California Rain Damage Assessed and USDA Census of Agriculture

**With a respite from stormy weather, California farmers say they’re surveying for damage and waiting for the ground to dry so they can access the damaged fields and orchards.

The historic storms that brought two weeks of rain and powerful winds to California led to mudslides, flooding and widespread power outages and related evacuations.

Farmers say they are still grateful for the winter weather, which adds water to the state.

**USDA's National Ag Statistics Service announced the 2022 Census of Agriculture results.

The information collected directly from producers shows a continued decline in the total number of U.S. farms, but a rise in the number of new and beginning farmers.

The data shows there were 1.9 million farms and ranches, down 7% from 2017, with an average size of 463 acres, up 5%.

Family-owned and operated farms accounted for 95% of all U.S. farms.

**USDA says in the last decade, world agricultural output grew at an average annual rate of 1.94% per year, slower than the 2.74% growth rate over the prior decade or the 2.3%

over the past six decades.

The drop was tied primarily to a slowing rate of growth in agricultural Total Factor Productivity, which fell 1.4% per year in 2011-21 compared to 1.93% during the previous decade.