The USDA defines "small farms" as those under $250,000 in gross sales. By this broad definition small farms make up 92% of New York's 32,000 farms. We prefer a flexible concept of size, which loosely defines "small" and "large" relative to the farms that exist in a given area. But by any definition, there is no question that New York's small farms make important contributions to the rural character of our communities and to our local economies.
Resources in this section provide information on the characteristics of small farms; their contributions to society; small farms in New York; and profiles of small farm businesses and families.
