Nonfamily farm operations represent a small share of all U.S. farms, yet they contribute disproportionally to agricultural production in the U.S.
Defined as farms in which the majority of the operation is not owned by one of the producers, their household, or any individuals related to them, nonfamily farms accounted for 2% of farm operations on average between 2018 and 2022. Despite this, they generated 13.4% of the value of production.
In contrast, family farms accounted for 98% of farm operations and 86.6% of the value of production during the same period.
When categorized by farm size, 70% of nonfamily farms were classified as small farms (defined as operations with gross cash farm income of less than $350,000), while 17% were large-scale farms (gross cash farm income of at least $1 million).
In contrast, 91% of family farms were classified as small farms and 3% were classified as large farms. — USDA Economic Research Service
