USDA Says Number of Farms in South Dakota Decreases

SIOUX FALLS - The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the number of farms in North Dakota and South Dakota decreased in 2012 but the average size of each farm increased.

According to the USDA, there were 300 fewer farms in South Dakota in 2012 compared to 2011. The total number of farms in 2012 was 31,000.

South Dakota's average farm size was 1,408 acres, up 13 acres from the 2011 estimate of 1,395 acres.

In North Dakota, the number of farms decreased by 200 to 31,600. The average farm size in 2012 was 1,253 acres, up from 1,245 acres the previous year.

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