Texas has lost almost 2 million acres of working land to development, according to a recent report

A new land trend report out of Texas A&M shows that over the last five years, nearly 1.8 million acres of working land have been developed. Grazing lands account for the majority of that loss.

Since 1997, over 6 million acres of grazing land have been converted to other land uses, but the report was not all bad news: over the last 25 years, wildlife management acres grew from just 94,000 acres to over 7 million. And while the state may have lost more than 17,000 agricultural operations over the last five years, it is still home to 2,500 more than in 1997.

Related Stories
USDA approves disaster aid for Pennsylvania orchard and specialty crop growers after April freezes caused major crop damage statewide.
Texas officials say sterile fly releases and expanded surveillance efforts are helping slow the spread of the flesh-eating pest.
Applications are open through July 27, 2026, on Grants.gov.
Year-to-date red meat production is down 2 percent, with beef lower and pork higher.
Drought and Planting Shape Weekly Crop Condition Recap
Drought remains a major risk, with the ERS reporting that 98 percent of the U.S. cotton production area was affected by drought in early May.