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ISDA report says almost 2% of farmland has been lost since 2010

A recent report from the Indiana State Department of Agriculture shows the state has lost two percent of its farmland over the last 12 years.  

ISDA director Don Lamb says the Inventory of Lost Farmland, commissioned by the Indiana Legislative Council, shows land has primarily been lost to the expansion of residential communities. 

“This means that there’s jobs and there’s businesses that are somewhere that are attracting those people, which is a really good thing for our state,” he says.

He tells Brownfield although the loss of farmland may be concerning, agricultural productivity has increased and Indiana farmers should be optimistic about the state’s future.

“I think it’s a really good step for the state legislature to say, hey, we’re paying attention to agriculture and what we might need to do in the future to help,” he says.

Lamb says because the population continues to increase, the department is asking lawmakers to let it update the Inventory of Lost Farmland every five years, to help better understand the impacts to Indiana agriculture.

The department also suggests that:

• The Indiana General Assembly also consider prime farmland and its location in Indiana (including the total number of acres in the state)
• Involve local units of government in the farmland preservation conversation
• Consider what is determined an alarming level of lost farmland acres as it relates to food security
• Consider advancements in technology and innovation that have help farms improve productivity.

Photo provided by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.

AUDIO: Don Lamb, ISDA Director