(NAFB.com) – USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service Tuesday announced the 2022 Census of Agriculture results. The information collected directly from producers shows a continued decline in the total number of U.S. farms. However, the data also show a rise in the number of new and beginning farmers and young producers. New and beginning farmers are defined as those operating ten or fewer years on any farm and young producers are those under the age of 35. NASS Administrator Hubert Hamer says, “Overall, though there are always changes across U.S. agriculture, the data remain largely consistent with the previous ag census.” The data shows there were 1.9 million farms and ranches, down seven percent from 2017, with an average size of 463 acres, up five percent. Family-owned and operated farms accounted for 95 percent of all U.S. farms and operated 84 percent of land in farms. Find the complete data set online at nass.usda.gov/AgCensus.