Entry, Exit, and the Age Distribution of Farm Operators, 1974-82

Net entries of young farm operators on commercial-sized farms declined by about 40 percent between 1974 and 1982 Fewer entries of young farmers and the continued aging and retirement of older farmers caused the number of commercial farms to drop between 1978 and 1982 The 1982 age distribution and the 1978-82 entry and exit rates suggest a continuing decline in commercial farm numbers and a redistribution of farm assets The article uses a modified version of age cohort analysis to estimate rates of net entries and exits of farm operators in 1974-78 and 1978-82