While total farm population is declining, the number of people living on the farms which produce the bulk of the nation's food and fiber is increasing. The 1970-75 total farm population decline was 13 percent, but the number of people living on farms with annual sales greater than $40,000 increased 76 percent. Such farms account for about 80 percent of total U.S. farm receipts, but only 24 percent of the U.S. farm population. Some of the indicated increase in population on large farms is unquestionably due to general price inflation and its effect on dollar value of farm product sales, but at least part of the change reflects real increase. The number of people living on farms with under $2,500 in annual sales dropped from 3.6 million in 1970 to 2.8 million in 1975. Farms of this sales size contain one-third of the U.S. farm population, and residents earn most of their money income from off-farm sources. The total 1970-75 farm population decline occurred among farm residents without regard to race, operator status, or region of residence. Losses were heavier in the nonoperator population than the operator population, the population of Blacks declined faster than Whites, and the population living on southern farms dropped at a greater rate than the number of farm people in the northern and western states. In 1975, about 60 percent of the total farm population resided on farms operated by a full owner, about 30 percent were on part owner operator farms, and the remaining 10 percent were on tenant or managed farms. (BR)