Farmland Disappearing at Alarming Rate

Residential development encroaching upon farmland.

May 14, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn (RFD-TV) The American Farmland Trust has released its most comprehensive assessment of the loss of US ag land. The report sounds a stark warning: the loss of farmland is serious and will accelerate unless action is taken.

Joining us by phone on today’s edition of “Market Day Report,” American Farmland Trust Senior Program Officer Jimmy Daukas highlighted the key findings of the assessment.

“The report shows that the twenty years between 1992 and 2012 saw a quite stunning loss of farm and ranch land across the country,” Daukas began. “That’s 31 million acres lost to development. For perspective, that’s equal to all the farmland in Iowa . . . about twice as much as previously was known or documented. So, that is sort of scary,” he continued.

Watch the above video to learn more of the report’s findings.