America’s farmland continues to face pressure from development and ownership changes, even as millions of acres remain in agricultural use. Since 1982, cropland, pastureland, and rangeland have declined, while developed land has increased by nearly 48 million acres, or 66 percent, a land mass roughly the size of Nebraska. While some acres shift between cropland, pasture, and the Conservation Reserve Program, land converted to housing, roads, and industrial uses is far less likely to return to production.
At the same time, access to farmland is becoming a growing concern for farmers and ranchers. Over two million landowners rented out nearly 348 million acres for agriculture in 2024, with non-operating landlords controlling 79 percent of rented acres. More than one-third of those landlords are age 75 or older, raising questions about succession planning, rental access, and affordability for young and beginning farmers. Analysts say the issue is no longer just farmland loss, but who will have access to farm it in the future.
-NAFB