McLean County Ag Breakfast – 2010
Meyer Farm Facts
From 1910 to 2007 ( approx.) 100 years
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Farm numbers declined from 4,500 to 1,513, about 1/3 of the farmers today than then
Land in farms declined from 733,000 acres to 676,000 today – drop of 8% acreage
Average farm size grew from 163 acres to 447 acres – farms have tripled in size
Machinery investments grew from $2 Million to $264 Million – 1320% growth
Corn acreage grew by 62,000 acres, about 18% more acres in corn today
Corn Production grew from 16 Million bushels to 72 Million bushels – 450% increase
Average Corn yields grew from 48 bpa to 183 bpa – Yields grew 400%
No Soybeans grown in 1910 but 232,000 acres grown today
Over 232,000 acres oats, wheat & hay grown in 1910, about 8,000 acres grown today
Beef cattle reported almost unchanged (about 23,000 head), but on a fraction of farms
Almost 17,000 dairy cattle reported in 1910, about 5,000 today
Over 40,000 horses on farms in 1910, 1,000 reported today (mostly pleasure horses)
Swine numbers are half what they were, down to 58,000 head
Almost 400,000 poultry in 1910, insignificant numbers to report today
From 1982 to 2007 ( approx.) 25 years
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Farm numbers declined from 2,126 to 1,513, about 1/4 fewer farm operators today
Land in farms declined from 745,000 acres to 676,000 today – drop of 9% acreage
Average farm size grew from 350 acres to 447 acres – about 30% larger
Corn acreage grew by 7,000 acres
Corn Production grew from 52 Million bushels to 72 Million bushels – 40% growth
Average Corn yields grew from 135 bpa to 183 bpa – Yields grew 35%
Soybeans declined 54,000 acres grown in past 25 years
Dairy animals have increased 4,000 animals in past 25 years
Source: USDA Census of Agriculture (1910 and 2007) – Thanks to Brian Lambert for his data preparation