Nebraska’s number of farms and ranches declined less than 1% during 2012, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office.

The number of farms and ranches in the state, at 46,700, was down 100 farms from 2011. Numbers of farms and ranches in Nebraska with less than $100,000 in agricultural sales declined 1,200 farms, while operations with more than $100,000 were up 1,100 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, unchanged from last year. The average size of operation, at 974 acres, increased by 2 acres from 2011.