The number of farms in the U.S. has decreased recently — a situation federal officials termed a “wake-up call.” But more than a million farmers in the U.S. are now “new and beginning” farmers, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture.
Southern states account for 43% of these new faces in agriculture, while a little more than one-third operate in the Midwest. The eastern and western regions combined contribute just over one-fifth.
Within the Midwestern states, Missouri (14%), Iowa (12%) and Ohio (11%) stand out as the primary homes for this new generation of farmers. They are responsible for operating more than 214,000 farms in the region.
