Ag Census finds fewer farms, older producers

The number of farms in the U.S. fell 7% over five years to about 1.9 million in 2022, and the average age of U.S. farmers rose slightly to 58.1, the latest Census of Agriculture has found.

The amount of farmland fell 2% from 900 million acres in 2017 to 880 million in 2022. Farmland accounts for 39% of all U.S. land.

The census is conducted every five years to provide an in-depth assessment of U.S. agriculture. 

At at event to announce the completion of the 2022 survey, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack highlighted the productivity of U.S. agriculture, noting the three-fold increase in production since 1948 without an increase in inputs.

But returning to a theme he has emphasized throughout his tenure, he focused on a couple of data points during his presentation.

"Survey after survey continues to show a decline in the number of farms and in the farmland," he said.

Noting the 20 million acres of farmland lost, he said, “That’s every New England state, with the exception of Connecticut, in five years.” 

“We’ve lost 535,000 farms” since 1981, he said. 

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“This survey … is a wake-up call. This survey is essentially asking the critical question of whether as a country, ‘Are we okay with losing that many farms’? Are we okay with losing that much farmland, or is there a better way?”

He also noted that “the vast majority” of all farmers have to work outside the farm. He stressed the importance of finding ways for farmers to create multiple revenue streams, such as climate-smart commodities and bioproducts, and selling directly to consumers.

“The question now is not just what the researchers will do with this, not just what the statisticians will do with this, not just what the media will do with this. ... But what will policymakers, what will this department, what will our friends in Congress do with this information?

"My hope is that what we do, particularly for these young people who are here, is we send a strong message that we think there is an opportunity if they will join with us in creating a different model – one that acknowledges and recognizes the importance of production agriculture, and certainly acknowledges the significant investment people have made in very large farming operations. But one that also sends a message of hope and opportunity out to smaller and mid-sized operators by giving them multiple sources of revenue coming in from the farm and not requiring them to work essentially a second full time job. ”

“Because if you in fact can preserve those small and midsize farming operations, you preserve the ability of those families to live to work and raise their children and the small towns,” he said.