U.S. land area covers nearly 2.3 billion acres. The proportion
of the land base in agricultural uses has declined from 63 percent
in 1949 to 51 percent in 2007. Gradual declines have occurred in
cropland and pasture and range, while grazed forestland has
decreased more rapidly. In 2007, 408 million acres of agricultural
land were in cropland (down 17 percent from 1949), 614 million
acres were in pasture and range (down 3 percent), 127 million acres
were in grazed forestland (down 52 percent), and 12 million acres
were in farmsteads and farm roads (down 19 percent).
Nonagricultural uses increased largely due to a fourfold
increase in National Parks and National Wilderness/Wildlife areas,
particularly in Alaska. This chart is found in the March 2012 issue
of Amber Waves
magazine.