By Jamie Martin
The 2022 Census of Agriculture Farm Typology report from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service offers a clear picture of who runs America’s farms and how they earn income. The typology groups all farms by ownership and gross cash farm income, or GCFI. A family farm is defined as an operation in which the majority of the business is owned by the producer and relatives. GCFI counts crop and livestock sales, fees from production contracts, government payments, and other farm-related income.
“Classifying America’s 1.9 million farms to better reflect their variety is critical to evaluating and reporting on U.S. agriculture,” said NASS Administrator Joseph Parsons. “Typology allows us to more meaningfully explore the demographics of who is farming and ranching today as well as their impact on the economy and communities around the country.”
Family farms remain the backbone of U.S. agriculture, representing 95% of all operations. Small family farms, with GCFI below $350,000 per year, account for 85% of farms. They operate 39% of all farmland and contribute 14% of total agricultural sales. At the other end, large-scale family farms with at least $1 million in GCFI make up less than 4% of farms yet generate 51% of sales value.
Trends since 2017 point to fewer family farms overall and concentration at higher income levels. The number of family farms fell by 8%, about 159,000 operations. Mid-size farms increased 2%, large farms rose 40%, and very large farms expanded 65%. Within the small category, low-sales farms declined 10% and moderate-sales farms declined 7%.
Production focus differs by size. A majority of small farms specialize in cattle or in other crops such as hay and forage. Over half of mid-size operations concentrate on grains and oilseeds, while large-scale farms show more diverse specializations. Marketing channels vary: small family farms account for 44% of direct-to-consumer sales, compared with 18% for mid-size and 19% for large-scale family farms.
Demographics also vary across the size spectrum. Producers on small family farms are more likely to be women, age 65 or older, living on the farm, veterans, employed off the farm, and new or beginning farmers with ten years or less of experience.
These findings help communities, educators, and decision-makers understand the structure of U.S. farming and the role each farm type plays in rural economies. Readers can explore maps, highlights, and detailed tables in the Farm Typology report and the NASS Quick Stats database for deeper analysis.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-kali9
Categories: National