Shrinking trend continues in latest Census of Ag

Benjamin Herrold
Feb 15, 2024
Feb 15, 2024

Carrying on the tradition — The Bakehouse family dog sits in front of the main home near Hastings, Iowa, built by Jon Bakehouse’s great-grandfather. Jon and his wife, Tina, restored the farmhouse and are now raising their son Anderson there. Jon’s parents live next door in the house where Jon grew up.
Abel Uribe/Chicago Tribune/TNS

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

The USDA released the data from its 2022 Census of Agriculture Feb. 13, providing its latest snapshot of farming in the United States.

kAm&]$] $64C6E2CJ @7 p8C:4F=EFC6 %@> ':=D24< D2:5 5FC:?8 2? @?=:?6 =:G6DEC62> E@ 5:D4FDD E96 46?DFD C6DF=ED E92E D6G6C2= A2CED @7 E96 52E2 DE@@5 @FE[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 :?4C62D:?8 2G6C286 286 @7 E96 p>6C:42? 72C>6C[ 2D H6== 2D E96 564=:?6 :? E@E2= ?F>36C @7 72C>D 2?5 ?2E:@?2= 24C6D @7 72C>=2?5] ':=D24< 2=D@ E92?<65 72C>6CD H9@ E@@< E:>6 E@ C6DA@?5 E@ E96 46?DFD BF6DE:@??2:C6[ 2D H6== 2D E96 A6@A=6 H9@ H@C<65 E@ 4@>A:=6 E96 52E2]k^Am

kAm“%96C6 2C6 D6G6C2= :>A@CE2?E 52E2 A@:?ED D@>6@?6 :? >J A@D:E:@? H:== =@@< 2E 2?5 E96 A@=:4J >2<6CD H:== =@@< 2E[” 96 D2:5] “(6 4@?E:?F6 E@ D66 2? 28:?8 ?2EFC6 @7 @FC 72C>:?8 4@>>F?:EJ] tG6CJ 46?DFD :E E:4<D FA 2 J62C @C EH@[ 2?5 ?@H :E’D 2E dg]`]”k^Am

kAm%9:D 5C:G6D 9@>6 E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 DFAA@CE:?8 J@F?8 2?5 368:??:?8 72C>6CD[ ':=D24< D2:5] w6 4:E65 AC@8C2>D =:<6 E96 &$sp }6IEv6? H@C< E@ D9@H J@F?8 A6@A=6 H92E 28C:4F=EFC6 92D E@ @776C]k^Am

kAm“(6 C64@8?:K6 E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 >2<:?8 E96 42D6 E@ 8C62E J@F?8 A6@A=6 2?5 E96 @AA@CEF?:E:6D E92E J@F 92G6 :? 28C:4F=EFC6[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm':=D24< D2:5 E96 28 46?DFD 52E2[ 2=@?8 H:E9 :?7@C>2E:@? 7C@> E96 &$sp’D t4@?@>:4 #6D62C49 $6CG:46[ D9@HD E96 @?8@:?8 DF446DD 2?5 AC@8C6DD @7 &]$] 28C:4F=EFC6]k^Am

kAm“xE :D 2 C6>2C<23=6 DE@CJ @7 9@H H6 92G6 D:8?:7:42?E=J :?4C62D65 AC@5F4E:@? H:E9@FE 2 D:8?:7:42?E :?4C62D6 :? :?AFED[” 96 D2:5] “xE’D E649?@=@8J[ :E’D D4:6?46[ :E’D E96 2H2C6?6DD 2?5 E96 677:4:6?4J @7 9@H H6 AC@5F46] xE’D 2? 2>2K:?8 DE@CJ]”k^Am

kAm%96 28 46?DFD 52E2 C2:D6D D@>6 4@?46C?D[ ':=D24< D2:5[ :? A2CE:4F=2C E96 564=:?6 :? E96 ?F>36C @7 72C>D 2?5 E96 E@E2= 72C>=2?5 24C6286]k^Am

kAm“x’> 4@?46C?65 23@FE E96 DE2E6 @7 28C:4F=EFC6 2?5 7@@5 AC@5F4E:@? :? E9:D 4@F?ECJ[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm':=D24< D2:5 96 9@A65 E96 &]$] H@F=5 36 23=6 E@ AC6D6CG6 :ED 72C>=2?5 2?5 @AA@CEF?:E:6D @? :E]k^Am

kAm“$FCG6J 27E6C DFCG6J 4@?E:?F6D E@ D9@H E96 2>@F?E @7 72C>D 2?5 72C>=2?5 564=:?6[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm%96 28 46?DFD :D 4@?5F4E65 6G6CJ 7:G6 J62CD] uC@> a_`f E@ a_aa[ E96 ?F>36C @7 72C>D 76== 7C@> a[_ca[aa_ E@ `[h__[cg`]k^Am

