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Index: Economy / Subcategory: Business

Agriculture

Date posted: 02/26/2009

Chart Directory:

Agriculture in Larimer County -

Agriculture includes farming and ranching. The information within this measure page is taken from the 2007 Census of Agriculture. The Census of Agriculture is conducted every five years and, by definition, is a complete accounting of the crops and livestock produced on all farms and ranches with current inventories of livestock on all farms for the Census year.

What this chart shows: Top Ten Types of Farms - Larimer County, 2007

Top Ten Types of Farms - Larimer County, 2007

Data Source:

See data table

What these data tell us:

In 2007, hay and cattle farms constituted 52% of farms in Larimer County. Between 2002 and 2007, the largest differences were in the number of farms producing hay (553 vs. 669) and the number of poultry farms (73 vs. 180) a 21% and 147% increase, respectively. (See data table)

What this chart shows: Number and Size of Farms, Larimer County, 1982-2007

Number and Size of Farms, Larimer County, 1982-2007

Data Source:

See data table

What these data tell us:

The number of farms in Larimer County rose steadily from 1982 to 2007, while the number of acres covered by farms declined. Over the 24 year period, Larimer County saw an overall drop of 16.1% in the total acreage in farmland, compared with an increase of 56% in number of farms. The trend in Larimer County is more pronounced than it is nationally or in the state of Colorado. Between 2002 and 2007, there was a 3.6% increase in the number of farms nationally, with a 1.7% decrease in the number of total farmland acreage. During this same time period, Colorado saw an 18.1% increase in the number of farms, and a 1.6% increase in the total number of farmland acreage.

In Larimer County, this increase in number of farms, followed by a decrease in acreage, is due to larger farms going out of business and being resold as smaller 'ranchettes'. A ranchette is the acreage around a home that produces $1,000 or more of agricultural products, qualifying the land as a farm.

What this chart shows: Farms by Acreage, Larimer County, 2007

What this chart shows: Farms by Acreage, Larimer County, 2007

Data Source: United States Department of Agriculture - 2007 Census of Agriculture

See data table

What these data tell us:

In 2007, 61% of all farms in Larimer County were comprised of less than 50 acres. Those farms of 100 acres or more represented 27% of all farms in the county. There were only 59 farms with more than 2,000 acres of land. This chart represents the shrinking of acreage on farms in Larimer County. As seen earlier, total farm acreage has decreased 16.1%, and farm numbers have climbed 56% from 1982 to 2007. (See chart)

Additional Information:

On Compass -

Outside Compass -

2007 Census of Agriculture

Standards or Targets: N/a

Data Tables:

Top Ten Types of Farms - Larimer County

Type of Farm

 

Number of Farms

1987

1992

1997

2002

2007

Hay

610

631

672

553

669

Cattle and calves sold

555

533

650

515

496

Beef cattle

348

370

407

357

421

Horses sold

182

146

155

240

222

Sheep

97

103

100

90

88

Poultry sold

61

60

63

73

185

Hogs & Pigs

82

74

66

62

69

Corn for Grain

165

166

137

52

55

Corn for Silage

109

93

58

52

46

Milk Cows

93

69

47

30

29

See chart

Size and Number of Farms - Larimer County

 

1982

1987

1992

1997

2002

2007

Farm Acreage (in thousands)

584.1

574.8

540.4

542.3

521.6

489.8

Number of Farms

1,129

1,233

1,233

1,298

1,564

1,757

See chart

Percentage of Farms by Acreage - Larimer County

Acres

Number of Farms

Percentage

1 to 9

338

19%

10 to 49

730

42%

50 to 99

214

12%

100 to 259

209

12%

260 to 499

105

6%

500 to 1,999

102

6%

2,000 +

59

3%

See chart