Do farmers use more or less land now, compared to the past?
In the U.S., an estimated 14.3 million acres of farmland has diminished between 2012-2017. According to the USDA, there was a 1 million acre decline in just one year. This is caused in part by growing urban areas and by increased technology that allows more food to be grown on less land. Globally, however, total farmland acreage continues to increase as developing nations strive to feed a rapidly growing population. Nations with less technology must use more land to produce the food they need.
