Farmers in the United States are responsible for feeding more than 300 million people in the country and are also the world's leading food exporter. With less than three million farmers, the US is highly efficient in producing crops such as corn, soybeans, wheat, peanuts, tobacco, and livestock.
The success of US agriculture is attributed to several factors, including the country's unique resources, such as 55% of the land covered by plains up to 500 meters above sea level, and soil that is temperate and subtropical, making it suitable for a wide range of crops.
Additionally, the US model of agricultural development, especially the innovative use and spread of agricultural technology, has contributed to its competitiveness in the industry.
The vast plains of the central United States are ideal for large-scale mechanized farming, and the low cost of energy makes American agriculture highly technology- and energy-intensive, with significant advantages.
Today, many of the machines used for sowing and harvesting are driverless, with farmers monitoring operations through a computer, and an average workforce of just 1.6 people per farm.
The service industry that accompanies farming in the US is also very well developed, with specialist planting, spraying, and harvesting companies providing in-home service and guidance that can be programmed to customize the planting plan that best suits the farm.
The US controls the pricing of crops such as soybeans and corn through the advantage of scale and low cost.
The US has a system of land privatization and family farm-style operations, where non-leasehold farmers have absolute private rights to their land and are protected by law. According to the latest data released by the USDA, there were 2.02 million farms in the US in 2019, which together own 897 million acres of land, with an average farm size of 444 acres.
Highly educated and technically competent, American farmers have to learn a great deal about marketing, management, logistics, finance, law, and the environment.
In terms of income, the average American farmer earns US$43,446 per year, which is about 17 times more than an Asian farmer. Some farmers in the US earn as much as $100,000-$250,000 a year.
Agriculture is also more developed in the eastern part of the US, with states such as Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Pennsylvania being big farming states. Many farmers in these states grow crops such as tobacco, peanuts, and soybeans.
With advanced mechanization, US farmers can easily carry out operations like plowing, watering, sowing, fertilizing, harvesting, milking, and more. They are equipped with automated control rooms where crop growth can be monitored, and a series of operations can be carried out.
The success of US agriculture is a result of various factors such as unique resources, innovative use and spread of agricultural technology, and a system of land privatization and family farm-style operations.
With highly mechanized and efficient farming practices, US farmers are able to produce crops at a large scale, feed millions of people in the country, and contribute to the world's food supply.
