As of the latest USDA Census of Agriculture completed in 2022 and reported in 2024, the size of Arizona farms increased in number by 19%, or 95 farms since the last Census in 2017.

Consolidation is taking place but remember 95% of Arizona’s farms and ranches are family farms, according to the same Census of Agriculture. So, even if a farm grew in the last five years and became large, that large family farm down the road added more acres to be sustainable and profitable, but it’s still a family farm.

Why is this important to understand? For generational farm and ranch families, if the next generation wants to stay in the family business, they most likely must scale in some form, for example adding more acres, or they found a way to create another revenue stream through “value-added” agriculture that creates an opportunity for the younger generation to participate in the family business.

Certainly, the details for every farm and ranch business are more complicated than that but in essence, maintaining a generational farm is no easy task.

The Bales family of Buckeye, Arizona shared their experiences on what it takes to be a generational farm family and the relationship a father and son must maintain to be successful. On Rosie on the House recently, the pivotal question during the hour-long conversation was when the younger Trevor Bales (who is the sixth generation) was asked about his relationship with his father. The answer can be found in the broadcast below.