Most farmers never expect to get rich from their jobs. But these days, they also can't expect to make a living.
New data from the USDA shows that this year, an estimated 82 percent of farm income will come from off-farm jobs, and about half of farming families will rely on insurance by off-farm employers.
That sounds like a lot – and it is, though it's important to keep in mind that farmers have relied on off-farm income for several decades now. In 1960, that number was around 53 percent.
But in recent years, off-farm income has increased rapidly alongside declining prices in corn, wheat, and other farm products, which has ultimately cut total U.S. farm income in half.
It also runs parallel to a rise in farming costs – like the average price of an acre's worth of corn seeds, which has quadrupled in the past 20 years.
It's a vicious cycle - time spent off the farm can affect crop quality and the ability to farm more acreage – which could be the key to making enough income to farm full-time.
Dan Kowalski, head of research at CoBank, said to the Wall Street Journal, "most farmers are still on their land today because of their off-farm jobs," and that most farmers use their off-farm income to keep current on farm-related debts and loans.
Brian Briggeman, an agricultural economist at Kansas State University, said in the same article that farmers couldn't repay their farm-related debts – which without an outside paycheck.