Cropland Acres Trend Lower

USDA census data shows land in farms in Nebraska has declined over the past 25 years, falling from 45.8 million acres in 1997 to roughly 44 million acres in 2022, a loss of 4%. The disappearing acres consist mostly of lost cropland acres. Almost 1.5 million cropland acres were lost since 1997, a decline of 6%. Crop acres totaled 21.2 million acres in 2022. Pastureland was unchanged, totaling 21.5 million acres in 2022. Crop and pasture acres together accounted for 97% of the land in farms in 2022, with woodlands making up the balance.

Figures 1 and 2 map crop and pasture acres by county in 2022. Not surprisingly counties with the largest land areas (Custer, Holt, Lincoln, and Cherry Counties) held the most acres. Acres of cropland ranged from just over 46,000 in Douglas County to nearly 650,000 in Holt County. Sarpy County had just 1,400 acres of pasture while Cherry County had over 3.3 million, more than double the acres of the next closest county. Data on pastureland was not available for the counties colored grey.

FIGURE 1. CROPLAND ACRES BY COUNTY, 2022

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2022 Census of Agriculture

FIGURE 2. PASTURELAND ACRES BY COUNTY, 2022

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Figure 3 shows the ratio of crop acres to total crop and pasture acres in each county. The ratios provide a measure of the intensity of crop production in the counties. As can be seen, crop acres dominate the eastern third and central areas of the state. Crop acres in many counties exceed 90% of total acres. At the other end of the spectrum, crop production is much less intense in the Sandhills, accounting for less than 20% of total acres. Moreover, the boundary between Sandhills counties and neighboring counties in terms of the intensity of crop production is very clear. The ratios noticeably drop between counties along the boundary.

FIGURE 3. CROPLAND AS A SHARE OF TOTAL ACRES, 2022

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Nebraska's loss of land in farms is not unique. Researchers at the University of Illinois say losses occurred across all regions of the country. The Northern Plains region, which includes Nebraska, Colorado, Montana, Kansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota, lost 9.7 million acres. However, while Nebraska experienced a loss in crop acres, the region as a whole saw a growth in cropland. The loss of crop acres in Nebraska is likely due to the encroachment of Omaha, Lincoln, and other cities onto farmland but further research is needed to confirm this. However, despite the loss in acres, agriculture is still the primary land use in nearly all Nebraska counties.