March 12, 2026 | Source: The New York Times | by Brooks Lamb

In the next two decades, the owners of roughly 300 million acres of American farm and ranch land are expected to retire or die. How and to whom this land is transferred will determine the future of rural America and our food system.

Much of this land could end up being taken over by the nation’s biggest and wealthiest agricultural operations, which already dominate farming. Other land could be bought up by private investors, many of whom see the acreage as a low-risk asset in their financial portfolios or a future subdivision, strip mall or data center. These entities have purchased thousands of small and midsize farms over the last few decades and are eager to buy more.

The consolidation of agricultural land ownership is harmful for the environment, our health, rural economies and food security. And so it would be better if young people took over the acreage about to change hands and kept small and midsize farms going.