In this installment of the ‘Agronometrics In Charts’ series, we take a look at the state of U.S. agriculture and farm numbers. Each week the series looks at a different horticultural commodity, focusing on a specific origin or topic visualizing the market factors that are driving change.

The number of farms in the United States fell to 1.88 million in 2024, the lowest level on record, continuing a trend that has reshaped American agriculture for decades. The most recent data show the number of U.S. farms in 2024 was down about 1 percent from the 1.90 million reported in USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture and 8 percent from the 2.04 million in the 2017 census. Similarly, acres of land in farms decreased to 876 million acres in 2024 from 880 million in 2022 and 900 million in 2017.

The average farm size was 466 acres in 2024, slightly above 2022 and about 6 percent greater than the 440 acres recorded in the early 1970s.  Several converging factors are the driving force behind this decline. As smaller enterprises continue to struggle to remain profitable, they are frequently acquired by larger businesses, farm consolidation remains a significant factor. Small and mid-sized farms have found it increasingly challenging to compete due to the combination of volatile markets, limited profit margins, and the increasing cost of inputs, including fertilizers and machinery.

Additionally, the average age of American farmers is increasing continually, and it is now approaching 60; the next generation is not stepping in at the same rate. Many younger people are choosing careers outside of agriculture, leading to succession issues on family-run farms. In some regions, farmland is also being lost to urban development, especially near expanding metro areas. Although fewer farms doesn’t automatically mean less agricultural output—thanks to efficiencies in scale and technology—the implications for the produce industry are significant. With fewer farms producing more of the supply, production becomes increasingly concentrated.

This makes the supply chain more vulnerable to regional disruptions, such as extreme weather events or disease outbreaks. It also impacts crop diversity. Larger operations tend to focus on a narrower set of high-volume, high-margin commodities, which can lead to reduced variety in certain markets. This dynamic is visible in domestic produce volumes, where overall volumes have remained stable—or even increased—despite the continued decline in farm numbers.

However, significant challenges remain—especially for newcomers, barriers to entrance for newcomers are increasing. Today, independent cultivators and specialty producers are facing a significantly more difficult time establishing a successful farm operation due to the significantly higher capital and scale requirements than in previous decades. The reduction in the number of farms is not merely a demographic change; it is a structural transformation. The produce industry's dynamics of supply, pricing, and risk management are evolving as the number of farms decreases and in size increases. It will be essential to comprehend this trend and its repercussions in order to effectively navigate the future of agricultural markets in the United States.

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.

(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)

In our ‘In Charts’ series, we work to tell some of the stories that are moving the industry. Feel free to take a look at the other articles by clicking here.

All pricing for domestic US produce represents the spot market at Shipping Point (i.e. packing house/climate controlled warehouse, etc.). For imported fruit, the pricing data represents the spot market at Port of Entry. You can keep track of the markets daily through Agronometrics, a data visualization tool built to help the industry make sense of the huge amounts of data that professionals need to access to make informed decisions. If you found the information and the charts from this article useful, feel free to visit us at www.agronometrics.com where you can easily access these same graphs, or explore the other 21 commodities we currently track.