79% of U.S. Rented Farmland Owned by Non-Farmers, USDA Survey Finds

06 April 2026, Washington: The latest findings from the 2024 Tenure, Ownership, and Transition of Agricultural Land (TOTAL) survey, released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, highlight a structural shift in American agriculture: the majority of rented farmland is now owned by non-farming landlords.

According to the survey, more than 2.0 million landowners rented out approximately 348 million acres of farmland across the United States. Of this, a significant 79% is owned by non-operating landlords, individuals or entities that do not actively farm the land themselves.

These non-operating landlords represent a diverse mix of ownership structures, including private individuals, trusts, family entities, and non-family organizations. Notably, over 251 million acres of rented farmland are held by private landowners, trusts, or family entities, underscoring the growing separation between land ownership and farm operations.

The economic scale of rented farmland remains substantial. Land and associated buildings under rental arrangements are valued at more than $1.6 trillion. In 2024 alone, landlords generated $34.1 billion in rental income while incurring $12.0 billion in operating expenses, reflecting the financial significance of farmland leasing within the broader agricultural economy.

The survey also points to a looming transition in land ownership. Approximately 43 million acres, around 5% of the nearly 900 million acres of U.S. farmland are expected to change hands over the next five years, excluding land already designated in wills or trusts. However, market availability is expected to remain limited. Of this transitioning land, only 23 million acres are likely to be sold to non-relatives, while 20 million acres will be transferred within families through sales or gifts.

Demographic insights further reveal an aging landlord population. The survey identifies 1.8 million principal landlords, with an average age of 69.2 years, significantly higher than the average U.S. farmer age of 58.1 years, as reported in the 2022 Census of Agriculture. Only 12% of principal landlords are under the age of 55, and nearly 52% have never engaged in farming activities.

Commenting on the findings, NASS Administrator Joseph L. Parsons emphasized the importance of the TOTAL survey as a critical data source for stakeholders across the agricultural ecosystem. The report provides essential insights into land ownership patterns, supporting informed decision-making in policy, research, and market development.

The data reinforces a key trend shaping global agriculture: the increasing detachment of land ownership from active farming, with implications for farm succession, land access, and long-term sector sustainability.

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