Washington.
Dec. 3, 2009 –
USDA's 2008 Farm
and Ranch Survey
has found that
farmers and
ranchers are now
irrigating 54.9
million acres
farmland across
the United
States, an
increase of
nearly 5 percent
since 2003. U.S.
Department of
Agriculture's
National
Agricultural
Statistics
Service (NASS)
collected the
data for the
Irrigation
Survey earlier
this year.
"Water is the
most critical,
limited resource
for our nation's
farmers and
ranchers," said
Molly Jahn, USDA
Deputy Under
Secretary for
Research,
Education, and
Economics. "For
farmers and
ranchers who are
looking for more
efficient ways
to irrigate
their land and
ways to reduce
their expenses,
the results of
the Farm and
Ranch Irrigation
Survey provide a
valuable tool to
help them make
informed
decisions about
the future of
their
operations."
The
Irrigation
Survey provides
the most
comprehensive
source of
up-to-date
information
regarding the
U.S. agriculture
industry's use
and stewardship
of our nation's
water resources.
The survey
results show a
continuing trend
towards more
efficient
irrigation
methods as
farmers reported
irrigating more
acres with
sprinkler
systems and less
with gravity
irrigation.
During the
five-year period
since the last
Irrigation
Survey, the area
irrigated by
sprinkler
systems
increased 15
percent while
the area with
gravity
irrigation
decreased 5
percent.
Despite the
changes in
application
methods,
equipment in
general
continues to be
one of the
leading expenses
of irrigation.
In 2008, farmers
and ranchers
spent $2.1
billion on
expenses related
to irrigation
equipment,
facilities, land
improvements and
computer
technology.
In addition
to looking at
irrigated acres,
application
methods and
expenses, the
irrigation
report provides
insight into
farmers' energy
and water
conservation
practices.
Between 2003 and
2008, a total of
74,846 farms
implemented
changes in
equipment or
management
practices that
reduced energy
use and/or
conserved water.
Nearly 46
percent of these
farms reported
reduced energy
cost and 59
percent reported
a reduction in
the amount of
water applied.
For the first
time NASS also
gathered
information on
the use of
recycled and
reclaimed water.
A total of 9,843
farms reported
using recycled
water and 3,205
used reclaimed
water.
General
results of the
2008 Irrigation
Survey are
available online
at
www.agcensus.usda.gov
.
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USDA is an
equal
opportunity
provider,
employer and
lender. To file
a complaint of
discrimination,
write: USDA,
Director, Office
of Civil Rights,
1400
Independence
Ave., S.W.,
Washington, D.C.
20250-9410 or
call (800)
795-3272
(voice), or
(202) 720-6382 (TDD).
