Report shows Indiana lost farmland totals over past 14 years

 

Indiana. -- According to a new report by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, there has been a 1.5-2% decrease in farmland since 2010.

House enrolled act 1557 tasked the ISDA with collecting a full inventory of the amount of farmland lost in the state between the years of 2010 and 2022.

In total, 2% is equal to about 350,000 acres of farmland loss.

Locally, farmers have begun to sell their land to make way for major developments, such as the EV battery charging plant in New Carlisle as well as two new Microsoft facilities in Laporte and St. Joe County.

The ISDA hopes to create a new inventory report every five years, with the next inventory happening in 2029.

Currently, both local farmers and the ISDA expect the farmland loss trend to continue.

The release of this report provides information for local leaders who can take action based on the results of the inventory.