Balancing Growth and the Future of Farmland

By Zippy Duvall

For farmers and ranchers, land is more than a place to grow a crop or raise livestock. It is where families build their livelihood and hope to create an opportunity for the next generation.

Across the country, competition for that land is growing. Housing, businesses, solar projects and data centers all demand more space. At the same time, high land values and a difficult farm economy are making it harder for farmers to buy or rent the land they need—and harder for families to turn down development offers that may provide more financial certainty than farming does today. That challenge is compounded by the fact that nearly four out of every five rented acres of farmland are owned by non-operating landlords, leaving decisions about much of the land farmers depend on with people who may have little connection to agriculture.

That raises an important question: How do we make room for growth while ensuring America continues to have the farmland needed to feed our nation?

Farmland Conversion Has Lasting Effects

Since 1982, developed land in the United States has increased by nearly 48 million acres, an area roughly the size of Nebraska. During the same period, cropland declined by 55.7 million acres. Not every acre that leaves agricultural production is permanently lost. Farmland may shift between crops, pasture, and conservation uses depending on markets and the needs of a farm.