kAm“%92E’D `ca[___ 76H6C 72C>D :? 7:G6 J62CD[” ':=D24< D2:5]k^Am

kAmw6 2=D@ D2:5 E96 &]$] =@DE a_ >:==:@? 24C6D @7 72C>=2?5 7C@> a_`f E@ a_aa[ H9:49 96 D2:5 :D E96 D:K6 @7 6G6CJ }6H t?8=2?5 DE2E6 6I46AE r@??64E:4FE]k^Am

kAmqC25 $F>>2 H@C<D 7@C E96 &$sp’D }2E:@?2= p8C:4F=EFC2= $E2E:DE:4D $6CG:46[ D6CG:?8 2D C68:@?2= 5:C64E@C 7@C |:DD@FC: 2?5 x==:?@:D] w6 D2:5 E96 EC6?5D :? ?F>36C @7 72C>D 2?5 72C> D:K6 D9@H E96 4@?D@=:52E:@? :? E96 :?5FDECJ]k^Am

kAm“(6’G6 D66? 2=>@DE 6G6CJ 72C> :? E96 D>2==6C 42E68@C:6D 2C6 5C@AA:?8 @77[” 96 D2:5] “~?6 @7 E96 @?=J 42E68@C:6D 8@:?8 FA :D E96 3:8 72C>D]”k^Am

kAm$F>>2 D2:5 FC32? DAC2H= :D E96 AC:>2CJ 42FD6 @7 ?2E:@?2= 72C>=2?5 24C6286 564=:?:?8]k^Am

People are also reading…

Research farm director welcomes next generation of ag
Virtual fence shows potential for producers
Fertilizer prices seasonally higher, rising globally
County school’s Easter parties created lasting memories
Farmers visit Mexico ahead of USMCA talks
Plant soybeans early, Below says
Defend Digestive Function to Protect Profitability
Dairy era ends in sadness
Couples partner to open Sasquatch Acres farmstand
Brooks Chalky Butte Angus Ranch 2026 Production Sale
Upside Robotics builds robots with sensors to fertilize cornfields in tiny doses
Nations race to secure enough fertilizer
The sacrifice and perseverance of a ranch woman
2026 Farm Financial Stability loans overwhelm BND
EPA allows summer sales of E15 gasoline

kAm|:DD@FC: 92D E96 D64@?5\>@DE 72C>D @7 2?J DE2E6[ H:E9 gf[ggf 2?5 af]_b >:==:@? E@E2= 24C6D @7 72C>=2?5] x==:?@:D 92D f`[`ab 72C>D DA2??:?8 ae]ah >:==:@? 24C6D[ 2?5 x@H2 92D ge[h`` 72C>D 2?5 ah]hg >:==:@? 24C6D @7 72C>=2?5]k^Am

kAm$F>>2 D2:5 |:DD@FC: 92D 2 =@E @7 24C6286D 2?5 “r#! 72C>D[” >62?:?8 2 C6=2E:G6=J D>2== A2C46= @7 =2?5 :? r#! E92E DE:== 4C@DD6D E96 S`[___ A6C J62C :? C6G6?F6 E9C6D9@=5 E@ 36 567:?65 2D 2 72C>] w6 D2:5 |:DD@FC: 2=D@ 92D E96 E@A@8C2A9J 2?5 C6D@FC46D E92E AC@>@E6 42EE=6 AC@5F4E:@?]k^Am

kAm“%96C6’D 2 =@E @7 C6=2E:G6=J D>2== 24C6286D E92E 92G6 2 76H 9625 @7 42EE=6[” $F>>2 D2:5]k^Am

kAmw6 D2:5 :? 4@?EC2DE E@ &$sp C6A@CED 7@4FD65 @? AC@5F4E:@?[ E96 46?DFD :D 5:776C6?E]k^Am

kAm“~FC C68F=2C 28 6DE:>2E6D AC@8C2> AC:>2C:=J 7@4FD6D @? H92E :D 36:?8 AC@5F465[” $F>>2 D2:5] “%96 46?DFD[ C62==J E96 AC:>2CJ 7@4FD :D H9@ :D 5@:?8 E96 AC@5F4:?8]”k^Am

kAm':=D24< D2:5 E96 EC6?5 @7 76H6C 72C>D 2?5 =6DD 72C>=2?5 :D 2? :>A@CE2?E :DDF6 7@C 72C>:?8[ 3FE 2=D@ :>A24ED CFC2= 4@>>F?:E:6D 3642FD6 72C> 4@?D@=:52E:@? 2?5 76H6C 72C>6CD :? 86?6C2= >62?D 76H6C A6@A=6 :? E96 4@F?ECJ E@ DFAA@CE ?62C3J D>2== E@H?D]k^Am

