The 2017 U-S-D-A’s census shows the number of farms in Iowa dropped by two-point-nine percent to 86-thousand-104. The average size of the farms increased by the same percentage to 355 acres. The data shows the value of agricultural products sold by Iowa farmers totaled 29 billion dollars — which was down six 6 percent from the 2012 survey.

Crop sales were down 20 percent to 13-point-eight- billion dollars, while livestock sales were up 12 percent to 15-point-one billion dollars.

Iowa is second in the nation for total value of ag products and livestock sold in 2017 with Iowa’s crop sales ranking third highest.

Farmers spent a total of 23-point-five billion dollars on production expenses in 2017, down one percent from 2012.