Size, number of farms rise slowly in Utah

While the number of farms in Utah has increased over the past 10 years, newly released data show a "continuing consolidation" as big farms subsume family farms.

The Utah Agricultural Statistics Service reported Wednesday that there were 15,300 farms in Utah in 2004, compared to 14,500 in 1994. Over that 10-year period, the acreage dedicated to farming has risen from 11.2 million acres to 11.6 million acres. Meanwhile, the available data (going back to 1999) show that the average farm size in Utah increased from 748 acres to 758 acres in 2004.

The statistical service defines a "farm" as any establishment that sells or would normally sell $1,000 or more of agricultural products.

Up until the late 1990s, the data showed a gradual increase in small, family farms, according to Richard Kestle, director of the Utah Agricultural Statistics Service.

"Now, it's that same old story: the big keep getting bigger, the small get smaller, and the ones in the middle get pinched," Kestle said.

While Utah's data may appear relatively stable, Kestle said there are indications the state mirrors larger, national industry trends.

"We were stable compared to other states, mainly because we don't have that many farms compared to those other states," he said. "So, you won't see dramatic changes in Utah farm numbers.

"What you might see are dramatic changes in what percent of the farms have over $100,000 annually in sales, and what percent have less than $10,000. The story is in those two ends, and it says the big farms are controlling more and more."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated that there were 2.11 million farms nationwide in 2004, compared to 2.19 million in 1994. The number of acres devoted to farming was 936.6 million in 2004, compared to 968.8 million 10 years ago. The average farm size, according to the department, was 443 acres last year, up slightly from the average 432-acre farm in 1999.

"The decline in the number of farms and land in farms reflects a continuing consolidation in farming operations and transfers of agricultural land to competing uses," the Utah Agricultural Statistics Service report stated.

Leonard Blackham, Utah's agriculture commissioner, had a different interpretation of the numbers.

"Utah agriculture is continuing to be a very important part of our economy," Blackham said. "Especially in rural Utah, it is the heart of both the economy and culture. Agriculture processing, supply businesses and other support businesses depend on the root source of farming and ranching.

"Without agriculture producers, many businesses in the state would not exist," he said. "We are pleased that the number of acres in farming has increase in the last 10 years. However, the average farm size is a little lower, and thus we have more small farms and fewer large farms today.

"Most of our smaller farmers also work 'off the farm,' but they all add up to create local food and demand for services and employment. Similar to all business trends, the continued efficiencies in agriculture require full-time farmers to get bigger. Even with the loss of prime farm land into housing along the Wasatch Front, we have added additional acres into farming."

Blackham attributed the increase, in part, to water and irrigation improvement projects, conservation and preservation efforts, which have allowed some farmers to grow.

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