March 25, 2026

Washington, D.C.– Over 2.0 million landowners rented out 348 million acres of farmland, according to the results of the 2024 Tenure, Ownership, and Transition of Agricultural Land (TOTAL) survey results released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Of these acres, 79 percent are owned by non-farming landlords.

Non-operating landlords include entities who rent out agricultural land under a variety of ownership arrangements (privately owned, trust, family entity, non-family entity or other). Of the land rented out by non-operating landlords, over 251 million acres were rented out by private landowners, trusts or family entities.

According to the survey results, rented farmland acres, combined with buildings on this land, are valued at more than $1.6 trillion. In 2024, landlords combined received $34.1 billion in rental income while incurring $12.0 billion in total operating expenses.

Only 23 million acres of land are expected to be sold to a non-relative, while 20 million acres are expected to be sold to a relative or given as a gift. This means that only a small percentage of farmland will be available for purchase.

To access the complete 2024 TOTAL results, in addition to key data highlights, methodology and Frequently Asked Questions, visit https://www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Guide_to_NASS_Surveys/TOTAL or the Quick Stats database at http://quickstats.nass.usda.gov.