Value of agricultural products varied by farm type, with large-scale family farms dominating many commodities in 2024

In 2024, large-scale family farms produced the majority of the value in several major commodity categories, including dairy (73 percent), specialty crops (58 percent), cotton (52 percent), beef (52 percent), and cash grains and soybeans (51 percent). These operations often benefit from economies of scale, allowing them to dominate high-value, high-acreage, or capital-intensive sectors. Meanwhile, small family farms remained important in hay (51 percent) and poultry and eggs (35 percent), sectors in which smaller acreage or contract production are more common. Midsize family farms contributed between 6 and 32 percent of production value across commodities, with their strongest presence in hogs (32 percent), poultry and eggs (27 percent), and cash grains and soybeans (25 percent). Nonfamily farms were most active in specialty crops, accounting for 30 percent of the production value, the highest share for this group across all commodity categories. Compared with 2023, large-scale family farms expanded their role in poultry and egg production but saw a decline in cotton, while midsize farms gained ground in cotton production. Nonfamily farms reduced their share in cattle and hog production. This chart appears in the ERS report America’s Farms and Ranches at a Glance, published February 2026.