The State of the American Family Farm — Why Advocacy Matters Now More Than Ever

American family farms are much more than parcels of land — they are the backbone of our food system, rural economies, and cultural heritage. Today, these farms still make up the vast majority of operations in the United States, but beneath that dominance lies an agricultural sector under strain and in flux. Advocacy efforts like VYFA are critical to ensure family farms don’t just survive, but thrive.

A Sector Defined by Family Ownership — but Shrinking

According to the latest USDA Census of Agriculture data, family-owned farms account for approximately 95 % of all U.S. farms — roughly 1.9 million operations nationwide. Family farms range from small, local producers to large-scale operations, but collectively they remain the core of American agriculture.

However, while those farms dominate by count, their numbers have fallen. Between the 2017 and 2022 censuses, roughly 8 % of family farms disappeared — a loss of nearly 159,000 farms.  Larger farm operations have tended to expand even as smaller farms shrink, signaling ongoing industry consolidation.

Economic and Structural Pressures Facing Family Farms

Family farms face a host of pressures that threaten their economic viability:

• Economic Squeeze:Rising input costs for fuel, equipment, seed, and labor have squeezed smaller farms’ profit margins. Many family farmers struggle with tight cash flows and debt just to maintain operations.

• Declining Farm Numbers:Across the U.S., the total number of farms and acres of land in farms continues to decline — a long-term trend that reflects cost pressures, aging landowners, and consolidation.

• Consolidation of Production:While small family farms make up the majority of farms, much of the value of agricultural production has shifted to larger-scale operations. This dynamic concentrates production power and revenue in fewer hands — often making market access and profit sharing harder for smaller growers.

• Demographic Challenges:Many farm operators are aging, and succession planning is a real concern for whether farms will remain in family hands. This threatens the continuity of agricultural knowledge and economic investment in rural communities.

Advocacy Is Not Optional — It’s Essential

Given these challenges, advocacy is absolutely critical. Policy decisions made at the federal and state level — ranging from farm bill negotiations to trade agreements and labor policy — have direct consequences on whether family farms can compete and remain viable.

Here’s why structured advocacy like VYFA’s mission matters:

• Elevating Farmers’ Voices in Policy Debates. Farmers understand their industry in a way policymakers often do not. Advocacy organizations ensure that farmers’ perspectives are heard in legislative and administrative debates.

• Defending Economic Opportunity. As smaller farms face consolidation and competition from larger industrial agriculture, advocacy groups fight for fair market access, equitable credit and loan policies, disaster support programs, and protections that allow farms to pass from one generation to the next.

• Strengthening Rural Communities. Family farms support local economies, schools, and small businesses. Advocacy that bolsters farm viability simultaneously supports the broader rural ecosystem.

• Promoting Sustainable Food Systems. Local and regional food systems depend on a thriving network of family farms. Without support, these systems fracture, weakening food security, resilience, and community nourishment.

A Call to Action

American family farms still nourish millions of people — but their future is far from guaranteed. Their decline isn’t just an agricultural statistic; it’s a sign of an economic and cultural shift that could reshape rural America and the nation’s food supply.

Grassroots advocacy like VYFA puts real farm families back into the conversation — enabling them not only to survive but to influence the policies that determine their future. Supporting these efforts means standing up for fair food systems, vibrant rural economies, and the traditions that have fed this country for generations.

Now is the time to raise our voices — not just for family farms, but for the future of American agriculture.

Sources & Citations

1. USDA – National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)2022 Census of Agriculture Highlightshttps://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus

   Source for statistics on the number of U.S. farms, percentage of family-owned farms, and long-term farm declines.

2. USDA Economic Research Service (ERS)Farming and Farm Household Income Statisticshttps://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/ag-and-food-statistics-charting-the-essentials/farming-and-farm-income/

   Source for data on farm income, off-farm income reliance, farm size distribution, and economic pressures.

3. USDA Economic Research Service (ERS)Family Farms and Rancheshttps://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-economy/farm-household-well-being/family-farms-and-ranches/

   Source for definitions of family farms, consolidation trends, and production value concentration.

4. American Farm Bureau FederationNew Census Shows Alarming Loss of Family Farmshttps://www.fb.org/news-release/new-census-shows-alarming-loss-of-family-farms

   Source discussing declining farm numbers, aging farmers, and succession challenges.

5. USDA Economic Research Service (ERS)Farm Structure and Organizationhttps://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-economy/farm-structure-and-organization/

   Source for consolidation trends and the growing dominance of large-scale operations.

6. National Young Farmers CoalitionBuilding a Future with Farmershttps://www.youngfarmers.org/resources/

   Source for challenges facing new and young farmers, land access, succession, and advocacy needs.

7. Union of Concerned ScientistsThe State of American Agriculturehttps://www.ucsusa.org/resources/state-american-agriculture

   Source for analysis on economic pressure, consolidation, climate stress, and impacts on family farms.