Lost Farms in Washington State and Small Family Farms Lead the Way
From the Ag Information Network, this is your Agribusiness Update.
**Washington state lost 3,700 farms between 2017 and 2022, an average of two farms per day.
That’s according to the USDA Census of Agriculture and the recently released “Mental Health and Suicide Prevention for Agricultural Producers and Workers Report.”
Compiled by the Washington State Department of Agriculture, the report cites many factors, including the rising cost of agricultural production.
Washington’s suicide rate consistently exceeds the national average.
**India may be looking at a 1% drop in the country’s gross domestic product after President Trump added potential tariffs to their goods.
Analysts say the new costs were imposed on India because it purchased Russian oil.
New Delhi reacted strongly to the announcement, calling the move “unjustified.”
The Indian government said the country has been unfairly targeted because other nations are buying oil from Russia and not getting targeted by the White House.
**In 2023, small family farms sold $2.4 billion worth of food directly to consumers, more than any other farm type.
A small family farm earns a gross cash farm income under $350,000, and most assets are owned by the producer, their household, or relatives.
Midsize family farms, that earn between $350,000 and $999,999, and nonfamily farms of any size reported far less in direct-to-consumer sales, at $652 million and $402 million, respectively.
