Feb. 20 (Bloomberg) -- The average age of farmers in America has increased while the number of farms declined, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported today.

The heads of U.S. farms on average were 58.3 years old in 2012, up from 57.1 years in 2007, according to the agency’s census of agriculture. Total farms fell 4.3 percent to 2.11 million and average size expanded 3.8 percent to 434 acres.

“Agriculture embracing diversity in all forms is extremely important” to combat the aging workforce and shrinking rural population, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said today in a speech announcing initial census results.

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