kAm“%9:D DFCG6J :D 2 H2<6FA 42==[” ':=D24< D2:5] “(96E96C 2D 2 4@F?ECJ[ 2C6 H6 ~z H:E9 =@D:?8 E92E >2?J 72C>6CD[ 2C6 H6 ~z H:E9 =@D:?8 E92E >F49 72C>=2?5n ~C :D E96C6 2 36EE6C H2Jn”k^Am

kAmw6 D2:5 96 2AAC64:2E6D E96 :?G6DE>6?E 2?5 AC@5F4E:@? @7 =2C86\D42=6 72C> @A6C2E:@?D[ 3FE :E :D 2=D@ :>A@CE2?E E@ DFAA@CE D>2==6C AC@5F46CD]k^Am

kAm“x7 J@F 42? AC6D6CG6 E9@D6 D>2==\ 2?5 >:5\D:K6 72C>:?8 @A6C2E:@?D[ J@F AC6D6CG6 E96 23:=:EJ @7 E9@D6 72C> 72>:=:6D E@ =:G6 2?5 H@C< :? E9@D6 CFC2= 4@>>F?:E:6D[” ':=D24< D2:5]k^Am

kAmw6 D2:5 E96C6 2C6 >2?J H2JD E@ 4@>32E E96D6 EC6?5D[ 2?5 E96 &$sp 92D 366? H@C<:?8 @? :E] w6 D2:5 :?DE625 @7 ;FDE 7@4FD:?8 @? AC@5F4E:@? @7 E96 6I:DE:?8 4@>>@5:E:6D[ 72C>6CD 42? =62C? 23@FE ?6H H2JD E@ 62C? >@?6J 7C@> E96 72C>=2?5]k^Am

kAmw6 D2:5 E96 >2;@C:EJ @7 72C> 72>:=:6D ?665 E@ 62C? @77\72C> :?4@>6 E@ 92G6 6?@F89]k^Am

kAm“w@H 42? H6 4C62E6 E96 72C> 42A23=6 @7 4C62E:?8 >F=E:A=6 C6G6?F6 DEC62>Dn” ':=D24< D2:5]k^Am

kAmw6 D2:5 H2JD E@ 3@@DE 72C> :?4@>6 2C6 252AE:?8 AC@8C2>D =236=65 “4=:>2E6 D>2CE” 3J E96 &$sp[ E2<:?8 25G2?E286 @7 7F?5:?8 2G2:=23=6] p=D@[ ?6H 2?5 6>6C8:?8 AC@5F4E FD6D DF49 2D DFDE2:?23=6 2G:2E:@? 7F6= 42? 96=A DFAA@CE 72C> C6G6?F6] u2C>6CD 42? 6IA=@C6 >@C6 5:C64E\E@\4@?DF>6C D2=6D E@ 86E 2 9:896C A6C46?E286 @7 E96 >@?6J 4@?DF>6CD A2J 7@C 7@@5[ ':=D24< D2:5]k^Am

kAmw6 E92?<65 72C>6CD 7@C >2<:?8 E96 28 46?DFD A@DD:3=6]k^Am

kAm“x 2AAC64:2E6 E96 >:==:@?D @7 72C>6CD H9@ DA6?E E96 E:>6 E@ C6DA@?5 D@ H6 H@F=5 92G6 2 DFCG6J E92E :D C:49 :? 52E2 2?5 :?7@[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmw6 2=D@ D2:5 E96 DFCG6J :D :>A@CE2?E 7@C F?56CDE2?5:?8 2?5 DFAA@CE:?8 CFC2= D@4:6EJ]k^Am

kAm“%9:D DFCG6J :D?’E ;FDE 23@FE 28C:4F=EFC6[” ':=D24< D2:5] “xE’D 2 >2A 2?5 2 8F:56 E@ 2 36EE6C[ >@C6 9@A67F= 7FEFC6]”k^Am

kAm(9:=6 E96 EC6?5 92D 366? 76H6C 72C>D 2?5 =6DD 72C>=2?5[ 96 D2:5 E92E 5@6D ?@E 92G6 E@ 36 E96 42D6]k^Am

kAm“x D:?46C6=J 9@A6 E92E H6 E2<6 E9:D :?7@C>2E:@? G6CJ D6C:@FD=J[” ':=D24< D2:5] “xE ?665 ?@E 36 6G6CJ 7:G6 J62CD H6 C6A@CE 76H6C 72C>D 2?5 =6DD 72C>=2?5] xE 5@6D?’E 92G6 E@ 36 E92E H2J]”k^Am