Orange County NC Website
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DRAFT/March 27,2026 <br /> Considered in aggregate, the results suggest that, for many Orange County <br /> farm businesses, off-farm employment is necessary to support the continuance <br /> of the farm. These data are consistent with national data showing that US <br /> households operating small farms (those with gross cash farm income less than <br /> $350,000) usually depend on off-farm sources for the majority of their household <br /> income (USDA Economic Research Service, 2024). <br /> Figure 5. Number of Orange County farms by value of sales, 2022 <br /> $100,000 or more 41 <br /> $50,000-$99,999 _40 <br /> $25,000-$29,999 ss <br /> $10,000-$24,999 99 <br /> $5000-$9999 84 <br /> $2500-$4999 as <br /> a$2500 271 <br /> 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 <br /> Number of Farms <br /> 2022 Census of Agriculture—Orange County Data <br /> USDA,National Agricultural Statistics Service <br /> The varied, diverse causes of lack of farm profitability include volatility in the <br /> weather; high labor costs; high costs of land, infrastructure, and supplies; and <br /> artificially low prices for farm products (Burchfield, 2022). These factors have <br /> been attributed to inherent vulnerabilities in the industrial food system, <br /> overproduction and associated government subsidies, vertical integration <br /> (whereby single corporations control suppliers, distributors, and sales outlets to <br /> consolidate the food supply chain), and prioritization of corporate profit over <br /> animal husbandry, natural resource conservation, and soil health (Wallinga, <br /> 2009). <br /> 15 <br />