Uncover the top 10 farming counties in the U.S., meticulously ranked from a 20-year USDA study. Where does your county stand? Delve into the best farming hotspots and uncover what makes them thrive.

The ‘Best Places to Farm’ report stands out as a unique source of comprehensive analysis. It’s not just a compilation of data, but a sophisticated blend of proprietary information and the USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture. This distinctive approach provides a deep understanding of the financial performance of 3,056 counties across the United States over two decades, offering insights that are unparalleled in their depth and breadth. 

By averaging weighted ranks across three pivotal financial ratios—return on assets, profit margins, and asset turnover—this report delineates the economic vigor and profitability of farms within each county with meticulous precision. The methodology incorporates critical financial metrics, ensuring an exhaustive and nuanced understanding of the constituents of agricultural success. 

This report’s rigorous approach isn’t just about academic analysis. It’s about providing practical insights for farmers, policymakers, and stakeholders. It’s about offering actionable intelligence that’s essential for navigating the volatile modern farming landscape. This article will delve into the factors that shape the best places to farm in the U.S., exploring financial performance, environmental conditions, and market dynamics in a way that’s directly applicable to your own agricultural endeavors. 

What Defines a Great Farming Location?

The core of an exceptional farming location hinges on extensive, high-grade land. Superior soil quality amplifies crop yields, minimizing fertilizer costs. Larger plots allow for economies of scale, distributing costs across increased production volumes. 

Nevertheless, the quality of land alone doesn’t guarantee profits. Weather patterns and market dynamics are pivotal. Favorable conditions enhance agricultural output and livestock health, whereas calamities such as droughts and floods can obliterate even the most robust operations. Market prices can dramatically sway profit margins, inflating or causing rapid contractions. 

Insights from Farm Futures’ comprehensive 20-year analysis underscore these complexities. The study demonstrates that while expansive, fertile plots generally provide higher returns, the capriciousness of weather and market prices ultimately determines profitability. Counties proficient in navigating extreme weather conditions and leveraging advantageous markets consistently rise to the top. Regions with robust investments in resilient industries such as poultry and dairy showcase strong financial results, thus underlining the intricate elements contributing to agricultural success.

Discover the Top Farming Counties in the U.S.

The top 10 best places to farm have demonstrated remarkable resilience and profitability, achieving superior financial performance even amidst market volatility and climatic challenges. These counties, with their exceptional return on assets, profit margins, and asset turnover, serve as inspiring benchmarks for agricultural success, showing what can be achieved with the right strategies and conditions.  

The leading counties in the 2022 rankings include:  

These countries excel in financial metrics and illustrate the diverse nature of successful farming practices across the United States. From crop-centric regions dominating the Midwest to livestock-heavy areas in the South, these top performers highlight the various paths to agricultural profitability.  

In a detailed analysis of these top-performing counties, common factors emerge that define their success. These include strategic investments in efficient machinery and infrastructure, adoption of best practices in crop and livestock management, and responsiveness to market demands and climatic conditions. Each county has leveraged its unique geographical and economic context to optimize performance, reflecting a tailored approach to farming that maximizes resource use and reduces waste.  

Case Study: Kershaw County, S.C.  

Kershaw County, the top-ranked location in this year’s Best Places to Farm report, exemplifies agricultural innovation and economic prudence. Despite its relatively modest farm sizes, averaging about 175 acres, Kershaw’s focus on poultry production has set it apart. Poultry, accounting for 97% of the county’s agricultural sales, has fueled its wealth, making it a leader in state and national contexts.  

Unlike many large-scale agricultural operations, Kershaw’s farms capitalize on the high turnover and lower land costs associated with poultry farming. This specialization has allowed farmers to achieve remarkable rates of return on assets and superior profit margins, insulating them from some of the volatility faced by crop farmers subject to unpredictable weather conditions and fluctuating market prices.  

The county’s strategic focus on poultry, efficient farm management practices , and favorable market environment have enabled Kershaw to thrive despite challenges from other regions. This case study underscores how localized agricultural strategies, tailored to specific economic and geographic conditions, can yield outsized benefits and provide a model for other counties aiming to improve their farming performance.

