Pennsylvania
Ohio and Pennsylvania continue to lose farms, farmland – Farm and Dairy
SALEM, Ohio — The U.S. has the smallest number of farms since 1850, losing 141,733 farms from 2017 to 2022, according to the 2022 U.S. Department of Agriculture Census of Agriculture.
There are now only 1.9 million farms in the U.S., down 7% from 2017. This is the largest percent decrease that’s been seen in 20 years.
The latest Census of Agriculture, results of which were released last week, also showed that farm consolidation continues unabated, with the number of the largest farms increasing and fewer farms accounting for the majority of ag products sold.
“I’m concerned about the state of agriculture and food production in this country,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, during a data release event on Feb. 13. Vilsack called the results a wake-up call for the industry, policymakers and politicians.
The numbers
Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia each lost farms since the last census, Ohio with a 2.3% loss, Pennsylvania with a 7.7% loss and West Virginia at 3.5%.
Even given the loss of farms, Ohio still has the fourth most farms in the country with 76,009, ranking below Iowa, Missouri and Texas.
There was a 2% drop in farmland nationwide, down to 880.1 million acres in 2022, according to the census. That’s a loss of just over 20 million acres in five years.
“I want to give you a sense of how many acres that is. That’s every New England state with the exception of Connecticut, in five years,” Vilsack said.
The tri-state area also lost farmland, with Ohio losing about 313,000 acres, Pennsylvania losing 220,000 acres and West Virginia losing 113,000 acres since 2017.
A bright spot in the 2022 census results was an increase in the number of young and beginning producers. The number of producers under age 35 increased by nearly 4% in 2022 from five years ago, jumping from 285,434 in 2017 to 296,480 in 2022. Young producers made up about 9% of all producers in 2022.
There were just over 1 million beginning farmers with 10 or fewer years of experience in 2022 an increase of 11% from 2017.
Consolidation
U.S. farms and ranches produced $543 billion in agricultural products, up from $389 billion in 2017. Even with production expenses growing by 30%, U.S. farms overall had a net cash income of $152 billion in 2022.
However, less than half of farms, 43%, had positive net cash farm income in 2022.
The number of large-scale farms with more than $1 million in sales increased by 40% in 2022. These farms sold more than three-quarters of all agricultural products, made up 6% of all farms and operated 31% of the farmland in the country.
Farms with less than $100,000 in sales, which make up about 80% of American farms, dropped by 9%.
The Census of Agriculture, first held in 1840, is conducted every five years to gather thousands of data points about domestic agricultural operations.
A farm is defined, by the census, as any place from which $1,000 or more agricultural products were produced and sold. In 1850, when there were only 31 states and four territories, there were 1.4 million farms. The number of farms in the U.S. peaked in 1935, with 6.8 million farms.
The Ag Census results renewed calls from farm groups for Congress to pass a new farm bill. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said the latest census numbers “put in black and white the warning our members have been expressing for years.”
“Increased regulations, rising supply costs, lack of available labor and weather disasters have all squeezed farmers to the point that many of them find it impossible to remain economically sustainable,” he said, in a statement.
More numbers
The average size of a U.S. farm in 2022 was 463 acres, up from 441 acres in 2017.
The average age of American farmers crept up to 58.1 in 2022. The average age has been increasing over the years — 57.5 in 2017 and 56.3 in 2012 — but the USDA noted this was a smaller increase than between previous censuses.
The number of male and female producers is about the same, with about 2.1 million men and 1.2 million women, or 64% to 36%.
(Editor Rachel Wagoner can be reached at 724-201-1544 or rachel@farmanddairy.com.)
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FARRELL, Pa. (MyValleyTributes) – Sherry Buchanan, 87, of Farrell, Pennsylvania, passed away surrounded by her family on Monday, May 4, 2026, in UPMC Jameson Hospital, New Castle.
Mrs. Buchanan was born on May 6, 1938, in Barkeyville, Pennsylvania, a daughter of the late Marion L. (Stanley) Smock.
Her husband, James Eugene Buchanan, whom she married on February 5, 1954, passed away on August 12, 2014.
