HDR1012000170150730961500FARMS AND LAND IN FARMS Farms and Land in Farms National Agricultural Statistics Service United States Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. Released July 30, 1996, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Farms and Land in Farms" call (202) 720-3570, office hours 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. For assistance with general agricultural statistics, information about NASS, its products or services, contact the NASS Information Hotline at 1-800-727-9540 or E-mail: NASS@NASS.USDA.GOV. The "Farms and Land in Farms" is available on AutoFax, (202) 720-2000, report 7450. See page 15. Farm Numbers and Land in Farms Down Slightly The number of farms in the United States in 1996 is estimated at 2.06 million, down less than one percent from 1995. 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 1995 at 469 acres. The North Central Region was the only region to drop in farm numbers with a total decrease from 1995 of 11,500 farms, a 1.4 percent decline. The Northeast Region was up 0.2 percent or 300 farms. Farms in the South were up only 0.1 percent or 900 farms. The largest increase was in the West with a gain of 1,790 farms or 0.7 percent higher than 1995. Texas remained the State with the most farms at 205,000, 3,000 more than a year earlier. Missouri was second with 104,000 farms, down 1,000 from last year, followed by Iowa with 98,000 farms, down 2,000 from 1995. Eleven States increased in farm numbers while 20 states decreased from a year ago. Texas showed the largest increase with 3,000 farms while California and Mississippi showed increases of 2,000 farms from last year. Five States that showed the largest decreases of 2,000 farms each were Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, and Ohio. Texas continued to lead the nation in land in farms and ranches with 127.0 million acres, down 2 million acres from 1995. Two States with decreases of 400,000 acres in agricultural land from a year ago were Alabama and Mississippi, while New Mexico was off 300,000 acres. The largest increase in land in farms was in Louisiana with an increase of 200,000 from 1995. The number of U.S. farms in the economic sales class between $1,000 and $9,999 increased from 1,012,920 in 1995 to 1,019,310 in 1996. Those with sales in the $10,000-$99,999 group decreased from 725,400 to 705,600. The $100,000 and over sales group increased from 333,200 to 338,100 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 (7-96) Number of Farms, Land in Farms, and Average Farm Size: United States, June 1, 1986-96 1/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Land : Average Year : of Farms : in Farms : Farm Size -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 1,000 Acres Acres : 1986 : 2,250 1,005,333 447 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 : 2,063 968,048 469 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, 1994-96 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State : 1994 : 1995 : 1996 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : AL : 46,000 47,000 45,000 AK : 520 520 510 AZ : 7,400 7,400 7,500 AR : 44,000 43,000 43,000 CA : 79,000 80,000 82,000 CO : 25,300 25,000 24,500 CT : 3,800 3,800 3,800 DE : 2,500 2,500 2,500 FL : 39,000 39,000 40,000 GA : 45,000 45,000 43,000 HI : 4,800 4,800 4,600 ID : 20,500 21,500 22,000 IL : 77,000 77,000 76,000 IN : 63,000 62,000 60,000 IA : 101,000 100,000 98,000 KS : 65,000 66,000 66,000 KY : 89,000 89,000 88,000 LA : 28,000 27,000 27,000 ME : 7,600 7,600 7,400 MD : 14,500 14,300 13,700 MA : 6,000 6,000 6,200 MI : 52,000 54,000 53,000 MN : 85,000 87,000 87,000 MS : 39,000 42,000 44,000 MO : 105,000 105,000 104,000 MT : 22,500 22,000 22,000 NE : 55,000 56,000 56,000 NV : 2,400 2,500 2,500 NH : 2,400 2,300 2,400 NJ : 8,900 9,000 9,200 NM : 13,500 13,500 13,500 NY : 36,000 36,000 36,000 NC : 58,000 58,000 58,000 ND : 32,000 32,000 31,000 OH : 75,000 74,000 72,000 OK : 70,000 71,000 72,000 OR : 38,000 38,500 38,500 PA : 51,000 50,000 50,000 RI : 700 700 700 SC : 23,000 22,000 21,500 SD : 34,000 33,000 32,500 TN : 83,000 