USDA Issues Report On Land Use In The U.S.

USDA recently released an in-depth analysis of U.S. land use patterns that shows total cropland decreased by 34 million acres from 2002 to 2007, the lowest level since USDA began collecting this data in 1945. The report also shows significant increases in forestland, grassland and rangeland during the five-year period.

The Renewable Fuels Association said the new report is one more addition to the mounting body of evidence that proves increased ethanol production has not resulted in expansion of total U.S. cropland or a decline in grassland and forest.

According to the report’s authors urban land acreage quadrupled from 1945 to 2007, increasing at about twice the rate of population growth over this period. Land in urban areas was estimated at 61 million acres in 2007, up almost 2% since 2002 and 17% since 1990, In comparison the estimated acreage of grassland pasture and range increased by 27 million acres, almost 5%, between 2002 and 2007, while forest-use land increased 20 million acres, or 3%, from 2002 to 2007.