The National Agricultural Statistics Service on Monday reported the total number of New York farms was down in 2007, but many farms are growing at the same time.

While data indicated the number of farms in the state dropped from 35,000 to 34,200, the average size increased to 219 acres, 5 acres more than the 2006 average.

Farms with gross annual sales of $500,000 or more increased by 50 to 1,350. Farms in the $250,000 to $499,000 sales class also increased to 1,750, 150 more than in 2006. The $100,000 to $249,000 class gained 200 farms over 2006. The second-largest group of farms, with annual sales between $10,000 and $99,000, grew by 600, from 10,700 in 2006 to 11,300.

On the contrary, farms with sales between $1,000 and $9,999 shrank by 1,800 compared to 2006 and settled at 16,800 in 2007.

For more on this story, including reaction from agricultural industry leaders, read Tuesday's edition of The Citizen.