By: NATHAN STUEDLE
Family farms continue to dominate American agriculture, according to new USDA data. Family-operated farms accounted for about 97 percent of all U.S. farms in 2024. Small family farms, with gross cash farm income below 350-thousand dollars, made up about 86 percent of farms but produced only 17 percent of total agricultural output. Large family farms represented just five percent of farms, but accounted for half of total production value.
Overall, family farms operated 91 percent of U.S. agricultural land and produced 85 percent of the nation’s agricultural output. Non-family farms represented just three percent of all farms and accounted for 14 percent of production value. USDA says the numbers continue to show that family ownership remains the backbone of American agriculture. They also highlight how a relatively small number of large family operations account for a major share of overall U.S. production.