More farms disappear in Oregon , part of national trend

February 17, 2008

SALEM , Ore. (AP) -- Oregon has joined some of its Western neighbors in the decline of the number of farms, part of a national trend.

At the start of the year in Oregon , California , Idaho and Washington , there were 170,800 farms, a decline of 2 percent compared to one year ago, according to figures recently released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

California , Oregon and Washington each lost 1,000 farms since the last report. There are

500 fewer farms in Idaho , according to the USDA's annual report on farm numbers.

The total number of farms nationally is 2.08 million, a 0.6 percent drop from a year ago.

Nationally 930.9 million acres are in farmland, a 1.5 million-acre drop from a year ago. The average U.S. farm stands at 449 acres, an increase of 3 acres from the previous report.

In the West, Oregon , California and Idaho each lost 100,000 acres compared to a year ago. The total land in farms in California at the beginning of the year is 26.2 million. Idaho has 11.7 million acres and Oregon has 17 million acres in farms. Washington 's farm acreage remained stable at 15.1 million acres.

The average farm size is 349 acres in California , 478 acres in Idaho , 444 acres in Oregon and 458 acres in Washington .

"The decline in the number of farms and land in farms reflects a continuing consolidation in farming operations and diversion of agricultural land to nonagricultural uses," the USDA said.

Farms with sales less than $100,000 dropped 2.7 percent in the four Western states. Operations with sales of $100,000 and greater increased by 300 farms across California , Idaho , Oregon and Washington .

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On the Net:

USDA National Agricultural Statistic Service: http://www.nass.usda.gov 

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