Other Ag News: Release: 2022 Census of Agriculture Underscores Need for Policy Shift

For Immediate Release

Contact: Laura Zaks

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net 

Tel. 347.563.6408

Washington, DC, February 13, 2024 – Today, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the highly-anticipated results of the 2022 Census of Agriculture. The Census remains the most comprehensive source of agricultural data for states and counties across the United States and serves as a guide for federal farm program, policy, and funding decisions. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) welcomes the release of the 2022 Census of Agriculture data, which comes at a crucial moment for federal agriculture policy.

“The 2022 Census of Agriculture, while offering some bright spots, emphatically underscores the need to shift federal policy toward equitable support for all farms and types of farming, particularly small and mid-sized farms,” said Mike Lavender, NSAC Policy Director. “Today farms are larger and fewer in number than in 2017. While the total number of farms with more than $1 million in sales grew by an astounding 36 percent since 2017, the number of all remaining farms decreased by nearly 9 percent during that time. Furthermore, Black-owned farms appear to have disappeared at nearly twice the rate of all other farms. One bright spot is an 11 percent increase in the number of beginning farmers.“

The Census of Agriculture, conducted every five years, collects critical data on the status of agriculture, addressing a variety of topics, including the number and size of farms, the prevalence of organic agriculture, the use of conservation and other federal programs, the number of beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers, and the average age of American farmers. 

“This survey is a wake up call. It’s essentially asking the critical question of whether as a country we are okay with losing that many farms, okay with losing that much farmland? Or is there a better way?” Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack commented while releasing the new Census data at a USDA livestream event earlier today.

“The data included today in the 2022 Census of Agriculture shows clearly how imperative it is that Congress prioritize the passage of a strong farm bill to ensure that federal programs – from the farm safety net and conservation programs to programs that invest in local and regional food systems – are consistently accessible for all. In the weeks ahead, NSAC will continue to analyze Census data on our blog,” noted Lavender. 

For more information visit: nass.usda.gov/AgCensus or view the USDA livestream data release event: USDA.gov/Live.

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About the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. Learn more: https://sustainableagriculture.net/

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