A dedicated homemaker, Sherry loved to cook, crochet and watch wildlife in her backyard. Her life revolved around her family and her children. When her children were in school, she was highly involved in the Jefferson Elementary School PTA, and was the Past-President. Sherry also had a passion for fishing and bird watching. In her free time, she relaxed by reading and doing puzzles.
She is survived by four daughters, Jamie Dobrozdravic, Cyndi Buchanan, Regina Scott, all of Florida, and Karen Spehn (Jack), of Arizona; three sons, Robin Buchanan (Pam), of Alabama, Gregg Buchanan, of Greenville, Pennsylvania, and Jeffrey Buchanan (Sue Ann), of Farrell; 12 grandchildren, Geno, Jeffrey, Amy, Todd, Heidi, Ryan, Shana, Tyler, Spencer, John, William, and Jeffrey, Jr.; several great-grandchildren; and a dedicated niece, Joy Hayden.
In addition to her parents and husband, Sherry was preceded in death by a son, James Buchanan, Jr.; a son-in-law, Paul Dobrozdravic; and a sister, Jerry Thompson.
The family suggests memorial contributions be directed to the Shenango Valley Animal Shelter, at 2599 Broadway Rd., Hermitage, PA 16148; or ASPCA, at www.ASPCA.org
A memorial service will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday May 9, 2026 in the chapel of Hillcrest Memorial Park, 2619 East State St., Hermitage. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.McGonigleFuneralHomeandCrematory.com
Interment: Hillcrest Memorial Park, Hermitage.
Arrangements are being handled by the J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Sherry W. Buchanan, please visit our flower store.
A television tribute will air Wednesday, May 6 at the following approximate times: 6:47 a.m. on WYTV, 9:43 a.m. on WKBN, 10:58 a.m. on FOX and 8:12 p.m. on MyYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.
Pennsylvania
It’s back: What is ‘senior assassin’ and why are Pennsylvania police warning against it?
DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — As high school graduation season approaches, so does a rise in teens participating in a popular game known as “senior assassin.”
The Swatara Township Police Department is asking parents to speak with their kids about the risks associated with the game, where students try to “eliminate” each other by spraying each other with water guns or squirt bottles.
“The game is played outside of school hours and away from school property but has been reported to be causing disruptions and posing risks to participants and bystanders alike,” police wrote Tuesday in a news release.
READ MORE | What is the ‘Senior Assassin’ game?
The police department said there have been reports of students playing the game outside of local businesses and alarming the public.
There are online resources that advise students avoid private property and use brightly-colored water guns, police said, but not all students are following those rules.
Police said some students have used paintball guns, which can lead to injuries.
“We urge parents and guardians to speak with their children about the potential risks associated with participating in this game and to discourage them from taking part,” the Swatara Township Police Department wrote. “The safety of students and community members is our top priority, and we must work together to ensure a safe and respectful environment for everyone.”
Another Pennsylvania police department out of Bucks County, the Buckingham Township Police Department, said the game sometimes results in 911 calls reporting “armed subjects.”
“In case you are unfamiliar, Senior Assassin is a game that involves high school students ‘stalking’ and ‘shooting’ each other with water guns in an attempt to be the last senior standing,” Buckingham Township police wrote. “We have heard that some students are using Nerf guns or silly string. Think of this game as ‘hide and seek.’”
The Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department also spoke out about the game back in 2023, warning that students sometimes use water pistole that could easily be confused for real firearms.
“This behavior, though intentionally innocent, could easily be perceived, reported, or confronted as suspicious behavior by unknowing persons and outcomes could have serious consequences,” the police department had said.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | ‘Senior Assassination’ game among high schoolers concerns police in Lancaster County
While the Buckingham Township Police Department said it does not condone the game, it offered the following safety tips for students who might decide to play anyway:
- Do not use realistic-looking weapons; use clearly identifiable, brightly colored water guns.
- Do not wear masks or behave in ways that would make a reasonable person to believe you are a threat.
- Avoid trespassing on private property or playing in public spaces, especially at night.
- Immediately comply with any police officer’s instructions and stop playing if instructed to do so.
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