Does Farm Size Matter in Agricultural Extension Programs? Insights from US Agriculture Census Data

Authors

• Pilja Vitale, New Mexico State UniversityFollow
• Joshua Campbell, Oklahoma State UniversityFollow
• Jeffrey Vitale, Oklahoma State UniversityFollow
• Michael Patrick, New Mexico State UniversityFollow
• John Garlisch, New Mexico State UniversityFollow

Volume

64

Issue

2

Abstract

This commentary examines how farm size influences agricultural Extension programs in the United States, highlighting disparities between large and small farms. While large farms dominate production through advanced technologies and economies of scale, small farms are vital for food security, community well-being, and cultural preservation. Key differences include water use, labor, machinery, marketing, financial management, and food safety practices. Extension programs address these disparities through tailored initiatives such as financial literacy training for small farms and technology adoption workshops for large ones. This analysis emphasizes the need for targeted and inclusive Extension programming to enhance sustainability and equity across farm sizes.

Authors’ Contribution Statement

Pilja Vitale drafted the manuscript and contributed to its development and revision. Joshua Campbell collected and organized the data used in the study. Jeffrey Vitale contributed to the conceptualization of the study and development of the manuscript. Michael Patrick and John Garlisch substantially reviewed and revised the manuscript, contributing to the interpretation and presentation of the work. All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.

Data Availability

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article [and/or] its supplementary materials.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Vitale, P., Campbell, J., Vitale, J., Patrick, M., & Garlisch, J. (2026). Does Farm Size Matter in Agricultural Extension Programs? Insights from US Agriculture Census Data. Journal of Extension, 64(2), Article 10. https://doi.org/10.66752/1077-5315.5793