of number of farms and land in farms.           
                                                                                
Beginning in 1995, interviewers counted operations having 5 or more horses or   
ponies and no other agricultural sales as horse farms.  An operation with 1 or  
more horses with agricultural sales of at least $1,000, qualified as a farm.    
This is a continuing effort to have comparability with Ag Census data.          
                                                                                
                                                                                
Estimation Procedures:  National, Regional, and State data were reviewed for    
                        reasonableness and consistency.  Each State Statistical 
Office submits its analysis to the Agricultural Statistics Board (ASB) which    
prepares the June 1 based estimates for publication.  Farm numbers and land in  
farm estimates are based on survey results and the historical relationship of   
official estimates to the survey results.                                       
                                                                                
                                                                                
Revision Policy:  Farm numbers information is subject to revision the following 
                  year and following review of the Department of Commerce's     
five-year Census of Agriculture.  The basis for revision must be supported by   
additional data that directly affect the level of the estimate.  A historical   
publication with revisions for 1988-92 was published July 28, 1995.             
                                                                                
                                                                                
Reliability:  Two types of errors, sampling and nonsampling, are possible in    
              an estimate based on a sample survey.  Both types affect the      
"precision" of the estimates.                                                   
                                                                                
Sampling error occurs because a complete census is not taken.  The sampling     
error measures the variation in estimates from the average of all possible      
samples.  An estimate of 100 with a sampling error of 1 would mean that chances 
are 19 out of 20 that the estimates from all possible samples averaged together 
would be between 98 and 102; which is the survey estimate, plus or minus two    
times the sampling error.  The sampling error expressed as a percent of the     
estimate is called the relative sampling error.  The relative sampling error for
the U.S. number of farms was just above 1 percent and just above 1 percent for  
land in farms.  The sampling error for total number of farms and total land in  
farms is less than the sampling error for each component of the total, such as  
number of farms by economic sales class.  Relative sampling errors by economic  
sales class generally ranged from 2.2 to 3.5 percent for number of farms and    
2.6 to 7.9 percent for land in farms at the U.S. level.                         
                                                                                
Nonsampling errors can occur in complete censuses as well as sample surveys.    
They are caused by the inability to obtain correct information from each person 
sampled, differences in interpreting questions or definitions, and mistakes in  
coding or processing the data.  Special efforts are taken at each step of the   
survey to minimize nonsampling errors.                                          
                       Terms and Definition                                     
                                                                                
                                                                                
A farm is defined as "any establishment from which $1,000 or more of            
agricultural products were sold or would normally be sold during the year".     
Government payments are included in sales.  Institutional farms, experimental   
and research farms, and Indian Reservations are included as farms.  To be       
considered a farm, the place must be operating on June 1.  Places with all their
acreage enrolled in set aside or other government programs are considered       
operating.                                                                      
                                                                                
                                                                                
Land in farms is all land operated by farms as of June 1.  It includes crop and 
livestock acreage, wasteland, woodland, pasture, land in summer fallow, idle    
cropland, and land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program and other set   
aside or commodity acreage programs.  It excludes public, industrial, and       
grazing association land and nonagricultural land.  It excludes all land        
operated by establishments not qualifying as farms.                             
                                                                                
                                                                                
Economic sales classes are based on the gross value of sales, which includes    
sales of agricultural products such as crops, livestock, horses, honey, furs,   
fish, nursery and greenhouse products, rabbits, etc.  Government program        
payments from the previous year are also included.                              
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
The next "Farms and Land in Farms" report will be released in July 1998.        
                                                                                
                                                                                
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in  
its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age,  
disability, political beliefs, and marital or familial status.  Persons with    
disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program         
information (braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA's   
TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).                                  
                                                                                
To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, USDA, Washington, D.C.,
20250, or call 1-800-245-6340 (voice) or 202-720-1127 (TDD).  USDA is an equal  
employment opportunity employer.                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
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