Nebraska’s number of farms and ranches declined less than 1% during 2011, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office.

The number of farms and ranches in the State, at 46,800, were down 400 farms from 2010.

Numbers of farms and ranches in Nebraska with less than $100,000 in agricultural sales declined 800 farms, while operations with more than $100,000 were up 400 farms. The decline in smaller farms was in part the result of existing farms moving into higher sales categories.

Land in farms and ranches in Nebraska totaled 45.5 million acres, a decline of 100,000 acres from last year. The average size of operation, at 972 acres, increased by 6 acres from 2010.