Most rented farmland in the United States owned by people outside agriculture

Sep 01, 2015

As much as 80% of rented land is owned by non-farmers

The 2014 Tenure, Ownership, and Transition of Agricultural Land (TOTAL) survey shows that of the 353.8 million rented acres of farmland in the United States, nearly 80% (or about 282,400,000 acres) of it is owned by people or entities outside of the agricultural sector.

Results

“Farmland has always been a valuable resource, but what we see in the most recent TOTAL results is the emergence of farmland as a future investment,” said Joseph T. Reilly, NASS (National Agricultural Statistics Service) Administrator. “More families are creating trust ownerships to make sure land remains in their family for farming or as an investment.”

According to the survey, which was released by NASS, the rented farmland acres and buildings on the land are valued at more than $1.1 trillion. 2.1 million landlords combined to receive $31.2 billion in rental income compared to $9.2 billion in expenses.

The survey also detailed the demographics of who exactly owns the farmland. TOTAL found that the average landlord was about 66 years old, compared to the average farmer, who is 58 years old. TOTAL also found that nearly 45% of the landlords had never operated a farm.

TOTAL Highlights

The top five states in terms of rent received are:
1. Illinois ($3.8 billion)
2. Iowa ($3.7 billion)
3. Nebraska ($2.4 billion)
4. Minnesota ($2.0 billion)
5. Texas ($2.0 billion)

The Midwest accounts for $3.7 billion in landlord expenses
16% of farmland was purchased from a relative
35% of farmland was inherited or received as a gift

Join the conversation and tell us your thoughts on the recent TOTAL survey.

Video: What Does 20 MILLION Hogs a Year Look Like?

?? The Multi-Plant System Processing 20 Million Hogs Annually in the Midwest JBS USA operates multiple large-scale pork processing facilities across the Midwest, including major plants in Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana. Combined, these facilities have the capacity to process approximately 20 million hogs annually.

Each plant operates high-speed automated slaughter systems capable of processing up to 20,000 head per day, followed by fabrication lines that break carcasses into primals, sub-primals, and case-ready retail products.

Hog procurement is coordinated through electronic marketing platforms that connect regional contract finishing operations and independent producers to plant demand schedules. This digital procurement system allows for steady supply flow and scheduling efficiency across multiple facilities.

Processing plants incorporate comprehensive food safety systems, including pathogen intervention technologies, rapid chilling processes, and integrated cold-chain management. USDA inspection is embedded throughout the harvest and fabrication stages to ensure regulatory compliance and product integrity. Finished pork products — from bulk primals to retail-ready packaged cuts — are distributed through coordinated logistics networks serving domestic and export markets.