The 2017 Census of Agriculture confirms and contradicts some perceptions in Illinois. The percentage of livestock vs. crop sales has not changed in the five-year period from 2012 to 2017. Numbers show a slowdown in the growth of mega-farms, which drew attention in the 2012 census. In the 2017 report the number of large farms grew by only 190 to total 2,660. In contrast, the number of the smallest farms (between 1 and 9 acres) grew by 2,120 to almost 8,000. The 2017 ag census shows family farms still dominate the state. In McLean and Bureau counties, for example, 94 percent of the farms are family farms. (Illinois Farmer Today)