From 2000 onwards, the total area of land in U.S. farms has decreased annually, aside from a small increase in 2012. Over the time period displayed, the total farmland area has decreased by over 66 million acres, reaching a total of 878.6 million acres as of 2023.

Farming in the U.S.

Not only has the land for farming been decreasing in the U.S., but so has the total number of farms. From 2000 to 2021, the number of farms in the U.S. decreased from about 2.17 million farms in 2000 to just under 1.9 million in 2023. Texas has more than double the number of farms compared to other U.S. states, with 231,000 farms in 2023.

U.S. agricultural exports

The U.S. is known for agriculture production and is the leading exporter of agricultural products worldwide. The total U.S. agricultural exports were valued at over 178 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. Over 4.8 billion dollars’ worth of agricultural exports came from fresh or processed vegetables in 2022.

Arable land (% of land area) in United States was reported at 16.57 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Arable land (% of land area) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

United States US: Arable Land: Hectares per Person data was reported at 0.474 ha in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.484 ha for 2014. United States US: Arable Land: Hectares per Person data is updated yearly, averaging 0.760 ha from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2015, with 55 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.983 ha in 1961 and a record low of 0.474 ha in 2015. United States US: Arable Land: Hectares per Person data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Arable land (hectares per person) includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.; Weighted average;

United States US: Arable Land data was reported at 152,262,500.000 ha in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 154,265,500.000 ha for 2014. United States US: Arable Land data is updated yearly, averaging 181,000,000.000 ha from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2015, with 55 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 189,244,000.000 ha in 1969 and a record low of 151,669,300.000 ha in 2011. United States US: Arable Land data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Arable land (in hectares) includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.; ;

Agricultural land (sq. km) in United States was reported at 4058104 sq. Km in 2021, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Agricultural land (sq. km) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

The average for 2021 based on 20 countries was 10.9 percent. The highest value was in Haiti: 36.5 percent and the lowest value was in Chile: 2 percent. The indicator is available from 1961 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

In 2022, the agricultural land in use in Latin America and the Caribbean amounted to over 643 million hectares, representing an increase of 1.4 percent compared to the previous year.In 2023, the value of agricultural production in Latin America and the Caribbean reached 541.85 billion international U.S. dollars.

United States US: Arable Land: % of Land Area data was reported at 16.645 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 16.864 % for 2014. United States US: Arable Land: % of Land Area data is updated yearly, averaging 19.762 % from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2015, with 55 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 20.662 % in 1969 and a record low of 16.581 % in 2011. United States US: Arable Land: % of Land Area data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.; Weighted average;

In 2023, the area of organic agricultural land in North America amounted to about 3.35 million hectares. From 2014 to 2020, there had been constant growth in organic agriculture land in North America before decreasing in 2021.

Arable land as a share of land area of United States of America fell by 0.75% from 16.7 % in 2021 to 16.6 % in 2022. Since the 0.33% improve in 2017, arable land as a share of land area slipped by 3.71% in 2022. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.

The total area of cropland in the United States has not changed significantly over the last several years, with only a slight decrease from 257.4 million acres in 2012 to around 253.7 million acres in 2018. The largest decrease in area during that time period occurred between 2014 and 2015.
Crop Diversity in the United States A significant portion of the United States economy is rooted in agriculture. As a large country with a diverse and varied climate, the United States is perfectly suited to producing a huge variety of crops. For instance, much of the tobacco produced in the United States originates from North Carolina, Kentucky, and Virginia. However, when it comes to fresh vegetables, California had by far the highest production volume of any U.S. state as of 2018. Facts about U.S. Farms As the largest state in the continental United States, Texas also has the highest number of farms of any U.S. state, at 248 thousand in 2018. Missouri came in second place at 95 thousand farms in that year. Operating and maintaining a farm in the United States is labor intensive, with many different costs and expenses that must be considered in order to keep the farm profitable. As of 2017, around 15.3 percent of total farm production expenditure was attributed to animal feed.

Forecast: Arable Land Area in the US 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

This dataset provides values for ARABLE LAND PERCENT OF LAND AREA WB DATA.HTML reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Agricultural land cover for the western United States. This dataset was developed from Sagestitch, the Eastern Washington Shrubsteppe Mapping Project, and several state level GAP products (AZ, CA, NM, OR, and WA).

United States US: Agricultural Land: % of Land Area data was reported at 44.369 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 44.588 % for 2014. United States US: Agricultural Land: % of Land Area data is updated yearly, averaging 46.615 % from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2015, with 55 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 48.860 % in 1961 and a record low of 44.239 % in 2011. United States US: Agricultural Land: % of Land Area data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Agricultural land refers to the share of land area that is arable, under permanent crops, and under permanent pastures. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded. Land under permanent crops is land cultivated with crops that occupy the land for long periods and need not be replanted after each harvest, such as cocoa, coffee, and rubber. This category includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber. Permanent pasture is land used for five or more years for forage, including natural and cultivated crops.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.; Weighted average;

