nd-all-reports NEWS RELEASE Farm Numbers/Land in Farms January 31, 2005 North Dakota Farm Numbers Stable North Dakota The number of farms and ranches in North Dakota during 2004 is estimated at 30,300 and remains the same as 2003 but is down from 30,500 farms during 2002, according to the North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. All land in farms totaled 39.4 million acres, which has remained the same since 1999. The number of farms, at 30,300, remains the lowest level since estimates were first started in 1910 when there were 74,400 farms. North Dakota farm numbers peaked in 1933, at 86,000. All land in farms, estimated at 39.4 million acres, is 3.30 million acres below the high of 42.7 million acres set in the period of 1950-1954. Small farms in the economic sales class of $1,000-$9,999 during 2004 decreased 100 operations from 2003 to 8,700 and farms with sales of $10,000-$99,999 declined by 200 operations to 11,800. Farms with sales of $100,000-$249,999 declined by 100 to 5,400. In the $250,000-$499,999 sales class, the number of farms increased by 100 to 2,700 while farms in the $500,000 plus category increased by 300 to 1,700. Expanded number and land in farms classes over $100,000 were added last year back to 1998. A farm and ranch 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 as sales. The annual estimate includes farms with their entire acreage enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program or other government programs. United States The number of farms in the United States in 2004 is estimated at 2.11 million, 0.6 percent fewer than in 2003. Total land in farms, at 936.6 million acres, decreased 2.25 million acres, or 0.2 percent, from 2003. The average farm size was 443 acres in 2004, an increase of 2 acres from the previous year. The decline in the number of farms and land in farms reflects a continuing consolidation in farming operations and transfers of agricultural land to competing uses. Farm numbers declined in the 2 smallest economic sales classes and rose in the 3 largest economic sales classes. Part of the reduction in the small economic sales classes was due to normal attrition, mostly retirements. In addition, some operations transferred to larger economic sales classes by enterprise expansion. However, the majority of the changes in the economic sales classes were due to rising incomes. Many operations near the top of their economic sales class in 2003, moved into the next larger economic sales class in 2004. As a result, the largest percent changes from 2003 occurred in the smallest and largest economic sales classes. Farm numbers declined 1.6 percent, to 1.18 million farms, in the $1,000-$9,999 economic sales class. Meanwhile, farm numbers increased 4.7 percent, to 76,740 farms, in the $500,000 or more economic sales class. The number of farms with at least $10,000 in sales rose 0.6 percent from 2003 and the number of farms with at least $100,000 in sales rose 2.0 percent. Number of Farms by Economic Sales Class, 1999-2004 $1,000- $10,000- $100,000- $250,000- Year $9,999 $99,999 $249,999 $499,999 $500,000+ Total - - - Number - - - North Dakota 1999 8,400 13,800 5,900 2,100 800 31,000 2000 8,400 13,400 5,700 2,300 1,000 30,800 2001 8,500 13,000 5,600 2,400 1,100 30,600 2002 8,600 12,600 5,600 2,500 1,200 30,500 2003 8,800 12,000 5,500 2,600 1,400 30,300 2004 8,700 11,800 5,400 2,700 1,700 30,300 United States 1999 1,187,390 648,710 188,340 90,940 71,900 2,187,280 2000 1,183,480 638,380 182,900 89,370 72,650 2,166,780 2001 1,189,920 621,490 176,290 87,400 73,530 2,148,630 2002 1,201,840 604,570 168,820 86,550 73,580 2,135,360 2003 1,199,270 600,540 167,220 86,550 73,280 2,126,860 2004 1,180,560 599,170 167,930 89,070 76,740 2,113,470 Land in Farms by Economic Sales Class, 1999-2004 Average $1,000- $10,000- $100,000- $250,000- Size Year $9,999 $99,999 $249,999 $499,999 $500,000+ Total of Farms of - - - 1,000 Acres - - - - Acres - North Dakota 1999 3,400 13,900 12,300 6,500 3,300 39,400 1,271 2000 3,400 13,500 11,900 6,700 3,900 39,400 1,279 2001 3,300 12,700 11,900 7,100 4,400 39,400 1,288 2002 3,000 11,800 11,600 7,500 5,500 39,400 1,292 2003 3,000 11,200 11,500 7,900 5,800 39,400 1,300 2004 2,900 10,700 11,300 8,000 6,500 39,400 1,300 United States 1999 129,810 282,565 201,005 146,245 188,835 948,460 434 2000 128,320 279,265 198,705 147,295 191,495 945,080 436 2001 127,090 274,895 197,065 148,605 194,415 942,070 438 2002 126,625 271,155 196,305 149,170 197,045 940,300 440 2003 124,770 270,055 196,055 150,135 197,635 938,650 441 2004 120,840 266,495 193,915 151,555 203,795 936,600 443 FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: David Knopf, Director North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service NDSU, IACC Bldg., Room 448 P.O. Box 3166 Fargo, ND 58108-3166 Telephone: (701) 239-5306 E-Mail: nass-nd@nass.usda.gov Internet: http://www.nass.usda.gov/nd/