b'So, let us pose the question again: Is it possible to imagine a resurgence of small farms in and around cities and towns in the 21st century, significant enough in scale to move the needle in systemic terms? Some data points get us started. ** While the number of farms overall has been declining, and the percentage of land owned by and revenue generated by the largest farms (over 2,000 acres) has been increasing, the number of farms under 50 acres has been growing, from fewer than 600,000 in 1997 to over 800,000 today. ** The American Farmland Trust has helped preserve millions of acres over the past several decades, and there are more than 1,300 local and regional land trusts, many of which focus on farmland pres-ervation, including Marin Agricultural Land Trust, Vermont Land Trust and Sustainable Iowa Land Trust. The Land Trust Alliance reports that while top priorities for most of its members are open space/habitat preservation and wetlands, farmland preservation is becoming increasingly important. 19** Organics share of total U.S. food sales has been growing steadily for decades, reaching some 6%, or $50 billion, in 2019. ** Local food sales have been growing extremely rapidly, from$5 billion in 2008 to $12 billion in 2014, according to Packaged Facts, a market research firm that announced, in 2015, a tipping 19 On the international front, it is interesting to note that since 2003, in France, Terre de Liens has raised roughly $100 million in donations and investment capital from 24,600 members and investors to purchase 220 small farms (approximately 15,000 acres), preserving farmland and promoting local food systems. 144'