The United States was always destined to be a world leader in agriculture production and supply. With its natural resources and land conditions, it’s no wonder that the U.S. was able to generate a gross output of over 374 billion U.S. dollars in 2011 alone. That same year more than 750,000 Americans were employed in agricultural jobs.
Across the United States, there are over 2.2 million farms, translating into 920 million acres of farmland. Almost one-third of all U.S. farms are operated by full owners. The real estate value of this expanse of farming land is approximately two trillion U.S. dollars. With such abundance, it’s not hard to find farm land, a horse property, or cattle ranch for sale. Before you start hunting land for sale, it’s important to remember not all land is created equal.
A farm is not necessarily a ranch and not all farms or ranches are suited for the same purpose. A ranch is a type of farm designed for raising livestock, but the distinction breaks down further from there. There’s farm land for growing wheat and farm land for growing almonds. A horse ranch is not the same as a cattle ranch for sale. It’s important to know the production you’re land is intended for before you make a land purchase. If you want to grow corn, jumping at a cattle ranch for sale may not be the best idea. Similarly, hunting land for sale may not adapt well to becoming an equestrian property. Your area of specialization will help you determine the best places to begin looking for ranch or farmland for sale.
While agricultural production occurs in all 50 states, there are a few that rise above the rest. Some of the top U.S. states in regards to cash receipts from farm land are California, Texas, Nebraska, and Wyoming. We’ll look at each state in turn.
- California
California is ranked the number one U.S. state in terms of agricultural cash receipts. The top three agricultural exports grown in California are almonds, dairy and dairy products, and wine. Its farms are the leaders of production in 66 different crops; among them are almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, raisins, kiwifruit, olives, clingstone peaches, pistachios, prunes, pomegranates, sweet rice, and walnuts. - Texas
In terms of farm real estate land value, Texas is the leader of the nation. Production agriculture and related businesses contribute $36.4 billion of the Texas economy each year. Agriculture-related jobs employ 14%, or one in seven Texans. Texas’s top crops include vegetables, citrus, corn, wheat, peanuts, pecans,sorghum and rice.
In addition to it’s strong agricultural inclinations, Texas is also the national leader in number of cattle and calves and cattle operations. Other top livestock productions include sheep, goats, mohair and horses. - Nebraska
Fourth in the nation in terms of cash receipts, Nebraska’s farms contributed almost $25 billion to its economy in 2014, accounting for 5.9% of the national total. Nebraskan farms have exported $23 billion worth of agriculture goods around the world. It’s top productions include: corn, wheat, soybean, hogs, cattle and dairy products, eggs, hay, dry beans and potatoes. Soybeans, corn, beef, feeds and fodder, and hides and skins represented the top exports for Nebraska in 2014. - Wyoming
With nearly 30.169 million acres of land in use towards production agriculture across the state, Wyoming is a major contributor to U.S. agricultural output. In 2013, Wyoming farms produced $520 million worth of crops. Cattle production is its the largest component of its agriculture products but hay is its leading crop. In 2013, beef accounted for $706 million with total livestock production for the state valued at $833 million. Similarly, hay accounted for $390 million of the $520 million worth of agricultural production in Wyoming.
As you may have guessed, it shouldn’t be hard to find farm or ranch land for sale in any of these major states. The challenge is determining what venture you’re interested in pursuing, then isolating the region best suited to your chosen product. If you’re interested in beef or dairy, you might start by visiting Texas ranches for sale or looking at a cattle ranch for sale in various of states to compare amenities and pricing. Whatever your chosen field, there’s land out there for you.
