County farmland loss considered minimal

According to the 1996-98 Farmland Conversion Report http://www.consrv.ca.gov/dlrp/FMMP/fmmp_98rpt.htm ) produced by theCalifornia Department of Conservation ( ) , increasing crop yieldscontinue to offset recent farmland loss due to urbanization in NorthCounty and throughout California. While Southern California lost 30,306acres to urban growth in 1996-1998, nearly 25% more than the previoustwo years, the use of high yield crops has allowed farmers to maintaineconomically viable productions.Despite the overall statewide loss of 43,000 acres of agricultural landbetween 1996-1998, the California Institute for Rural Studies http://www.cirsinc.org ) found a 10% increase in harvested cropland inthe state since 1992 due to the fact that more land is now being usedfor growing crops instead of as pastureland.

Thanks to California 2000 Project