Report: NC is a 'Biggest Loser' When it Comes to Farms
Monday, June 7, 2010
RALEIGH, N.C. - According to a new U.S. Department of Agriculture report, farms are being displaced and replaced by development at an accelerated pace nationwide. North Carolina is one of the "biggest losers," with 766,000 acres less farmland since 1982. Much of that land has been used for development, although some is no longer farmed because of erosion.
Nationwide, more than 41 million acres of agricultural lands have gone out of production within the last three decades. Jennifer Morrill with the American Farmland Trust puts this loss in perspective.
"We are losing just under 1 million acres of land a year now - that's almost two acres per minute."
Morrill has advice for consumers interested in helping slow this pace.
"One thing you can do is support your farmers' markets. Shop at your farm stands, so you help keep those farms and ranches viable."
While loss of food production is a top concern, Morrill points out that farmland supplies much more than dinner for the table. Well-managed farmland shelters wildlife, facilitates critter migration, supplies open space and helps filter impurities from the air and water.
Texas and California are the other states losing the largest amounts of farmland.
The full report is at www.nrcs.usda.gov.
get more stories like this via email
Health and Wellness
A recent report examined how some rural Tennessee hospitals have managed to stay afloat despite financial challenges. The report includes interviews …
Social Issues
Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …
Social Issues
Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…
Social Issues
A mix of policy updates and staffing boosts has helped to put wage theft enforcement on the radar in Minnesota, and officials leading the efforts are …
Social Issues
Colorado is working to boost the state's agricultural communities by getting more fresh, nutritious foods into school cafeterias - and a new online …
Social Issues
Missouri lawmakers are concerned with protecting people from the potential risks of the increasing accessibility of AI-generated images and videos…