Challenges and Triumphs: The 2022 Agricultural Landscape

Farm financial performance is shaped by various factors that determine profitability and sustainability. 

• Factors Influencing Financial Performance
• Land quality, local infrastructure, farm size, access to technology, and market conditions significantly impact a farm’s bottom line. Additionally, government policies and subsidies play crucial roles.
• Role of Commodity Prices
• Commodity prices are critical to farm profitability. High prices, as seen with record corn prices in 2022, can boost income. Low prices, however, can devastate efficient operations, necessitating robust risk management strategies.
• Impact of Weather Events
• Weather extremes play a substantial role in agricultural success. Droughts, hurricanes, and other natural disasters can devastate seasons, making weather risk mitigation crucial for farmers.
• Regional Differences in Profitability
• Geographic location greatly influences financial performance. The Midwest benefits from fertile soil and infrastructure, while the Southeast excels in cost-effective poultry production. Each region’s climate, soil, and market access contribute to agricultural success or challenges.
• Case Studies on Regional Performance 
• Examining counties like Kershaw County, S.C., and Rockland County, N.Y., shows diverse agricultural challenges and triumphs. Success in agriculture depends on numerous factors beyond size and scale.

Unexpected Champions: Diverse Regions Navigating the Agricultural Maze

The ‘Best Places to Farm’ report is structured around the examination of vital financial ratios. Each ratio provides unique insights into farm profitability and operational efficiency. These metrics form the basis of the rankings and deliver a comprehensive perspective on a farm’s financial robustness. This clear structure allows you to easily navigate the report and understand the key factors that contribute to agricultural success. 

Return on Assets (ROA): This metric juxtaposes farm income against asset value, encompassing land, equipment, and livestock. It is a barometer of efficiency, demonstrating how adeptly a farm converts its resources into profit. An elevated ROA indicates superior profitability and financial resilience. 

Profit Margin: This ratio quantifies the proportion of income retained post-expense deductions from sales. It is instrumental in assessing expense management relative to generated revenue. Sustaining a sound profit margin is vital for enduring market volatility. 

Asset Turnover: This metric gauges the efficacy of a farm’s assets in producing revenue. A high asset turnover rate signifies robust operational efficacy, illustrating the farm’s capability to generate substantial income relative to its size and capital base. 

Together, these financial ratios furnish a detailed portrait of a farm’s performance, driving the rankings in the Best Places to Farm report.

Comparison with Corn Belt and Midwest 

Interrogating the Corn Belt and Midwest exposes a labyrinth of financial nuances. Historically, these heartlands have pivoted their profitability around robust grain production, albeit marked by significant volatility. 

In the Corn Belt, the fecund soils and pivotal crops such as corn and soybeans form the bedrock of profitability. Yet, the relentless surge in land prices has started to inflate balance sheets, positively influencing debt-to-asset ratios while exerting pressure on return on assets and asset turnover. 

The Midwest, renowned for its fertile grounds and cutting-edge agricultural technology, equally contends with volatile commodity prices and soaring input costs. Unpredictable weather patterns further amplify the challenges tied to yields and income. 

Skyrocketing land prices intensify entry barriers, consolidating influence within larger farming enterprises and making it arduous for smaller operations to stay competitive, compressing profit margins. 

Despite the intrinsic advantages of the Corn Belt and Midwest, the undeniable impact of high land prices on overall profitability necessitates farmers traverse these complexities with shrewd strategic insight.

Consolidation and Adaptation: The Evolving Landscape of U.S. Farms

In California, the devastating impacts of wildfires and water scarcity have taken a toll on agriculture, particularly in wine country, where the state’s share of U.S. wine production dipped below 80%. These environmental hardships have destabilized long-established agricultural sectors, posing formidable challenges. 

Conversely, the dairy industry demonstrated remarkable resilience. Even amid soaring feed and labor costs, record butter prices propelled the all-milk benchmark to unprecedented heights, illustrating how some sectors can withstand and thrive amidst broader economic upheavals.  

