Agricultural Output
Even with unusual weather patterns in recent years, better organization of farms and improved production practices like no-till planting have boosted U.S. agricultural yields – even while farmers are using fewer inputs. Agricultural productivity has increased by almost 50 percent since 1982, according to a December 2011
study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Meanwhile, the amount of land used in agriculture fell from 54 to 51 percent of the total and farmers used 30 percent less hired labor and reduced their use of machinery, fuel, and pesticides.
