Changing Character and Structure of American Agriculture: An Overview

The number of farms in the United States dropped from a high of 6.8 million in 1935 to 2.34 million reported in 1974. Only 1.7 million farms are considered to be commercial, selling more than $2,500 of goods per year. Average farm size jumped from 197 acres in 1940 to 440 in 1974, and the average size of commercial farms is 534 acres. It is estimated that today less than one-half of all farmland is owned by the operator.