Preliminary results from the 2012 Census of Agriculture show the number of Missouri farms has decreased by eight percent since 2007.
At the last agricultural census, Missouri was home to 107,825 farms. In 2012, that number dropped to 99,170.
The Census of Agriculture has not released detailed reports for 2012. That report is due to be released in May. The information released in May will include information for individual counties.
The Missouri Bootheel has, like much of the nation, seen the total of number of farms decrease in recent years. The last farm census in 2007 showed that every county with the exception of Stoddard County had a decrease in the total number of farms.
Stoddard County saw the number of farms increase from 953 in 1992 to 1,045 in 2007, the last statistics available. Stoddard County ranked third in the total value of farms sold in the state in 2007. It had crops sales (market value) of $166,828,000.
Dunklin County saw the total number of farms fall from 537 in 1992 to 453 in 2007. Dunklin ranked 13 in total value of farms sold, and had a crop value of $122,818,000.
New Madrid County saw the total number of farms fall from 442 to 350 by 2007, with a ranking of seventh in value of farms sold. The Crop value was $141,223,000.
Scott County also saw a decrease in farms in 2007 with 545 in 1992 and 538 in 2007. Its ranking was 17th in value of farms sold with a crop value of $83,342,000.
The number of farms in Mississippi County dropped from 293 to 228 in the same time period. It ranked 13th a value of $104,434,000. Pemiscot County also saw a drop in farms from 348 to 258. Total crop value in 2007 was $100,096,000.
While the state is down a number of farms, the average farm size has increased. In 2007, Missouri farms averaged 269 acres each. The 2012 count gives Missouri an average of 285 acres per farm.
And acreage isn't the only upward change. Since last count five years ago, Missouri has had an increase in the number of minority farm owners. The number of Hispanic farm owners has increased by 23 percent. Hispanic farm operators are the largest ethnic minority group to own and manage farms in the state.
The agriculture census, which is conducted every five years, records changes in the number of farms, economic impact and farm management. Early reports from the 2012 census show that Missouri is not the only state to discover what statisticians consider a "significant decrease" in farms.
According to the USDA, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Tennessee, Kentucky and six other states have experienced significant farm loss. Twenty-three states have seen less drastic decreases in farms.
But not all states are seeing a decrease in the number of farms. Texas, Nebraska, Florida -- even Alaska -- are just four of the 16 states that are counting increases in farms.
Despite the loss of 8,655 farms, Missouri remains on the top 10 list for states with the most farms, scoring a second place ranking behind Texas.
And, a U.S. Department of Agriculture inventory in mid-February rated Missouri as the number two state for cattle herd size, behind number one Texas. Missouri formerly held the number two spot from 1983 to 2008.
In 2013, Missouri had 1.82 million cows, making up more than 6 percent of the nation's 29 million cattle. The current U.S. herd size is the lowest it has been since 1962.
Nicole Garner of the Nevada Daily Mail contributed to this report.