The National Young Farmers Coalition (Young Farmers) expresses deep concern over the continued delay of the 2024 Tenure, Ownership, and Transition of Agricultural Land (TOTAL) Survey, originally scheduled for release on October 31, 2025. The survey aimed to provide important insight into the trends and patterns in ownership of agricultural land across the United States.
Due to the 43 day government shutdown, USDA halted key operations, including the publication of this long-awaited dataset. USDA has not announced a new release date, leaving farmers, researchers, and policymakers without the most comprehensive information available on farmland ownership, tenure, transfer patterns, and barriers for new and beginning farmers.
“Without the TOTAL Survey, we’re flying blind on one of the most urgent issues in agriculture—land access,” said Vanessa Garcia Polanco, Government Relations Director with the National Young Farmers Coalition. “This delay prevents policymakers, advocates, and farmers from understanding the scale of farmland loss, speculation, and consolidation, and from acting to keep farmers on the land.”
Young Farmers had planned to hold a congressional briefing upon the Survey’s release to discuss how the data should inform proactive federal policy on land access, foreign land ownership, and farmland preservation. The delay stalls progress on policies that would protect farmland, support equitable transitions, and keep the next generation of farmers on the land.
Young Farmers calls on the Administration to release this critical information. Restoring access to critical data is essential for shaping farm policy that meets this moment—helping farmers weather economic instability, counter land speculation, and secure their future on the land.
