Vast Majority of Farms Still Family-owned

August 11, 2010 — 

The USDA-Economic Research Service has just released its "Structure and Finances of U.S. Farms" report-- the most recent in the Family Farm Report series.

The publication provides an accurate, detailed, and unbiased source of information on the structure and finances of U.S. farms, including the relationship of farm size and type to agricultural production, financial performance, sources of farm household income and the extent of operators' off-farm work.

For example: - Most U.S. farms - 98 percent in 2007 - are family operations, and even the largest farms are predominantly family run. - Large-scale family farms and nonfamily farms account for 12 percent of U.S. farms but 84 percent of the value of production. - In contrast, small family farms make up most of the U.S. farm count but produce a modest share of farm output.

Source: Pork Magazine