The Census of Agriculture provides a wealth of data on the state of the industry. Economists with NASS recently took a look at farm topology, peeling back the layers of each operation.
“The farm topology sort of slices this up by looking at what’s called the gross cash farm income. Under value production, that farm produces many, many dollars in value production. But the part that comes back to the farmer is just the fee he receives. Cash farm income and the farm topology just count the part that the farmer gets for his fee. Value production counts everything that came off the farm,” said Joseph Parsons.
Economists uncovered that producers on small farms tend to be new to the profession and have served in the military, and they also likely rely on off-farm work to get by. They also discovered that farming has become a retirement plan, with many new small farmers over the age of 65.
The USDA’s upcoming reports will drop on Tuesday afternoon, giving the trade real results on acreage shifts, drought concerns, and ongoing trade tensions, adding uncertainty for U.S. farmers.
March 30, 2026 01:59 PM
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At the White House’s “Celebration of Agriculture,” the Trump Administration announced a slate of policies to support farmers and ranchers, including biofuel mandates, SBA loan programs, and new labeling policies to boost domestic markets for ag products.
March 30, 2026 01:01 PM
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Spring Fieldwork Advances As Weather Patterns Shift Nationwide
March 30, 2026 10:30 AM
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RealAg Radio’s Shaun Haney discusses Canada’s new soil health strategy, its implications for producers, and its potential to support sustainable agriculture in Canada compared to USDA funding for conservation.
March 27, 2026 03:15 PM
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White House hosts “Celebration of Agriculture” as Trump administration signals new farmer support, including potential tax breaks and upcoming renewable fuel policy updates.
March 27, 2026 11:59 AM
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Corn and soybean exports continue supporting demand levels.
March 27, 2026 10:52 AM
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