Farm Progress America, February 23, 2024

Mike Pearson tells listeners about the data collected in the latest ag census by the USDA.

The ag census information just released covers the years 2017-2022.

Every five years, National Ag Statistics Service or NASS, a part of the USDA, sends out a survey to farmers to understand what is happening in agriculture and what has changed.

Overall, some changes were found and other data stayed the same.

There were seven percent fewer farms than in 2016.

However, the acreage of the average farm increased to 463 acres.

The average age of the farmer is 58.1 years old-- six moths older than in 2016.

However, the age of the beginning farmer is 47.1 years old.

A total of 9 percent of farmers responded were under 35 years-old but those farmers had a higher acreage farm and ag sales.

Family farms constitute 95 percent of the farms in the country and those families manage 84 percent of the farm land in the country.

Overall, 32 percent of the land is used for grain and oilseed production and 40 percent is used to raise cattle.

Six percent of the farms have $1 million in sales annually, 31 percent of the farmland and 75 percent of all ag sales.

Farms with $50,000 in sales annually own 75 percent of all farms and two percent of the ag sales in the USA.

Farm Progress America is a daily look at key issues in agriculture. It is produced and presented by Mike Pearson, farm broadcaster and host of This Week in Agribusiness .