By Scout Nelson
Nebraska no longer holds the title of the most irrigated state in the U.S., as recent data from the USDA's 2022 Census of Agriculture reveals. In 2022, Nebraska reported 15,122 irrigated farms and 7.96 million irrigated acres — a 7% decrease from 2017, when it recorded 16,122 irrigated farms with 8.59 million acres.
California now leads, boasting 46,247 irrigated farms and 8.16 million irrigated acres, an increase from 7.83 million acres in 2017. Arkansas follows Nebraska, with a total of 4.75 million irrigated acres. Together, these three states represent 38% of the nation's total irrigated acreage.
Across the U.S., nearly 55 million acres of cropland were irrigated in 2022, making up about 18% of total U.S. cropland. This figure is the lowest since 1992 and reflects a decrease of approximately 3 million acres from the 2017 Census, when irrigated cropland reached a record 58 million acres.
Several regional declines contributed to the nationwide drop in irrigated acres. The Mountain region experienced a reduction of 1.8 million acres (14%), the Northern Plains decreased by 0.9 million acres (7%), and the Southern Plains saw a decrease of 0.7 million acres (15%). Despite these decreases, the Mountain region still has the most irrigated acreage, with 11.4 million acres in 2022.
This shift in irrigated acreage reflects changing patterns and challenges in U.S. agriculture, highlighting how regional factors influence water usage and irrigation practices.
Photo Credits:gettyimages-dmaroscar
Categories: Nebraska, General, Harvesting