Ranking Of States With The Most Land In Farms (2024)

Ranking of states with the most land in farms

The United States had 895.3 million acres of land in farms in 2021.

Texas had the most land in farms in the United States in 2021 followed by Montana and Kansas.

Texas accounted for more than 14% of the land in farms in the United States in 2021.

Ranking Of States With The Most Land In Farms (1)

Farm Defined

A farm is "any place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the year." Government payments are included in sales. Ranches, institutional farms, experimental and research farms, and Indian Reservations are included as farms. Places with the entire acreage enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), and other government conservation programs are counted as farms.

Ranking Of States With The Most Land In Farms (2024)

FAQs

Ranking Of States With The Most Land In Farms? ›

The United States had 895.3 million acres of land in farms in 2021. The United States had 895.3 million acres of land in farms in 2021. Texas had the most land in farms in the United States in 2021 followed by Montana and Kansas. Texas accounted for more than 14% of the land in farms in the United States in 2021.

What US state has the most farm land? ›

The United States had 895.3 million acres of land in farms in 2021. The United States had 895.3 million acres of land in farms in 2021. Texas had the most land in farms in the United States in 2021 followed by Montana and Kansas. Texas accounted for more than 14% of the land in farms in the United States in 2021.

What are the top 10 states for agriculture? ›

Farmland is a stable, secure, and diverse asset with potential for passive income. The best states for farmland include Montana, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, North Dakota, Texas, Iowa, Kentucky, Wyoming, and California.

What states are ranked in farming? ›

California ranks first in the U.S. for agricultural cash receipts followed by Iowa, Texas, Nebraska and Illinois.

What state has the richest farmland? ›

1. California

It is recognized as the agricultural powerhouse of the United States. California's crops account for around 73% of the state's agricultural revenue, with livestock commodities accounting for the remaining 27%, allowing it to surpass all other states in terms of farm income.

Where is the most fertile land in the US? ›

Mollisols found in the Midwestern U.S. are the best for agriculture due to the grasslands that were present thousands of years ago. These prairies produced strong and fertile soils because after each year, the grasses would breakdown and contribute nutrients to the ground.

What state has the least amount of farm land? ›

The smallest three states in number of acres are New Hampshire with 430,000 acres, Connecticut with 380,000 acres, and Rhode Island with only 60,000 acres.

Which farming is most profitable in USA? ›

Dairy Farming: Dairy farming is one of the most profitable agricultural business ideas. Aside from milk, it also produces manure. There is a high demand for organic dairy products all year round such as milk, cheese, curd, cream and so much more.

Which state grows the most fruits and vegetables? ›

The leader among these states is California, which is responsible for nearly 70% of U.S. fruit and vegetable production by itself. California is joined by other Western states like Washington, Oregon, and Arizona among the leaders, along with highly agriculture-dependent states in the South and Midwest.

Why is California the best agriculture state? ›

Thanks to a unique geography and a dry climate that provides an almost year-round growing season, California is the nation's leading farm state and one of the world's largest producers of food and fiber.

What state is #1 in agriculture production? ›

However, that production is as diverse as the states themselves. California leads the country as the largest producer of crops and livestock, accounting for approximately 11 percent of the national total in terms of sales.

What state has the most farm workers? ›

There are 2.5-3 million farmworkers in the United States. The states with the highest farm- worker population are California, Texas, Washington, Florida, Oregon and North Carolina.

Who owns the most farmland in US? ›

People own most farmland. Some 2.6 million owners are individuals or families, and they own more than two thirds of all farm acreage. Fewer than 32,500 non family held corpor ations own farmland, and they own less than 5 percent of all U.S. farmland.

What state produces the most money? ›

The richest states in the US are New York, Massachusetts, Washington, California, North Dakota, Connecticut, Delaware, Alaska, Nebraska, and Illinois. The richest state in America is New York, with a GDP per capita of $96,502.

Where is most farmland being lost in the US? ›

Low-density residential (LDR) land use includes scattered subdivisions and large-lot housing, which fragments the agricultural land base and limits production. The Plains states are losing some of the most prime farmland in America, according to AFT. Kristopher Reynolds is the Midwest regional director with AFT.

Which state has so much fertile soil? ›

Minerals deposited by glaciers and subsequent prairie growth for thousands of years have blessed Illinois with some of the world's most fertile topsoil.

