An Overview of Farms Operated by Socially Disadvantaged, Women, and Limited Resource Farmers and Ranchers in the United States

by Jessica E. Todd, Christine Whitt, Nigel Key, and Okkar Mandalay

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recognizes several groups of farmers who have been historically underserved by USDA and operates several programs and policies targeting these groups. Yet, there is limited information about the current financial health of the farms these producers operate, their credit and agricultural program use, which inhibits the measurement of progress toward more equitable outcomes. This report provides an overview of the financial characteristics of the farms operated by socially disadvantaged (individuals identifying as Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Hispanic or Latino, and Asian or Pacific Islander), women, and limited resource producers (farms with low sales and low household income), using data from the 2017-20 annual Agricultural Resource Management Survey.