Georgia’s farmers are getting older. A new survey from the U.S. Department of Agriculture found the average age of farmers in the state has risen to 59 while the number of farmers continues to shrink. The survey also found the number of farms in Georgia is falling at a much faster rate than the pool of farm acres.
Georgia had nearly 3200 fewer farms in 2022 than it did in 2017. A decline in the number of people directly involved in farming has been underway for years in the state and the United States as a whole. Georgia has 10,000 fewer farms than it did 20 years ago and 800,000 fewer farm acres. It fell to just under 10 million acres in 2022.
Every age group of producers between 25 and 64 has seen declines. Meanwhile, the number of producers 65 and older is booming. They now account for a remarkable 40% of Georgia’s agriculture producers.
