Farms.com Home   News

Land In Active Crop Production Dips In 2015

The ERS Major Land Uses (MLU) data series provides a snapshot of land use across the United States. While much of the MLU series is updated roughly every 5 years, cropland used for crops, the category representing the acres of land in active crop production, is updated on an annual basis.

Cropland used for crops has three main components: cropland harvested (including acreage double-cropped), crop failure, and cultivated summer fallow. In 2015 (the most recent estimate), the total area of cropland used for crops in the United States was 335 million acres, down 6 million acres from the 2014 estimate and about 5 percent below the 30-year average. In 2015, cropland harvested declined by 1 percent (3 million acres) over the previous year.

The area that was double-cropped—land from which two or more crops were harvested—declined by 1 million acres, a 13-percent decline from the 2014 double-cropped area of 8 million acres. Acres on which crops failed declined by 30 percent over the past year to 7 million acres, the lowest level since 2010.

Land in active crop production dips in 2015

Source:usda.gov


Trending Video

Farmer-First Focus: Potatoes in the Florida?! The Farmer Living Life in the Fast Lane

Video: Farmer-First Focus: Potatoes in the Florida?! The Farmer Living Life in the Fast Lane

Think Florida is just for oranges and vacationers? Think again. Welcome to Troyer Bros, where the soil is rich, the potatoes are world-class and the farmers are faster than you’d ever expect. In this episode of Farmer-First Focus Friday, we’re hanging out with Anthony Troyer. By day, Anthony is a dedicated Florida farmer managing massive potato rows. But when the work is done, he swaps the tractor cab for a cockpit, hitting the NHRA drag strip to chase down the win light. ?? Whether he's navigating the fields in his Fendt equipment or tearing up the blacktop, Anthony knows that precision and horsepower are the keys to success.