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Family farms account for about 88 percent of production

  • by Economic Research Service
  • 5/22/2012
  • Farm Economy
  • Farm Structure and Organization
Pie charts showing the share of total farms and share of value of production, farm type, year 2010.

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Three key features of U.S. agriculture highlight the importance of family farms. First, small family farms (those with less than $250,000 in annual sales) make up 88 percent of all U.S. farms. Second, large-scale family farms-about 10 percent of all farms-account for a disproportionately large, 72-percent share of the value of production. Third, farming is still an industry of family businesses. Nearly 98 percent of farms are family-owned, and they account for about 88 percent of production. Just over 2 percent of U.S farms are nonfamily farms, accounting for the remaining 12 percent of production. This chart is an update of one found in the ERS report, Structure and Finances of U.S. Farms: Family Farm Report, 2010 Edition, EIB-66, July 2010.

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