In 2024, the average value of U.S. farm real estate was 4,170 U.S. dollars per acre. Compared to one decade earlier, the value has increased by almost 40 percent. Generally, the value of U.S. farm real estate has had an upward trend since 1970. U.S. farms The number of farms in the United States has conversely been decreasing each year, reaching about two million farms as of 2022. That year, Texas had the most farms out of any other U.S. state by far, with about 246,000 farms. Missouri and Iowa had the second and third most farms, though neither state exceeded 100,000 farms. Agricultural trade Agricultural products encompass any products from agricultural origin that are meant for human consumption or animal feed. Agricultural products can include livestock products or crops. In 2022, the U.S. exported about 196.4 billion U.S. dollars’ worth of agricultural goods worldwide, increasing from the previous several years. Mexico is a key destination for U.S. agricultural products and imported just over 28 billion dollars’ worth in 2022, more than Europe and Eurasia combined.

The Census of Agriculture highlight key agricultural metrics for US states and counties. Percentage metrics included were calculated as follows: Percent of harvested cropland in cover crops = (cover crops acres)/((harvested cropland)+(failed crops)-(alfalfa))Percent of total tilled cropland using no-till = (no-till acreage)/(no till + reduced till + conventional till)Percent of tilled cropland using conservation tillage = (no till + reduced till acreage)/(no till + reduced till + conventional till)Percent of agricultural land in conservation easement = (conservation easement acres that excludes CRP)/((land in farms) – (CRP WRP FWP CREP acres))Percent of agricultural land in Conservation Reserve Program = (Conservation Reserve Program acres / cropland acres + Conservation Reserve Program acres ))*100Note, that counties for the Census of Agriculture are different than standard US Census Bureau counties; for example, cities in Virginia such as Harrisonburg, VA are rolled into the respective county and counties in Alaska are rolled into regions with their own district/region FIPS codes, etc. Also note, some counties have no data as one or more of the input variables included suppression.These data have been made publicly available from an authoritative source other than this Atlas and data should be obtained directly from that source for any re-use. See the original metadata from the authoritative source for more information about these data and use limitations. The authoritative source of these data can be found at the following location: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2017/Online_Resources/Ag_Census_Web_Maps/Data_download/index.php

United States US: Fertilizer Consumption: per Hectare of Arable Land data was reported at 137.027 kg/ha in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 135.651 kg/ha for 2014. United States US: Fertilizer Consumption: per Hectare of Arable Land data is updated yearly, averaging 122.970 kg/ha from Dec 2002 (Median) to 2015, with 14 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 137.900 kg/ha in 2013 and a record low of 108.493 kg/ha in 2009. United States US: Fertilizer Consumption: per Hectare of Arable Land data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Agricultural Production and Consumption. Fertilizer consumption measures the quantity of plant nutrients used per unit of arable land. Fertilizer products cover nitrogenous, potash, and phosphate fertilizers (including ground rock phosphate). Traditional nutrients--animal and plant manures--are not included. For the purpose of data dissemination, FAO has adopted the concept of a calendar year (January to December). Some countries compile fertilizer data on a calendar year basis, while others are on a split-year basis. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.; Weighted average;

Graph and download economic data for Percent of Employment in Agriculture in the United States (DISCONTINUED) (USAPEMANA) from 1970 to 2012 about agriculture, percent, employment, and USA.

The Census of Agriculture provides a detailed picture every five years of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Conducted by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, the 2012 Census of Agriculture collected more than six million data items directly from farmers. The Ag Census Web Maps application makes this information available at the county level through a few clicks. The maps and accompanying data help users visualize, download, and analyze Census of Agriculture data in a geospatial context. Resources in this dataset:Resource Title: Ag Census Web Maps. File Name: Web Page, url: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2012/Online_Resources/Ag_Census_Web_Maps/Overview/index.php/ The interactive map application assembles maps and statistics from the 2012 Census of Agriculture in five broad categories:

Crops and Plants – Data on harvested acreage for major field crops, hay, and other forage crops, as well as acreage data for vegetables, fruits, tree nuts, and berries. Economics – Data on agriculture sales, farm income, government payments from conservation and farm programs, amounts received from loans, a broad range of production expenses, and value of buildings and equipment. Farms – Information on farm size, ownership, and Internet access, as well as data on total land in farms, land use, irrigation, fertilized cropland, and enrollment in crop insurance programs. Livestock and Animals – Statistics on cattle and calves, cows and heifers, milk cows, and other cattle, as well as hogs, sheep, goats, horses, and broilers. Operators – Statistics on hired farm labor, tenure, land rented or leased, primary occupation of farm operator, and demographic characteristics such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, and residence location.

The Ag Census Web Maps application allows you to:

Select a map to display from a the above five general categories and associated subcategories. Zoom and pan to a specific area; use the inset buttons to center the map on the continental United States; zoom to a specific state; and show the state mask to fade areas surrounding the state. Create and print maps showing the variation in a single data item across the United States (for example, average value of agricultural products sold per farm). Select a county and view and download the county’s data for a general category. Download the U.S. county-level dataset of mapped values for all categories in Microsoft ® Excel format.