Top States, Beginning 

Producer-Operated Farms, 

2017 (as % of total state farms)

Alaska 46

Georgia 33

Maine 33

Hawaii 32

Florida 31

Rhode Island 31

West Virginia 31

New Hampshire 31

Colorado 31

New and Beginning Producers

ACH17-23/November 2020

Highlights More than a quarter of U.S. producers have farmed for 10 years or less 

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus

908,274

producers

193 million 

acres

$88 billion

agriculture sales 

In 2017, the United States had 908,274 producers who identified as beginning 

farmers. A beginning farmer is anyone who has farmed for 10 years or less. 

They accounted for 27% of the country’s 3.4 million producers. States with 

the largest share of beginning farmers are mostly on the East and West 

coasts. The average age of a beginning farmer is 46.3, much younger than the 

average age of all farmers (57.5). In fact, 26% of beginning farmers are under 

35, while farmers under 35 represent only 8% of all U.S. farmers.

Number and Location

The 2017 Census of Agriculture 

collected demographic data differently 

from previous censuses to better 

capture the contributions of all persons 

involved in agricultural production. In 

response to detailed questions about 

farm decision making, more farms 

reported multiple individuals involved 

in farm operations.

As a result of the new approach to 

counting producers, the total number 

of U.S. producers increased 7% between 

2012 and 2017. The number of producers 

on their current farm for less than 

10 years increased by 17% since the 

last census, though all of the increase 

occurred among producers with less 

than five years on their current farm. 

States along the East and West coasts 

have a high share of farms with 

beginning producers compared to 

farms in the Midwest. In Alaska, 46% 

of producers are new and beginning 

farmers. Overall, 597,337 farms (29% of 

U.S. farms) have a beginning producer.

Just as Texas is the state with the most 

farms and the most producers, Texas leads 

in the number of beginning farmers with 

118,999, which is 13% of all beginning 

producers in the United States.

Number of Producers, by Years on Current Farm, All U.S.

2012 2017 % Change

< 5 years 319,039 469,377 17

5 - 9 years 501,875 495,022 -1

10 years or more 2,359,160 2,435,435 3

All Producers 3,180,074 3,399,834 7

Farms with New and Beginning Producers as Percent of Total Farms, by County, 2017

< 25

25 - 29

30 - 34

35 - 39

40 - 44

45 +

U.S. = 29.3
SNAPSHOT

Beginning Producers, 2017

Number = 908,274*

Beginning All U.S.

(percent)

Sex

Male 59 64

Female 41 36

Age

<35 26 8

35 - 64 62 58

65+ 12 34

Lived on their farm 66 74

Worked off farm

No days 23 39

1 to 199 days 24 21

200+ days 53 40

Primary occupation

Farming 28 42

Other 72 58

With military service 8 11

Hispanic 4 3

American Indian 1.7 1.7

Asian 1.0 0.6

Black 1.4 1.3

Native Hawaiian 0.1 0.1

White 94.9 95.5

More than one race reported 0.9 0.8

Average age (years) 46.3 57.5

*Data collected for up to four producers per farm.

Source: USDA NASS, 2017 Census of Agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Producer Characteristics

Beginning producers are more likely to be female than producers overall; 41% 

of beginning producers are female compared to 36% of all U.S. producers. 

Almost three-quarters (72%) of beginning farmers 

report a primary occupation other than farming 

(compared to 58% of all U.S. producers), and the 

majority (53%) work off the farm 200 days more.

Farm Characteristics

Farms with at least one beginning producer sold $88 billion in agricultural production in 2017, 

with 45% ($40 billion) in crop sales and 55% ($48 billion) in the sales of livestock, poultry, and 

livestock and poultry products. These farms accounted for 23% of total U.S. agriculture sales. 

They received $1.7 billion in government payments in 2017. 

Farm Specializationa

Farms with a beginning producer are 

mostly similar to all U.S. farms in terms 

of specialization. Farms with a beginning 

producer are less likely to specialize 

in oilseed and grain production (12%) 

compared to all U.S. farms (16%), and more 

likely to specialize in specialty crops (12% 

compared to 9% nationally).

% of 

Farms

Oilseed and grain 12

Specialty crops 12

Vegetables 3

Fruits, tree nuts and berries 6

Greenhouse, nursery, floriculture 3

Other crops 20

Cattle and dairy 34

Hogs and pigs 2

Poultry and eggs 3

Sheep and goat 6

Other animal 11

Farms and Land

Farms with beginning producers accounted 

for 193 million acres of land, 21% of the U.S. 

total. The majority of farms with beginning 

producers (52%) were less than 50 acres 

in size. The average size of farms with a 

beginning producer is 324 acres, compared 

to 441 acres for all U.S. farms.

Farm Size

in Acres

 With 

Beginning 

Producer 

All

U.S.

(percent of total)

1 to 9 19 13

10 to 49 33 29

50 to 179 26 28

180 to 499 12 15

500 + 10 15

Seventy percent of farms with a beginning 

producer were operated by farmers who 

own all the land they operate, while 11% 

were operated by farmers who rent all their 

land. The other 19% of farms with beginning 

producers had both owned and rented land. 

a Refers to the North American Industry Classification System 

(NAICS). More than half of a farm’s sales come from the 

commodity.

About the Census

The Census of Agriculture, conducted 

once every five years, is a complete 

count of U.S. farms and ranches and 

the people who operate them. Results 

from the 2017 and earlier censuses are 

available at national, state, and county 

levels. 

See the searchable database Quick 

Stats, the new Census Data Query Tool, 

downloadable PDF reports, maps, and 

a variety of topic-specific products 

including profiles by race, ethnicity, and 

sex.

www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus

26

The percent of beginning farmers 

who are under 35, compared 

to 8% of all U.S. farmers. 

Eighteen percent of 

farms with a beginning 

producer had sales and 

government payments 

of more than $50,000 

per year compared 

to 25% of all U.S. 

farms. Farms with a 

beginning producer 

were more likely to 

produce less than 

$10,000 in sales and 

government payments 

(64%) compared to all 

U.S. farms (55%).

Farms with a Beginning Producer and All U.S. Farms by Economic Class, 2017 

(percent) (sales and government payments combined)

All U.S.

Beginning

< $1,000

$1,000 to $4,999

$5,000 to $9,999

$10,000 to $49,999

$50,000 +

28

24

12

18

18

23

21

11

20

25

78 The percent of farms with 

beginning producers that have 

internet access.