“‘A farm is viable if it can keep its head above water’: Defining and measuring farm viability for small and mid-sized farms”

Significant systemic challenges have eroded farmers’ ability to earn a livelihood from agriculture. Analysis of US Agricultural Census data by the USDA ERS finds that 84 percent of all US farm households rely on off-farm revenue for most of their household income and use off-farm income to cover some of their farming expenses (Whitt et al. 2023). Given the declines in farm income and increased reliance on off-farm income, we call for a reexamination of how farm viability is defined and measured. We interviewed New England farmers about how they think about farm viability in a recent article published in the journal Agriculture and Human Values.

Key takeaways from the article:

•Farmers defined viability not by earning sufficient income, but by their ability to stay in business, keep land in agriculture, and pass it on to future generations. Economic success is important, but it's not the sole aspect—long-term continuity and stewardship are central to their understanding of farm viability.

•Financial health, environmental stewardship, and social support go hand in hand. Farmers described how climate challenges like extreme weather directly affect their ability to keep farming. They also talked about how burnout, lack of community support, and personal well-being are just as important to staying viable as making ends meet.

•We need better ways to measure farm income—especially to separate earnings from growing food from income earned through other activities. Many farmers rely on alternative revenue strategies like agritourism, education, or off-farm jobs to make ends meet. But these take time and energy away from farming and can impact their well-being and the long-term stability of their farms.

Is New England agriculture economically viable? Key insights from the article:

New England farmers can’t rely on production alone to stay afloat. Growing and selling food is financially risky, and many farmers find it makes more sense to diversify their income with other activities—like agritourism or off-farm work.

·  The current system doesn’t support increased farm income and food production. Cost-price squeeze, market pressures, and labor challenges can make it harder—not easier—for farmers to grow and sell more food.

·  Can we have farm viability without food production? In New England, many farmers rely on alternative revenue sources because food production alone isn’t financially sustainable. But if the system doesn’t support growing food, what does that mean for the future of farming—and our regional food supply?

We call for a sustainable livelihoods approach to understand the constellation of institutional and farm-level factors that shape the viability of small and mid-sized farms in New England, with a focus on the barriers and opportunities for increasing farm income and food production for local and regional food systems. This project builds on previous research published in the Journal of Rural Studies and Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems.