The number of farms in the United States has grown 4% and the
operators of those farms have become more diverse in the past
five years, according to results of the 2007 Census of
Agriculture released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The 2007 Census
counted 2,204,792 farms in the United States, a net increase of
75,810 farms. Nearly 300,000 new farms have begun operation
since the last census in 2002. Compared to all farms nationwide,
these new farms tend to have more diversified production, fewer
acres, lower sales and younger operators who also work off-farm.
In the past five years, U.S. farm operators have become more
demographically diverse. The 2007 Census counted nearly 30% more
women as principal farm operators. The count of Hispanic
operators grew by 10%, and the counts of American Indian, Asian
and Black farm operators increased as well. The latest census
figures show a continuation in the trend towards more small and
very large farms and fewer m