off farm income

The 2022 Census of Agriculture showed about 40% of American farmers worked 200 or more days off the farm in 2022.  The majority, 93%, of the 3,078 U.S. counties for which data was reported had at least 30% of producers working 200 or more days off the farm.  In addi...

According to a recent study by the University of Missouri, American farmers and ranchers are becoming more and more dependent on off-farm employment and income to make end meet, which means rural communities are more and more connected to surrounding cities...

New data from the USDA shows nearly half of all family farmers and their spouses reported having a job off the farm in 2018. USDA’s Economic Research Service reports the majority of households, regardless of farm size, say they work off the farm because it is more lucrative than farm work, provides more reliable income, and may offer health and retirement benefits. Am ...

How important is off farm income to small family farms?   “A lot of these small farms typically rely more heavily on off farm income,” according to USDA economic researcher Christine Whitt.  She added 45% of principle farm operators, regardless of farm size, also have an off farm occupation. As do the same perce...