Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
21 <br /> FINAL DRAFT-5-27-26 <br /> Challenge: Agriculture is not an economically viable profession for most farmers. <br /> Achieving farm profitability is challenging for farmers across the agricultural <br /> spectrum from small farms selling directly to customers to large commodity farms <br /> (Burchfield, 2022). Orange County farmers are no exception. In the 2023 Orange <br /> County Farmer and Landowner Survey (Appendix 1 for summary), the most <br /> frequently cited challenges to making a living farming were small profit margins <br /> and high cost of land. Farming/forestry was the main source of income for only <br /> 30% of respondents. Two in three respondents (670) employed 2 or fewer <br /> people including themselves in their agricultural operation. <br /> USDA Census of Agriculture data show that, for Orange County farmers in 2022, <br /> average gross income was $3655; average net income was -$2213 (negative <br /> $2213) (Agricultural Census, 2022). Nearly 40% of farms (271 of 687) had <$2500 in <br /> sales with only 6% (43) of farms selling $100,000 or more in farm products (Figure <br /> 4). Farming/forestry was the main source of income for only 30% of respondents <br /> in the Census of Agriculture as in the 2023 Orange County Farmer and <br /> Landowner Survey. <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 4. Number of Orange County farms by value of sales, 2022 <br /> $100,000 or more _43 <br /> $50,000-$99,999 _40 <br /> $25,000-$29,999 -65 <br /> $10,000-$24,999 99 <br /> $5000-$9999 34 <br /> $2500-$4999 95 <br /> <$2500 271 <br /> 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 <br /> Numberof 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 /> 19 <br />