Where is most agriculture in US? ›

Overall U.S. crop production is concentrated in California and the Midwest. The five states with the highest value of crop sales are California, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska.

Why is America losing farmland? ›

One of the main reasons behind this trend is urbanization. Cities and towns are expanding into previously rural areas. And that often involves the conversion of farmland into residential, commercial or industrial land uses.

What is the largest farm in America? ›

25,000 acres of farmland in SW Arkansas – That's almost twice the size of Manhattan! Goldcrest Farms, one of the largest farms in the US, is located in Miller County, Arkansas, along the riverbanks of the Red River and 28 miles from Texarkana and Interstate 30.

What state has the largest average farm size? ›

The average farm size in the United States in 2021 was 445 acres, up 1 acre from the prior year. Wyoming had the largest average farm size in the United States in 2021 followed by Montana & Nevada. Wyoming and Montana are the only 2 states in the United States with average farm sizes over 2,000 acres.

What is the easiest farm animal to raise? ›

Poultry, without a doubt, are the easiest animals to raise on the homestead. Starting with this small livestock will give you the confidence to explore other livestock options. Chickens are the quintessential livestock for every farm and homestead.

What is the average farm income in the US? ›

The average salary for a farmer is $30,845 in the US. The average farmer salary ranges between $13,000 and $71,000 in the US.

What is the easiest crop to farm? ›

Easy Crops to Grow From Seed
  • Lettuce. Lettuce can be sown directly in your garden bed, or started indoors for transplanting. ...
  • Peas. Snap, snow, and shelling peas are all best sown as early as the soil can be worked in spring. ...
  • Radishes. ...
  • Turnips. ...
  • Beans. ...
  • Sunflowers. ...
  • Sweet Potatoes. ...
  • Winter Squash, including Pumpkins.

What fruit is grown the most in the US? ›

Fruits
  • bananas - 84%
  • apples - 78%
  • grapes - 74%
  • strawberries - 71%
  • melons - 68%
  • avocados - 56%
  • blueberries - 53%
  • mandarins - 51%

What state has the best fresh produce? ›

1. California.

*4.1 million acres of fresh produce and tree nuts. *$24 billion value.

What is the healthiest fruit? ›

What are the healthiest fruits?
  1. Apples. Apples are packed with pectin, a soluble fibre that supports digestion and may have an immune modulatory effect. ...
  2. Avocado. ...
  3. Bananas. ...
  4. Blackberries. ...
  5. Blackcurrants. ...
  6. Blueberries. ...
  7. Cherries. ...
  8. Cranberries.
Mar 1, 2023

What is California's number one crop? ›

California's Top Agricultural Commodities
  • Almonds.
  • Grapes.
  • Berries and Strawberries.
  • Walnuts.
  • Lettuce.
  • Hay Forages.
  • Tomatoes.
  • Nursery Crops.

Why is California soil so fertile? ›

Eons of erosion from the adjoining mountains deposited rich sediment to create deep topsoil and prime farmland. Along with great soil, California has a Mediterranean climate that allows it to produce over 400 different agricultural commodities, more than any other place in the U.S.

What is the number 1 problem facing California agriculture? ›

WATER SUPPLY

For the majority of crops in most areas of California, irrigation is a necessity. Each year California's farmers face greater challenges in securing reliable water supplies at the cost to which they have become accustomed.

What state produces the most wheat? ›

Winter wheat accounts for 70 to 80 percent of total production in the US, with the largest amounts produced in Kansas (10.8 million tons) and North Dakota (9.8 million tons). The US hard red spring wheat crop is exported to over 70 countries each year to the extent of 55%.

What states are ranked by food production? ›

Which are the top 10 agriculture-producing States? The top 10 agriculture-producing States in terms of cash receipts in calendar year 2021 were (in descending order): California, Iowa, Nebraska, Texas, Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas, Indiana, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.

Where does most of America's food come from? ›

In fact, in 2016, close to 90% of the food and beverage products consumed in America were produced in the U.S. According to the USDA, in 2021 the top five producing states were California, Iowa, Nebraska, Texas and Minnesota and the leading farm products in the U.S. were cattle, corn, soybeans, milk and other dairy ...