From 2017 to 2022, the agricultural landscape underwent consolidation, with a 6.1% reduction in farming operations, primarily impacting smaller farms. This shift underscores small-scale farmers’ mounting obstacles in an era marked by relentless consolidation.  

Nevertheless, Rockland County, N.Y., emerged as an outlier. With total agricultural sales reaching $4 million in 2022 and few farms surpassing $100,000 annually, its advantageous position near New York City enabled small-scale operations to secure a staggering 45% profit margin through farm-to-table foods and direct-to-consumer sales. This example underscores how strategic location and market engagement can drive exceptional profitability for smaller farms.

Performance Comparison: 2022, 2017, and 2012

The financial terrain of U.S. agriculture has undergone profound shifts over the past decade. In 2012, elevated grain prices, buoyed by ethanol production and robust international demand from powerhouse markets like China, invigorated profits across the Corn Belt and Prairies. Yet, the stability provided by these gains was soon unraveled by adverse weather conditions. 

By 2017, crop incomes plummeted, battered by unfavorable weather and surplus inventories. Escalating input costs compounded the strain on profit margins, particularly in traditional grain-focused regions. Nevertheless, poultry operations in the Southeast exemplified resilience, leveraging efficient returns on assets to sustain economic viability. 

Historical data underscores the pivotal role of geographical and sector-specific dynamics in determining financial outcomes. Counties that excel typically integrate crop production with livestock operations to buffer against economic volatility, underscoring the imperative for adaptability within the agricultural sector.

The Bottom Line

As we delve into the financial arenas that define America’s agricultural prospects, it becomes clear that the future of farming will be shaped by a complex interplay of factors that extend well beyond the conventional parameters of land acreage and harvest volumes. The volatility of 2022 highlights the imperative for adaptive strategies encompassing technological innovations, pioneering agricultural practices, and robust supply chains. Environmental challenges and economic uncertainties will persist, making it clear that future success will depend on agility and diversification. Regions capable of balancing these elements while sustaining profitability will set the standard for the future of U.S. farming. In the end, the resilience and creativity of farmers will be crucial in navigating the multifaceted challenges that lie ahead.

The “Best Places to Farm” report provides a comprehensive analysis of farm profitability across 3,056 counties in the U.S., revealing insights into the key factors that drive successful farming operations. The study underscores the importance of extensive, high-grade land, but also emphasizes the impact of weather patterns and market dynamics on profitability. 

“While expansive, fertile plots generally yield higher returns, the capriciousness of weather and market prices ultimately determines profitability.”

• Critical Metrics: Return on assets, profit margins, and asset turnover are pivotal in assessing farm financial health.
• Weather Impact: Extreme weather conditions, such as droughts and floods, significantly affect agricultural output and profitability.
• Market Dynamics: Commodity prices and market demand fluctuations heavily influence profit margins.
• Resilient Counties: The top-performing counties demonstrate resilience through strategic investments, best practices, and adaptive responses to market and climatic conditions.
• Regional Variations: Poultry production in the Southeast and dairy farming in the Upper Midwest highlight regional strengths and adaptive strategies.

Summary: The ‘Best Places to Farm’ report is a 20-year analysis of the financial performance of 3,056 counties in the United States. It focuses on the economic viability and profitability of farms by averaging weighted ranks across three key financial ratios: return on assets, profit margins, and asset turnover. The report highlights the importance of extensive, high-grade land, superior soil quality, and larger plots for economies of scale in exceptional farming locations. However, weather patterns and market dynamics also play a crucial role. Favorable conditions enhance agricultural output and livestock health, while calamities like droughts and floods can obliterate operations. Market prices can significantly impact profit margins. The study reveals that while expansive, fertile plots generally yield higher returns, the capriciousness of weather and market prices determines profitability. Counties adept at navigating extreme weather conditions and leveraging advantageous markets consistently achieve top results. The top 10 best places to farm in the U.S. demonstrate remarkable resilience and profitability, despite market volatility and climatic challenges. Common factors include strategic investments in efficient machinery and infrastructure, adoption of best practices in crop and livestock management, and responsiveness to market demands and climatic conditions.