|
Ag census finds dramatic loss of Virginia farmland
The most recent U.S. Census of Agriculture, conducted in 2007, indicates Virginia lost almost 521,000 acres of farmland between 2002 and 2007.
That translates to 8.1 million acres of farmland across the state, which is the highest rate of decline in the past 20 years, according to Herman Ellison, director of the Virginia office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
"Compared to previous census counts, we lost almost as much land out of agriculture in the past five years than we did over three census periods," Ellison said. Findings from the 2007 census were released last week.
In the three previous census counts—from 1987 to 2002—the Old Dominion lost 379,325 acres, 68,785 acres and 128,796 acres, respectively.
The loss of 576,906 acres over a 15-year period is comparable to the 520,094 acres lost in the last five-year period.
The average age of a principle farm operator also rose during that period. In 2007 it was 58.2 years, compared to 56.7 years in 2002. Retirement could definitely be a factor in the increased loss of farmland, Ellison said.
While farm commodity prices rose to near-record levels in 2007 and 2008, so did farm expenses. The census reflects that change, showing that Virginia farmers paid $507.7 million for feed costs in 2002, while forking out a whopping $727.2 million for feed in 2007.
Meanwhile, gasoline, diesel fuel and oils cost Virginia farmers $156.8 million in 2007, compared to $84 million in 2002. And that was before the major fuel price increases of 2008.
There are positive trends as well. The number of Virginia farms declined by only 223 over the five-year period, to 47,383. And the number of very small farms—those generating $1,000 or less annually—actually increased. Farm numbers in that category rose from 10,502 in 2002 to 13,667 in 2007. Sales from those small farms, which typically sell products at farmers’ markets or direct to the public, jumped from $1.7 million to $2.5 million over the same period.
Contact Ellison at 804-786-3500 or Norm Hyde, VFBF video producer, at 804-290-1146.
|
More stories from Shenandoah.com:
 (Shenandoah.com)
- Today
(Shenandoah.com)
- Today
(Shenandoah.com)
- Today
(Shenandoah.com)
- Today
(Shenandoah.com)
- Today
|
|
More stories on Shenandoah.com:
(LORD FAIRFAX COMMUNITY COLLEGE)
- 2 hours 53 minutes
(Dinner Diva)
- 2 hours 53 minutes
(SHENANDOAH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS)
- Yesterday
(Virginia Farm Bureau)
- Yesterday
(The Warren Sentinel)
- Monday Nov 30 2009
|
Copyright ©2004 SHENTEL Service Company
| 
