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Three Decades of Consolidation in U.S. Agriculture

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  • MacDonald, James M.
  • Hoppe, Robert A.
  • Newton, Doris

Abstract

Agricultural production has shifted to much larger farming operations over the last three decades, even as the number of very small farms grows. Consolidation of acreage and production has been persistent, widespread, and pronounced in crop production. Structural change has been quite dramatic in some livestock commodities—such as dairy, egg laying, and hogs—but consolidation has been modest or nonexistent in pasture/grazing land and in the associated cow-calf sector. This report, based on detailed farm-level data, measures trends in consolidation and tracks developments in farm-level specialization as well as the organization of farming businesses.

Suggested Citation

  • MacDonald, James M. & Hoppe, Robert A. & Newton, Doris, 2018. "Three Decades of Consolidation in U.S. Agriculture," Economic Information Bulletin 276247, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:uersib:276247
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.276247
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Claire Brennecke & Stefan Jacewitz & Jonathan Pogach, 2022. "Shared Destinies? Small Banks and Small Business Consolidation," Research Working Paper RWP 21-19, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
    2. George W. Norton, 2020. "Lessons from a Career in Agricultural Development and Research Evaluation," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(2), pages 151-167, June.
    3. Hemond, Olivia & Butsic, Van & Moanga, Diana & Wartenberg, Ariani C., 2023. "Farm consolidation and turnover dynamics linked to increased crop diversity and higher agricultural input use," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    4. Matteo Coronese & Martina Occelli & Francesco Lamperti & Andrea Roventini, 2024. "Towards sustainable agriculture: behaviors, spatial dynamics and policy in an evolutionary agent-based model," LEM Papers Series 2024/05, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    5. Nathan D. DeLay & Nathanael M. Thompson & James R. Mintert, 2022. "Precision agriculture technology adoption and technical efficiency," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(1), pages 195-219, February.
    6. Rebecca E. Shelton & Hallie Eakin, 2021. "Social and cultural bonds left to “the mercy of the winds:” an agricultural transition," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 38(3), pages 693-708, September.
    7. McDonald, James M. & Law, Jonathan & Mosheim, Roberto, 2020. "Consolidation in U.S. Dairy Farming," Economic Research Report 303971, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    8. James M. MacDonald, 2020. "Tracking the Consolidation of U.S. Agriculture," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(3), pages 361-379, September.
    9. Coronese, Matteo & Occelli, Martina & Lamperti, Francesco & Roventini, Andrea, 2023. "AgriLOVE: Agriculture, land-use and technical change in an evolutionary, agent-based model," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    10. Hanson, Erik D. & Cossette, Max K. & Roberts, David C., 2022. "The adoption and usage of precision agriculture technologies in North Dakota," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    11. Keller, Andrew & Boland, Michael & Çakır, Metin, 2020. "The Impact of an Increase in the Federal Minimum Wage on the Egg Industry," Staff Papers 303916, University of Minnesota, Department of Applied Economics.
    12. MacLachlan, Matthew J. & Boussios, David & Hagerman, Amy D., 2021. "Market Responses to Export Restrictions from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreaks," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 47(1), January.
    13. Kitenge, Erick, 2022. "Determinants of entries into and exits from the US farming sector," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 379-385.
    14. Noumir, Ashraf & Langemeier, Michael R., 2021. "Farm Size and the Cross-Section of Farm Returns," 2021 Annual Meeting, August 1-3, Austin, Texas 313880, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    15. Sherzod B. Akhundjanov & Tatiana Drugova, 2022. "On the growth process of US agricultural land," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 63(3), pages 1727-1740, September.
    16. Basso, Bruno & Jones, James W. & Antle, John & Martinez-Feria, Rafael A. & Verma, Brahm, 2021. "Enabling circularity in grain production systems with novel technologies and policy," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    17. Prager, Daniel & Burns, Christopher & Tulman, Sarah & MacDonald, James, 2020. "Farm Use of Futures, Options, and Marketing Contracts," Agricultural Economic Reports 305690, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.

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