Agenda - 06-04-1981 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

2.5 AGRICULTURE IN' ORANGE COUNTY 1 BACKGROUND Orange County has experienced two striking trends in recent decades population growth and fax loss. An estimated population increase ft' of more than 45,000 persons, or almost 133%, has occured in the County since 1950. Population density has increased from 87 persons per square mile to 202 persons per square mile. During the same period the propor- tion of County land in farms has declined from 70.5% in 1950 to an es- timated 31% in 1979. The number of farms in the County has steadily de- clined from a high of over 2000 in 1950 to 631 in 1974, the last year for which data are available. In spite of a sharp decline in land in farms over the past thirty years, agriculture remains an important contributor to the economy of Orange County. In 1978, revenue from farm commodity sales and government pay- ments amounted to $235 mi33ion or roughly $300 for every man, woman and child in the County. Orange County has 141,430 acres of prime soils, the second highest total of six counties in the region according to a recent study by the Triangle J Council of Governments. County agriculture is based on live stock, es- pecially milk production and tobacco. Table 2- shows the revenue from the five major agricultural activities in the County. TABLE 2-35 ORANGE COUNTY FARM COMMODITY REVENUE FOR LEADING COMMODITIES, 1978. REVENUE PERCENT OF TOTAL COMMODITY (IN MILLIONS O S) FARM REVENUE MILK 7.53 31.9% TOBACCO 6.39 27.1% BEEF 2.61 21.0% POULTRY AND EGGS 2.47 10.5% SWINE 1.03 4.3% — 'Source: The information on agriculture is taken from :the Report of the Orange County Agriculture Task Force, Draft, May 1981. 35