New USDA data shows that farmland rented to farmers represents a $1.7 trillion asset, highlighting the massive economic footprint of agricultural land ownership in the United States. The report shows that millions of acres are controlled by landlords rather than operators, underscoring the central role of rented farmland in today’s farm economy.

The data also reveals a shifting profile of farmland owners, with more than half of principal landlords having never farmed and a growing share now over 75. These trends point to an evolving ownership structure in U.S. agriculture that could shape land access, rental markets and farm transitions in the years ahead.

Read the full article to understand projections for ag land ownership in the next three years, especially in the Midwest.