2021 TRENDS

ON THE FARM

"Massive rooftop food gardens and farms are showing up around the world, from Thailand to France to Canada." –Michael Levenston, executive director, City Farmer, Vancouver, Canada

FORWARD-LOOKING FARMERS ARE . . .

• creating conservation easements to protect agricultural land from development

• "rewilding" farmland to reintroduce native plants and attract birds, mammals, and other animals

• relying on GPS to maximize planting and harvesting efficiency

THE NEW FARM

• Online tools are connecting beginning farmers with likeminded land owners.

• Developers are converting vacant commercial buildings into indoor farms.

• Investors are buying conventional farmland and converting it to organic.

BY THE NUMBERS: U.S.

25% of farmers are beginners (with 10 years of experience or less)

133,176 farms and ranches use renewable energy-producing systems (more than double those in 2012)

130,056 farms sell directly to consumers –2017 Census of Agriculture, USDA

1,400: number of urban farms in Detroit, Michigan

8.3 million: acres of land certified for organic field crop production

18,155: farms certified to grow organically

45% of principal farm operators also have off-farm jobs

441 acres: average farm size

BY THE NUMBERS: CANADA

778 acres: average farm size

Photo: julief514/Getty Images