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
John Appel with the Farmers Business Network (FBN) joins us for a closer look at the 2026 Crop Protection Market Outlook Report.
October 27, 2025 01:00 PM
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Farmers display a unique optimism — planting with the expectation that weather, basis, and prices will improve by harvest — asserting that the profession is an identity, not just a job.
October 27, 2025 12:12 PM
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Stay alert for trade announcements—especially border reopening timelines, tariff threats, and developments in Brazil’s export flows.
October 24, 2025 01:56 PM
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Margin Protection and the new MCO add county-level margin tools — with earlier price discovery, input cost triggers, and high subsidy rates — to complement on-farm risk plans for 2026.
October 24, 2025 01:44 PM
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For aging operators and their rural neighbors, staying socially engaged is a practical strategy to preserve decision-making capacity and farm vitality.
October 24, 2025 01:37 PM
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Set targets and use forwards, futures, or options to manage downside while preserving room for rallies.
October 24, 2025 11:05 AM
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