AG-USA:  Agriculture in the United States of America has long been the backbone of the American economy. The USA has “fed the world” for many decades. Population growth has led some to believe that American Agriculture has dwindled over the past decades. While shifts have occurred, and growth and expansion of cities has claimed some of this land, new land has been cleared and opened for agricultural production. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducts a census of Agriculture every four years. The most recent of these have indicated little change in the land area in farms. In some farm segments, growth has occurred over the past ten years. The following information has been compiled in summary from the USDA Census of Agriculture of 2007 and 2002. Review indicates staggering numbers as to the scope of the US agriculture industry. More detailed information can be viewed at the USDA website.

           Total Acres in Farming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 922,095,840

           Total Acres in Cropland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  309,607,601

           Total Acres in Pastureland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491,045,004

           Total Acres in Irrigated Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  59,599,305

           Value of Crops Sold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 98,050,656,000

           Total Acres Commercially Fertilized . . . . . . . . . 265,995,497

           Expenses for Commercial Fertilizers . . . . . $ 9,597,128,000

           Total Number of Farms  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1,911,859

           Number of Farms with 500+ Acres . . . . . . . . . . . . .   351,770

Selected crops summarized as follows:

           Total Acres in Corn (all) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  86,248,542

           Total Acres in Soybeans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63,915,821

           Total Acres in Wheat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  50,932,969

           Total Acres in Hay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  61,455,483

           Total Acres in Cotton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10,493,238

           Total Acres in Vegetables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4,682,588

           Total Acres in Non-Citrus Fruits (all) . . . . . . . . . .  2,176,511

           Total Acres in Citrus Fruits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1,005,806

           Total Acres in Nuts (all) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1,857,179