81,000 80,000 TX : 200,000 202,000 205,000 UT : 13,000 13,400 13,400 VT : 6,200 6,000 6,000 VA : 46,000 47,000 48,000 WA : 36,000 36,000 36,000 WV : 20,000 20,000 20,000 WI : 79,000 80,000 79,000 WY : 9,200 9,200 9,100 : US : 2,064,720 2,071,520 2,063,010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Land in Farms: By State and United States, June 1, 1994-96 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State : 1994 : 1995 : 1996 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Acres : AL : 10,200 10,200 9,800 AK : 930 920 920 AZ : 35,400 35,400 35,400 AR : 15,100 15,000 15,000 CA : 29,900 30,000 30,000 CO : 32,700 32,700 32,500 CT : 390 380 380 DE : 570 570 565 FL : 10,300 10,300 10,300 GA : 12,100 12,000 11,800 HI : 1,590 1,590 1,590 ID : 13,500 13,500 13,500 IL : 28,100 28,100 28,100 IN : 16,000 15,900 15,900 IA : 33,200 33,200 33,200 KS : 47,800 47,800 47,800 KY : 14,100 14,000 14,000 LA : 8,400 8,500 8,700 ME : 1,360 1,350 1,340 MD : 2,200 2,200 2,100 MA : 600 570 570 MI : 10,700 10,700 10,600 MN : 29,700 29,800 29,800 MS : 12,800 13,000 12,600 MO : 30,100 30,000 30,000 MT : 59,700 59,700 59,700 NE : 47,100 47,000 47,000 NV : 8,800 8,800 8,800 NH : 440 440 430 NJ : 860 850 840 NM : 44,200 44,000 43,700 NY : 7,900 7,700 7,700 NC : 9,300 9,200 9,200 ND : 40,400 40,300 40,300 OH : 15,200 15,200 15,100 OK : 34,000 34,000 34,000 OR : 17,500 17,500 17,500 PA : 7,800 7,700 7,700 RI : 63 63 63 SC : 5,100 5,050 5,000 SD : 44,200 44,000 44,000 TN : 12,000 12,000 11,800 TX : 129,000 129,000 127,000 UT : 11,100 11,100 11,000 VT : 1,400 1,370 1,350 VA : 8,600 8,600 8,600 WA : 15,800 15,800 15,700 WV : 3,700 3,700 3,700 WI : 16,900 16,900 16,800 WY : 34,600 34,600 34,600 : US : 973,403 972,253 968,048 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 : 16,400 11,600 8,000 36,000 PA : 24,000 17,700 8,300 50,000 Other States 1/ : 22,100 7,200 6,400 35,700 Total : 62,500 36,500 22,700 121,700 : North Central : IL : 21,000 32,000 23,000 76,000 IN : 23,000 24,000 13,000 60,000 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 39,500 9,900 104,000 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 : 298,500 330,400 185,600 814,500 : 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 : 20,200 7,800 8,000 36,000 Other States 2/ 4/ : 49,110 119,610 Total : 130,310 96,000 49,800 276,110 : US : 1,019,310 705,600 338,100 2,063,010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 : 1,400 2,300 4,000 7,700 PA : 1,800 3,000 2,900 7,700 Other States 1/ : 1,673 1,200 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 14,000 10,700 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 : 25,600 129,950 203,050 358,600 : 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/ : 3,300 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 55,000 50,000 127,000 VA 2/ : 2,200 8,600 Other States 2/ 3/ : 4,100 11,365 Total : 58,000 115,000 111,165 284,165 : West : CA : 2,300 7,600 20,100 30,000 OR 2/ : 1,700 17,500 WA : 950 3,650 11,100 15,700 Other States 2/ 4/ : 9,500 241,710 Total : 14,450 98,960 191,500 304,910 : US : 102,923 350,410 514,715 968,048 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. Number of Farms: Economic Sales Class by State, Region, and United States, June 1, 1994 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Economic Sales Class : State :--------------------------------------: and : $1,000- : $10,000- : $100,000 : Total Region : $9,999 : $99,999 : & Over : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Northeast : NY : 16,600 11,200 8,200 36,000 PA : 24,300 18,300 8,400 51,000 Other States 1/ : 21,600 8,000 6,000 35,600 Total : 62,500 37,500 22,600 122,600 : North Central : IL : 21,000 33,000 23,000 77,000 IN : 25,500 24,500 13,000 63,000 IA : 25,000 45,000 31,000 101,000 KS : 24,000 30,000 11,000 65,000 MI : 27,000 17,000 8,000 52,000 MN : 30,000 34,000 21,000 85,000 MO : 53,500 41,700 9,800 105,000 NE : 9,000 28,500 17,500 55,000 ND : 6,000 15,400 10,600 32,000 OH : 38,000 27,000 10,000 75,000 SD : 6,000 18,000 10,000 34,000 WI : 28,000 32,400 18,600 79,000 Total : 293,000 346,500 183,500 823,000 : South : AL 2/ : 31,000 46,000 AR : 21,000 13,000 10,000 44,000 FL 2/ : 24,000 39,000 GA : 25,300 12,800 6,900 45,000 KY 2/ : 48,000 89,000 LA 2/ : 17,000 28,000 MS 2/ : 26,100 39,000 NC : 32,000 17,000 9,000 58,000 OK : 37,400 27,000 5,600 70,000 TN 2/ : 58,000 83,000 TX : 119,000 61,000 20,000 200,000 VA 2/ : 30,000 46,000 Other States 2/ 3/ : 38,500 60,000 Total : 507,300 256,700 83,000 847,000 : West : CA : 32,500 27,800 18,700 79,000 OR 2/ : 27,000 38,000 WA : 20,100 8,300 7,600 36,000 Other States 2/ 4/ : 43,020 119,120 Total : 122,620 101,000 48,500 272,120 : US : 985,420 741,700 337,600 2,064,720 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, 1994 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Economic Sales Class : State :--------------------------------------: and : $1,000- : $10,000- : $100,000 : Total Region : $9,999 : $99,999 : & Over : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Acres : Northeast : NY : 1,400 2,300 4,200 7,900 PA : 1,800 3,200 2,800 7,800 Other States 1/ : 1,563 1,300 2,250 5,113 Total : 4,763 6,800 9,250 20,813 : North Central : IL : 800 6,800 20,500 28,100 IN : 1,200 4,900 9,900 16,000 IA : 1,700 11,500 20,000 33,200 KS : 3,200 22,000 22,600 47,800 MI : 1,500 3,100 6,100 10,700 MN : 3,400 9,700 16,600 29,700 MO : 5,400 14,200 10,500 30,100 NE : 800 15,800 30,500 47,100 ND : 1,100 14,300 25,000 40,400 OH : 2,700 5,800 6,700 15,200 SD : 1,400 19,500 23,300 44,200 WI : 2,500 5,800 8,600 16,900 Total : 25,700 133,400 200,300 359,400 : South : AL 2/ : 3,600 10,200 AR : 1,900 2,300 10,900 15,100 FL 2/ : 1,800 0 0 10,300 GA : 2,600 3,500 6,000 12,100 KY 2/ : 3,700 0 0 14,100 LA 2/ : 1,800 0 0 8,400 MS 2/ : 3,000 0 0 12,800 NC : 1,800 2,600 4,900 9,300 OK : 5,000 18,500 10,500 34,000 TN 2/ : 4,300 0 0 12,000 TX : 14,000 54,000 61,000 129,000 VA 2/ : 2,200 0 0 8,600 Other States 2/ 3/ : 3,800 0 0 11,570 Total : 49,500 119,000 118,970 287,470 : West : CA : 2,100 7,200 20,600 29,900 OR 2/ : 1,700 0 0 17,500 WA : 900 3,900 11,000 15,800 Other States 2/ 4/ : 8,500 0 0 242,520 Total : 13,200 99,500 193,020 305,720 : US : 93,163 358,700 521,540 973,403 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, 1994-96 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Economic Sales Class Estimates :---------------------------------------------------------- Economic : Percent of Total : Sales :-------------------------------: Average Size Farm Class : Farms : Land : (Acres) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1994 : $1,000 - $2,499 : 20.4 2.6 60 $2,500 - $4,999 : 14.0 2.9 98 $5,000 - $9,999 : 13.3 4.0 142 $10,000 - $19,999 : 11.9 6.7 265 $20,000 - $39,999 : 10.7 9.7 427 $40,000 - $99,999 : 13.3 20.5 726 $100,000 - $249,999 : 10.7 25.7 1,132 $250,000 - $499,999 : 3.4 13.1 1,816 $500,000 + : 2.3 14.8 3,032 : Total : 100.0 100.0 471 : : 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 : 22.5 3.0 63 $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 9.8 451 $40,000 - $99,999 : 12.6 19.9 741 $100,000 - $249,999 : 10.2 25.2 1,159 $250,000 - $499,999 : 3.8 12.9 1,593 $500,000 + : 2.4 15.1 2,952 : Total : 100.0 100.0 469 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 sales as horse farms. This is a continuing effort to have NASS and Census collect comprable data. Horses in boarding stables and racetracks and maple syrup only operations are excluded. This is a continuing effort to have NASS and Census publish comparable 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 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 1 to 4 percent for number of farms and 2 to 8 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 agricul- tural 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 (excluding pleasure 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 1997. 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 Office of Communications at (202) 720-5881 (voice) or (202) 720-7808 (TDD). To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, USDA, Washington, D.C., 20250, or call (202) 720-7327 (voice) or (202) 720-1127 (TDD). 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