In 2012, Indiana produced over 597 million bushels of corn for grain, and in 2022 yielded over 1 billion bushels. Indiana produced nearly 219 million bushels of soybeans in 2012 and saw that number increase to over 326 million in 2022.
The inventory results show that agricultural land was most likely to be lost in areas around the edges of cities and suburban areas. The primary cause of reduction in farmland was due to residential use.
According to the inventory data, there were approximately 18,314,648 acres of agricultural land with a property class code denoting agricultural use in 2010, and approximately 17,968,966 acres in 2022. This represents an approximate loss of 345,682 acres, or a 1.89 percent decrease.
The primary causes of reduction in farmland in approximate acreage according to the data:
- Agriculture to residential – more than 370,000 acres
- Agriculture to other – more than 68,000 acres
- Agriculture to industrial – more than 41,000 acres
- Agriculture to commercial – more than 27,000 acres
- Agriculture to mineral – more than 2,100 acres
While there was a net loss of farmland, ISDA was also able to identify the number of approximate acres gained to agriculture:
- Residential to agriculture – more than 328,000 acres
- Commercial to agriculture – more than 25,000 acres
- Other to agriculture – more than 21,000 acres
- Industrial to agriculture – more than 13,000 acres
- Mineral to agriculture – more than 800 acres
In 2023, the Indiana General Assembly passed House Enrolled Act 1557, which tasked ISDA to complete an inventory of lost farmland in Indiana from 2010-2022.
“Agriculture is, and always has been, the lifeblood of the Hoosier state,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “Data is critical for all levels of government when making decisions that may affect our rural communities and food security.”
ISDA used two sources of data – (1) parcel data from the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance(DLGF) and (2) the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Crop Data Layer (CDL). Both datasets have different qualities that make them desirable for attempting to discern both the quantity of land use change and the causes of land use change.
“The inventory of lost farmland was an opportunity for ISDA and legislators to gain access to reliable data, where up until now, we could only make assumptions,” said Don Lamb, director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. “This information is important to have for policy development as we work to balance economic growth, food security and the preservation of agricultural land, because we know when agriculture is strong, Indiana is too.”
ISDA outlined several recommendations within the report to the Legislative Council, including that legislation be passed directing ISDA to update the inventory of lost farmland every five years, starting in 2029 for a report to be published in 2030.
To view the full 2010 to 2022 report or narrative, click here or visit isda.in.gov.
ABOUT ISDA The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) reports to Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. Major responsibilities include advocacy for Indiana agriculture at the local, state and federal level, managing soil conservation programs, promoting economic development and agricultural innovation, serving as a regulatory ombudsman for agricultural businesses, and licensing grain firms throughout the state.
