Orange County NC Website
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0 4 <br /> LAND RESOURCES <br /> Prime Agricultural Soils <br /> Orange County has experienced two striking trends in recent decades - population growth and <br /> farmland loss. A population increase of 50,881 persons, or 118%, occurred in the county between <br /> 1960 and 1990. Corresponding to this change, population density increased from 108 persons per <br /> square mile to 236 persons per square mile. At approximately the same time, the proportion of land in <br /> farms declined from 52% in 1964 to 26% in 1992, while the number of farms declined steadily from <br /> 1,115 to 433, a decrease of 61%. <br /> Farm Loss & Population Gain <br /> 140000 <br /> 120000-aeo <br /> 100000. 0010 <br /> 80000 <br /> 60000 <br /> 40000 <br /> 20000 <br /> 0 <br /> 1960 Farm Acreage <br /> 1%9 1974 1980 Population <br /> 1987 1992 <br /> Associated with the loss of farmland has been an increase in the size of farms. Between 1964 and 1992, <br /> the average farm size increased from 118 acres to almost 156 acres. During this period, the proportion <br /> of small farms (e.g., those less than 50 acres in size) declined by five percent while larger farms (e.g., <br /> those 180 acres or greater in size)increased by six percent. <br /> 43% <br /> Distribution of Farms by Size- 1992 <br /> ®1 to 49 acres <br /> ■50 to 179 acres <br /> 0180 to 499 acres <br /> 0 500 or more acres <br /> 31•/. 20% <br /> 6% <br /> Despite the sharp decline in land in farms over the past thirty years, agriculture remains an important <br /> contributor to the economy of Orange County. In 1992, the value of all agricultural crops sold in the <br /> county was $8.43 million, with tobacco accounting for almost two-thirds of the total. In contrast, the <br /> dairy products represented almost one-third of the$25.3 million value of livestock and poultry sold. <br />