S.C. farm numbers down

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The number of farms in South Carolina has decreased, according to the South Carolina Agricultural Statistics Service.

There were an estimated 24,400 farms in the state in 2003, down from 24,500 in 2002 and unchanged from the number in 2001.

Total land in farms was 4.85 million acres in 2003, unchanged from 2002 statistics but down 1 percent from 2001.

The average size of a farm in 2003 was 199 acres, similar to the past two years.

Nationwide, there were 2.13 million farms in 2003, down 0.4 percent from 2002.

The decline in the number of farms reflects consolidation in farming operations and competition for agricultural land for other uses, according to the agricultural statistics service.