New federal data show that the number of farms in the United States continues to decline, with the sharpest losses among smaller and mid-sized operations, while the largest farms keep expanding.
According to the latest figures released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the country lost nearly 15,000 farms in 2024 alone. The decline is part of a longer national trend that has gradually reshaped the structure of American agriculture over the past several decades.
For Johnson County farmer Steve Swenka, the numbers are troubling but not surprising. After spending decades working on his family-run farm, Swenka says the trend matches what he has been witnessing firsthand in his community.
“It’s very disappointing, alarming that the smaller farms are disappearing,” Swenka said.
Swenka’s farm produces corn, soybeans, oats, and Angus cattle, and he says the changing landscape of agriculture has become more noticeable in recent years. According to him, the industry is increasingly divided between very large farms and small specialty operations, leaving fewer farms in the middle.
“It almost seems like on one end of the spectrum we have our niche farmers producing some specialty kind of crops and the other end of the spectrum, you know the larger farms, and then those farms that are in the middle are kind of disappearing right now,” Swenka said.
The broader economic environment is also creating challenges for farmers, regardless of the size of their operations. Swenka says the current market conditions have made it difficult for many producers to stay profitable.
“The current environment we’re in right now, grain prices are right at that break-even point and so right now I don’t think it really matters if you’re a large farmer or a more middle sized farmer, I mean things are just tough,” Swenka said.
Agricultural experts say the situation reflects a wider cycle within the farming industry. Eric Weuve, a farm management specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, says many farmers are currently dealing with narrow or even negative profit margins.
“Profit margins are very tight and thin, or negative in reality. And so because of higher input prices, that lower commodity price over the last two to three years are under very tight margins,” Weuve said.
Rising costs for supplies such as fuel, fertilizer, and equipment have added pressure to farmers already coping with lower commodity prices in recent years.
Despite the difficulties, Swenka says farmers tend to remain hopeful and resilient, even during challenging periods. He believes optimism is an essential part of farming life.
“Farmers are eternally optimistic and you’ve got to be thinking there’s a better day around the corner so I’d like to to encourage people to stay the course,” Swenka said.
While the latest USDA data highlights ongoing consolidation within agriculture, many farmers continue to adapt in hopes that better economic conditions may lie ahead.
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