Ag census tells tale of continued U.S. farm consolidation

Leading ag economist shares analysis on Fastline Fast Track Episode 9

Buckner, KY USA – WEBWIRE – Tuesday, April 30, 2019

“If you’re a talented young person, you don’t consider farming unless you can have some income that’s at least comparable to what your brother who’s going to be a school principal or your other sister who’s going to be the vice president of a bank,” Sumner said. “You might not have to make the same income, but you want something comparable to raise your family and the like.”

Buckner, Kentucky, April 26, 2019 – A leading U.S. farm economist this week said that the recently released 2017 Census of Agriculture Data paints a picture of an agricultural industry that remains strong and innovative despite rising input costs, depressed commodity prices, the pressures of tariffs and the threat of harsh weather conditions.

On Episode 9 of the Fastline Fast Track podcast, Dan Sumner, the director of the Agricultural Issues Center at the University of California, Davis, said the numbers show contraction among producers in the agriculture industry, but that should not be cause for alarm.

According to ag census data, there were 2.04 million farms and ranches in 2017, down 3.2 percent from 2012, with an average size of 441 acres, up 1.6 percent, on 900 million acres, down 1.6 percent during the same period. The numbers also show that 105,453 farms produced 75 percent of all sales in 2017, down from 119,908 in 2012.

“You’ll see fewer farms in everything but the largest categories,” Sumner told Fastline Fast Track. “That’s partly just a natural phenomenon. Farms consolidate just like other businesses do. That’s a way to generate enough income to be competitive.”

Sumner said he expects the trend to continue as more younger farmers take an active role in the business and consolidation leads to greater income-generating opportunities as market conditions improve and technology plays a greater role. According to the census data, one in four producers is a beginning farmer with 10 or fewer years of experience and an average age of 46.3.

“If you’re a talented young person, you don’t consider farming unless you can have some income that’s at least comparable to what your brother who’s going to be a school principal or your other sister who’s going to be the vice president of a bank,” Sumner said. “You might not have to make the same income, but you want something comparable to raise your family and the like.”

Sumner also talked with Fastline Fast Track about rural broadband expansion, the increase of renewable energy producing systems on the farm and the state of the dairy industry, which continues to shed the number of licensed farms nationwide at a brisk pace.
Also on Episode 9, host Brent Adams talks about spring planting preparation with Tony McClelland, planter marketing manager for worldwide agriculture equipment manufacturer Case IH.

The episode also features the music of Tim Atwood, recorded at the legendary Ernest Tubb Record Shop in Nashville, Tennessee. Atwood spent 38 years as the piano player in the Grand Ole Opry house band, playing more than 8,000 shows featuring many of the biggest names in country music history.

About Fastline Fast Track
Fastline Fast Track is a bi-weekly podcast, produced by Fastline Media Group and hosted by Brent Adams, that can be found at http://fasttrack.fastline.com. It also is available at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and TuneIn. The podcast is aimed at helping people in the agricultural community understand important industry issues, make informed equipment purchases and find innovative ways to save time and money. In additional to agricultural topics, Fastline Fast Track includes country living features and the best in traditional country music, presented by the historic Ernest Tubb Record Shop, 417 Broadway, Nashville, Tennessee.

About Brent Adams
Brent Adams is the Director of Content for Fastline Media Group. He is an award-winning, 24-year veteran, broadcaster, print journalist and public relations professional. He has worked in television and radio in Louisville, Kentucky, and as an editor for print publications in Louisville, Kentucky, and Indianapolis, Indiana. He also has served as Director of Public Relations and Broadcasting for the Louisville Fire and Kentucky Xtreme indoor football teams, for the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree Association in Nashville, Tennessee, and for various Nashville-based country music artists.

About Fastline Media Group
Fastline Media Group has grown from a traditional magazine and print business to a full-service digital and data-centered operation that provides mixed marketing solutions to the agriculture and related industries. The company produces 22 farm industry catalogs, digitally and in print, across the United States. Fastline also owns i3 Digital Agency, MCW Printing and provides marketing and business intelligence to the agriculture and related industries.
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