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Beginning Farmer and Rancher Operations: Characteristics Associated with Business Survival

Author

Listed:
  • Lacy, Katherine
  • Key, Nigel
  • Bauman, Allison
  • Jablonski, Becca B.R.
  • Hadrich, Joleen

Abstract

Information from the 2022 Census of Agriculture is used to describe the characteristics of farms and ranches with beginning farmers and ranchers (BFRs), producers having no more than 10 years of farming experience. The report presents data for farms where all producers are BFRs; at least one, but not all producers are BFRs (multigenerational); and those operations with no BFRs. For each type of operation, the report compares the characteristics of business operations that survived from 2012 to 2022 to those that did not. The analysis identifies which farm and producer characteristics were correlated with farm business survival over this 10-year period. Results suggest that land tenure arrangements, the use of differentiated markets, crop insurance, and government payments are important correlates with business survival for farms operated by beginning farmers and ranchers.

Suggested Citation

  • Lacy, Katherine & Key, Nigel & Bauman, Allison & Jablonski, Becca B.R. & Hadrich, Joleen, 2026. "Beginning Farmer and Rancher Operations: Characteristics Associated with Business Survival," Economic Information Bulletin 396401, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:uersib:396401
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.396401
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    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/396401/files/EIB-294.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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