NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — Passing the farm on should not be guesswork. With margins tight and operators aging, the stakes for rural communities — land stewardship, jobs, and local tax bases — are rising fast.
While nearly 70 percent of farmers planned to transition by 2025, according to AgAmerica, only one in four families has a formal succession plan — even as family farms make up 95 percent of U.S. operations and nearly half of all farmland could change hands over the next 20 years.
The backdrop is not easy.
The U.S. lost more than 140,000 farms from 2017 to 2022, plus another 20,000 since; total farms have dipped below two million; and farmland has fallen to about 880 million acres. Average farm size has grown by 20 acres — nudging more estates into potential federal tax exposure. One-third of producers are 65 or older, while fewer than one in ten is under 35.
Practical steps help
Set clear goals; talk early and often; use asset-splitting or long-term buyouts for multiple heirs; choose tools for machinery, livestock, and land transfers; and lean on pros — tax advisors, ag mediation, and lenders — to structure a durable, affordable plan.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Treat succession like any major crop — plan early, document clearly, and calibrate cash flow so the next generation can succeed.
Tony St. James
Larger operations maintain cost advantages, while softer equipment sales suggest producers are pacing machinery upgrades amid tighter margins.
December 17, 2025 06:00 AM
·
Farm Legal Expert Roger McEowen with the Washburn School of Law joins us to share more about the North Dakota court decision and the its larger impact on agriculture.
December 15, 2025 01:47 PM
·
“I’m not sure where this bridge goes,” trader Brady Huck with Advanced Trading told RFD-TV News earlier this week.
December 12, 2025 03:32 PM
·
Strong Farm Credit finances help cushion producers, but prolonged low crop margins could strain renewals in 2026.
December 12, 2025 11:42 AM
·
USDA data confirms that U.S. agriculture remains overwhelmingly family-run despite structural shifts in scale and production, according to a new analystis by Farm Flavor.
December 11, 2025 06:00 PM
·
The specific provision in the CO₂ storage law allowed the North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC) to authorize carbon storage projects to proceed even if they lacked unanimous consent from all affected landowners.
December 11, 2025 04:15 PM
·
Lewis Williamson with HTS Commodities breaks down the outlook on grain storage and domestic supply chain strength as producers weigh planting decisions with forthcoming federal aid.
December 11, 2025 01:11 PM
·
Outdated reporting thresholds reduce cash-market visibility and increase the urgency of comprehensive Mandatory Price Reporting reform.
December 10, 2025 07:00 PM
·
The new rule removes prevented-plant buy-up coverage, prompting strong objections from farm groups concerned about added risk exposure.
December 09, 2025 05:00 AM
·
