(551,181 ha) were cultivated on 64,000 farms. Acreage declined steadily until 

 1969 when only 0.7 million acres (275,591 ha) on 8000 farms were under 

 cultivation. The trend in Maine and elsewhere in the U.S. was toward fewer 

 but larger farms. Since 1969 the decline in acreage under cultivation has 

 slowed (Bureau of Census 1977). 



Currently the coastal counties of Maine contain an estimated 360,000 acres 

 (141,732 ha) of farmland, which comprise 8.3% of the total land area (Bureau 

 of Census 1977). About half (52.7%) is classified as farm woodland and does 

 not qualify technically as farmland as defined here. When the acreage of 

 woodland is subtracted the coastal counties contain only 147,000 acres (57,874 

 ha) of farmland, which accounts for 3.4% of the land area (table 10-1). Of 

 the 147,000 acres (57,874 ha), 55% (87,773 acres; 34,556 ha) is in harvested 

 crops and 16% is pasture. The remaining 30%, includes woodland pasture, house 

 lots, barn lots, roads, wasteland, ponds, and range land. Of the harvestable 

 crops (table 10-2), hay accounts for the largest area (62%), followed by 

 blueberries (4%), and field corn (8%). Over 757o of the blueberry production 

 is in Washington County. Sorghum, wheat, potatoes, vegetables, and orchard 

 fruit make up the other 6.5%. 



Farmland provides a significant economic benefit for coastal Maine. The 

 market value of all agricultural production from the coastal counties in 1974 

 was $71 million (table 10-3). Waldo County (region 4) was highest, accounting 

 for about 43% of the total. 



Table 10-1. Total Area (acres), Agricultural Area (acres) and Percentage 

 Contribution of Farmland Types to the Total for Each County 

 and for All Counties Combined^ 



Bureau of Census 1977 



10-2 



