Farm Numbers Decline Nationally, Across The Northwest

The number of farms in the United States fell by 15,000 last year, continuing a long-term decline in the nation’s agricultural landscape.

According to USDA’s annual Farms and Land in Farms report, the total number of farms dropped to about 1.865 million last year, down from roughly 1.88 million in 2024.  The decline spanned nearly all size and sales categories, with smaller operations, particularly those reporting $1,000 to $9,999 in annual sales, posting the largest losses.  Only operations with annual sales above $1 million saw a slight increase of about 50 farms.

Here in the Northwest, Washington lost 300 farms from 2024 to 2025, while Idaho and Oregon both reported a drop of 100 farms during the same time period.

Total land in farms also edged lower, decreasing about 0.3% to 873.9 million acres, even as average farm size ticked upward, reflecting a consolidation trend.  Analysts said economic pressures, including slim profit margins, rising costs and generational turnover, continue to challenge smaller producers and reshape the structure of U.S. agriculture.

Click Here to read the entire Farms and Land in Farms report.

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