What is the life expectancy of a farm worker? ›

The U.S. EPA estimates that 300,000 farm workers are poisoned by pesticides each year nationwide; many cases are never reported. There are an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 cases of physician-diagnosed pesticide poisoning among U.S. farmworkers, and the average life expectancy of farmworkers is only 49 years.

What is the average lifespan of a farm worker? ›

Did You Know… The average life expectancy for migrant farmworkers is 49 years, compared to 73 for the general U.S. population (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

Which state has the most female farmers? ›

Nationally women were 30 percent of farmers, but in states in the Northeast, Southwest, and West women comprise larger shares. Although Texas had the most women farmers, Arizona had the highest proportion of women farmers (45 percent of all farmers in the state).

What is the farming capital of the world? ›

One, Corcoran, bills itself as the “farm capital of the world,” but it's actually the “famous-prisoner capital of the world.” Charles Manson and Juan Corona — a schizophrenic who was convicted of murdering at least 25 farmworkers in 1971 — are both there. (Until recently, so was Sirhan Sirhan.)

Which country has richest farmers? ›

Qin Yinglin (Chinese: 秦英林; pinyin: Qín Yīnglín, born 1965) is a Chinese agriculture tycoon, billionaire, Communist Party member, and the world's richest farmer. He is the chair and president of the pig farming company Muyuan Foodstuff and is one of the richest people in China. According to Bloomberg Billionaires Index, ...

Where is the best farmland in the world? ›

The world has 15.749 million km(2) of arable land. (Arable land is land ploughed or tilled regularly, generally under a system of crop rotation). India has the most arable land in the world followed by the United States, Russia, China and Brazil.

Who owns largest land in world? ›

The Biggest Landowners in the World
RankNameLocations
1King Charles III and the British Royal FamilyUnited Kingdom, Canada
2Catholic ChurchWorldwide
3Inuit People of NunavutCanada
4Gina RinehartAustralia, United States
21 more rows

How much farmland does Jeff Bezos own in the US? ›

Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos is not only one of the richest men in the world, with a net worth of $190 billion at the time of this writing, but also he is one of the biggest private landowners in the United States. Bezos owns 420,000 acres. Much of his land is in West Texas.

How much farmland is left in the US? ›

Over the time period displayed, the total farmland area has decreased by almost 50 million acres, reaching a total of 893.4 million acres as of 2022.

What is the cheapest state to own a farm in? ›

  • West-Central Texas. $600/acre. Annual land payment: $50/acre. ...
  • Central Wisconsin. $5,000/acre. ...
  • South-Central Florida. $10,000/acre. ...
  • Northern Missouri. $1,400/acre. ...
  • Eastern Ohio. $5,000/acre. ...
  • Southwest Iowa. $4,000/acre. ...
  • Southeastern Wyoming. $4,000/acre (irrigation in place) ...
  • Eastern North Dakota. $5,000/acre.
Mar 4, 2014

Where is the cheapest acre in America? ›

10 of the Cheapest Places to Buy Land in the U.S.
  • Mohave County, Arizona. ...
  • Kanosh, Utah. ...
  • Valencia County, New Mexico. ...
  • Fort Hanco*ck, Texas. ...
  • Royalton, Kentucky. Photo: istockphoto.com. ...
  • Edwards, Missouri. Photo: istockphoto.com. ...
  • Sun Valley, Arizona. Photo: istockphoto.com. ...
  • Deming, New Mexico. Photo: istockphoto.com.
Feb 27, 2023

Which state has cheapest land per acre? ›

InMyArea.com performed a study that took a look at the median prices per acre in 2021 and found that Arizona had the cheapest median cost per acre, at $4,164. The data includes the price of land with existing homes and the cost of land designated as a homesite was also included so that you can have some comparison.

Which state is the strongest financially? ›

2022 GDP by State Rankings
RankState2021 GDP
1California$3,373,240.7
2Texas$2,051,768.6
3New York$1,901,296.5
4Florida$1,255,558.3
47 more rows
Feb 8, 2023

What are the top 3 richest states? ›

The ten richest states in the US umUnion, measured by GDP, are:
  • New York – 1,705,127 million.
  • Florida – 1,111,614 million.
  • Illinois – 875,671 million.
  • Pennsylvania – 788,500 million.
  • Ohio – 683,460 million.
  • Washington – 632,013 million.
  • Georgia – 627,667 million.
  • New Jersey – 625,659 million.
Jan 18, 2023

What is the most profitable state to live in? ›

  • Utah. #1 in Economy. #1 in Best States Overall. ...
  • Idaho. #2 in Economy. #3 in Best States Overall. ...
  • Colorado. #3 in Economy. #15 in Best States Overall. ...
  • New Hampshire. #4 in Economy. #6 in Best States Overall. ...
  • Arizona. #5 in Economy. #37 in Best States Overall. ...
  • Montana. #6 in Economy. ...
  • Florida. #7 in Economy. ...
  • Texas. #8 in Economy.

