AGRICULTURAL ALCHEMY
FARM CONSOLIDATION
We have less farms and farmland—but they’re getting bigger.
One big story that came from the USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture report was the notable and ongoing shift towards fewer but larger farms. For the first time since the ag census began, the total number of U.S. farms fell below two million in 2022 and total farmland acres dropped to 880 million. But at the same time, the average size of farms has been steadily on the rise since 2007.
U.S. Farm Consolidation Trends
(farms, land in farms, and average acres per farm; 1997-2022)
Between 2002 and 2007, the number of farms with sales of less than $1,000 increased by 118,000, while farms with sales ranging from $1,000 to $249,000 experienced a decline. This highlights the increasing concentration of agricultural production on large farms and the proliferation of small “rural residence” farms with little or no production.
Sources: USDA
From 2017 to 2022, the number of U.S. farms and farmland fell by seven percent and two percent, respectively. During that time, the average size of the American farm increased by five percent.
The number of U.S. farms lost from 2017 to 2022.
Acres of farmland lost from 2017 to 2022.
At the same time, average farm size increased from 441 to 463 acres.
WHAT DOES CONSOLIDATION MEAN FOR U.S. FOOD SECURITY?
BOTTOM LINE
Farm consolidation trends reflect a pivotal alchemical shift for the U.S. agricultural landscape, one that is largely driven by technology and changing market dynamics. Ultimately, this issue resides largely beyond the farm gate and outside of crop production for now. However, understanding these trends and their associated impact is crucial for policymakers and stakeholders to ensure our domestic food system's ongoing productivity and resilience.
“As a country, are we ok with losing that many farms? Are we ok with losing that much farmland or is there a better way?”