Does the Midwest have the most farmland? ›

The Midwest is a global leader in agricultural production. The region is home to over 200 million acres of cropland and produces billions of dollars of food and agricultural goods every year.

What state has the most foreign owned farmland? ›

As of year-end 2021, according to USDA, the states with the most foreign-owned agricultural acreage were Texas (5.3 million acres), Maine (3.6 million acres), Colorado (1.9 million acres), Alabama (1.8 million acres), and Oklahoma (1.7 million acres).

What country owns the most US farmland? ›

Foreign Ownership of U.S. Agricultural Land
Country of Foreign InvestorTotal AcresTotal Value (US$)
France1,315,7482,974,709,000
Denmark856,4741,126,811,000
Luxembourg802,2491,832,757,000
Ireland759,732430,765,000
6 more rows
Mar 16, 2023

Where are the biggest farms in the US? ›

25,000 acres of farmland in SW Arkansas – That's almost twice the size of Manhattan! Goldcrest Farms, one of the largest farms in the US, is located in Miller County, Arkansas, along the riverbanks of the Red River and 28 miles from Texarkana and Interstate 30.

Where is the biggest farm located? ›

Did you know the largest farm in the entire world is bigger than 11 U.S. states? This massive farm dairy farm is located in Heilongjiang, China. Mudanjiang City Mega Farm has over 100,000 dairy cows and covers an impressive 22.5 million acres.

What is the average income of an American farmer? ›

Median total household income among all farm households ($92,239) exceeded the median total household income for all U.S. households ($70,784) in 2021. Median household income and income from farming increase with farm size and most households earn some income from off-farm employment.

Why is the Midwest soil so rich? ›

Millions of years of glaciers, swamps, and decay have left behind a deep base of topsoil rich in nutrients and organic matter. It's this organic matter that makes Midwestern farms so valuable, and why farmers there tend to see very high yields.

Does the Midwest have rich soil? ›

Known for some of the richest soil in the US, the Midwest is home to some of the most productive agricultural soil in North America.

Why is there so much farming in the Midwest? ›

In America's Heartland, the Midwest, fertile soils help farmers produce abundant harvests of soybeans and grain crops such as corn, wheat, and oats. Much of this harvest is transported down the Mississippi River in order to reach its final destination.

Who owns the most land in the US? ›

The 2022 Land Report 100, compiled each year by The Land Report magazine, released its annual list of landowners who own the most acres in the United States. The nation's largest private landowners are the Emmerson family in California who own over 2.4 million acres.

What country owns the most land in the US? ›

Canadian investors lead this pack, by a long shot, with nearly 9.4 million acres of U.S. land — more acreage than 44 of the top 50 foreign landowners combined, according to the report. (These people own the most land in America.)

Why did China buy land in North Dakota? ›

Recent reporting shows that a CCP-affiliated corporation purchased farmland in North Dakota that is just a stone's throw from high-capability military bases. The purchase raises the possibility that the Chinese government could use the farmland as a launching pad for espionage under the guise of operating a business.

Can China buy land in the US? ›

“The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has no business purchasing land near military bases or for agricultural purposes – or for any other reason,” said Rep. Bill Johnson. “It is a critical matter of national security that we prevent the CCP from buying large swaths of American land.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Last Updated:

Views: 5775

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (66 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Birthday: 2001-01-17

Address: Suite 769 2454 Marsha Coves, Debbieton, MS 95002

Phone: +813077629322

Job: Real-Estate Executive

Hobby: Archery, Metal detecting, Kitesurfing, Genealogy, Kitesurfing, Calligraphy, Roller skating

Introduction: My name is Gov. Deandrea McKenzie, I am a spotless, clean, glamorous, sparkling, adventurous, nice, brainy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.