Arkansas Farms and Ranches: Agriculture History, How Farms Make Money and Strategy
Guide updated November 2026
Arkansas farms sold $13.90 billion of agricultural products in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, up 44.0 percent from $9.65 billion in 2017. The state counted 37,756 farms on 13,722,525 acres, with an average farm size of 363 acres. Poultry and eggs alone brought in $7.68 billion, 55.2 percent of the total, followed by soybeans at $2.27 billion and rice at $1.37 billion.
| Farms and land in farms | 37,756 farms on 13,722,525 acres in 2022; average 363 acres (2022 Census of Agriculture) |
|---|---|
| Top commodities | Poultry and eggs ($7.68 billion), soybeans ($2.27 billion), rice ($1.37 billion), corn ($794 million), cattle and calves ($687 million) |
| Market value of ag products sold | $13.90 billion in 2022; crops $5.34 billion, livestock and poultry $8.56 billion |
| State agriculture department | Arkansas Department of Agriculture |
| Land-grant extension | University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (Cooperative Extension Service) |
| Farm Bureau | Arkansas Farm Bureau |
Agriculture in Arkansas: A Short History
Arkansas agriculture divides into the flat, fertile Delta in the east and the hills and valleys of the Ozarks and Ouachitas in the north and west. The Delta became rice and cotton country, while the uplands developed cattle, hay and later poultry. According to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, William H. Fuller produced the first successful Arkansas rice crop in 1904, and the first Arkansas rice mill opened in Stuttgart in 1907.
Cooperatives shaped the industry. Farmers formed the Arkansas Rice Growers Cooperative Association in 1921, which became Riceland Foods, and Producers Rice Mill was founded in Stuttgart in 1943. Government acreage controls in the 1950s pushed more growers toward soybeans, and the state became a major soybean producer.
Today the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program, running since 1947, and the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame recognize the families behind this system. The Arkansas Century Farm Program honors farms owned by the same family for 100 years or more.
How Farms in Arkansas Make Money
Commodity sales
The 2022 Census of Agriculture shows poultry and eggs at $7.68 billion, soybeans at $2.27 billion, rice at $1.37 billion, corn at $794 million and cattle and calves at $687 million. Cotton and cottonseed rose to $546 million from $343 million in 2017. Livestock, poultry and products made up 61.6 percent of sales, and 3,799 farms sold $1 million or more.
Value-added and direct sales
Value-added product sales were $43.7 million from 513 farms in 2022, up 91.4 percent from 2017. Food sold directly to consumers was $8.5 million from 1,436 farms, down 7.3 percent. The cooperative model, such as Riceland Foods and Producers Rice Mill, captures processing margins for members.
Agritourism, leases and diversification
Landlords received $641.8 million as their share of sales in 2022, showing how important leasing is. Farms add service income, as Henderson Family Farm does with Lepanto Crop Service, or sell stocker cattle, like Pendergrass Cattle Company.
Agriculture Strategy for Arkansas Farms
Soils, water and climate
The Delta's flat, productive soils rely on irrigation: the census counts 4,749,773 irrigated acres on 4,251 farms. Water conservation, tailwater recovery, furrow irrigation scheduling and soil moisture sensors lower pumping cost and protect aquifers. The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture publishes rice and row-crop guidance, and NRCS offers cost-share for irrigation efficiency.
Production and risk
Farms balance rice, soybeans, corn and cotton against price and weather swings. Poultry growers, who produce most of the state's sales, usually operate under contract with integrators, so lender review of contract terms matters. Crop insurance, FSA programs and NRCS conservation programs such as the Conservation Stewardship Program can protect margins.
Technology and inputs
Precision leveling, variable-rate fertilizer, drones and aerial application are widespread. Poultry houses depend on energy-efficient fans, litter management and biosecurity.
Farm Business Strategy in Arkansas
Margins and markets
The average farm sold $368,131 in 2022, up 62.6 percent from 2017, but input costs have risen too. Cooperatives, forward contracts, on-farm storage and export markets help growers capture value.
Land, credit and succession
With 37,756 farms and rising land values, leasing and transitions are major issues. FSA farm ownership and operating loans, Farm Credit lenders and the Century Farm Program help families plan. Six-generation operations like Pendergrass Cattle Company show the value of early succession planning.
Marketing and diversification
Direct sales are small statewide but offer a niche for farmers near cities. Value-added foods grew sharply. Consider custom services, grain storage or processing partnerships.
Farm Insight: Arkansas Trends to Watch
Value-added production is growing fast from a small base, and larger farms continue to gain share: farms with sales of $1 million or more increased from 3,284 to 3,799 between 2017 and 2022 while the total farm count fell 11.4 percent.
Cooperative and contract structures remain central to Arkansas, so read governing documents carefully and keep strong records of costs.
Arkansas grows more chickens than most states grow opinions, and its rice farmers can flood a field faster than a family can decide where to eat. That is rich material for the farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes we collect at farm.FM. We say it kindly: a state that feeds the nation's tables deserves a laugh back.
For context, farm.FM is the nation's first satirical farm site and the home of Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers. Its contributors each keep an archive, and this one is a good sampler of ranch humor and farm jokes.
Elite Farms and Ranches in Arkansas
These 12 operations are profiled in full, with history, how each makes money, lessons for other farms and published contact details.
Elite operations in Arkansas
- Henderson Family FarmElite operation. Keiser, Arkansas. Henderson Family Farm of Keiser, Arkansas, the 2024 Arkansas Farm Family of the Year: 4,000+ acres of cotton, rice and soybeans plus an aerial service.
- Pendergrass Cattle CompanyElite operation. Charleston, Arkansas. Pendergrass Cattle Company of Charleston, Arkansas, a family stocker and feeder operation started in 1870 and led by a Hall of Fame rancher: history and lessons.
- Producers Rice MillElite operation. Stuttgart, Arkansas. Producers Rice Mill of Stuttgart, Arkansas, a farmer-owned rice cooperative founded in 1943 that mills over 60 million bushels a year: history, products, contact.
- Riceland FoodsElite operation. Stuttgart, Arkansas. Riceland Foods of Stuttgart, Arkansas, a farmer-owned cooperative formed in 1921 and called the world's largest rice miller: history, products, strategy, contact.
Notable working farms and ranches in Arkansas
Established, successful commercial operations that are not national headline names but show how good farms in Arkansas actually earn a living.
- Huneycutt FarmsNotable operation. Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Huneycutt Farms of Arkadelphia, Arkansas, 2022 Arkansas Farm Family of the Year: 4,000 acres of cotton, corn, wheat, soybeans, hay and cattle. History.
- I.F. Anderson FarmsNotable operation. Lonoke, Arkansas. I.F. Anderson Farms of Lonoke, Arkansas, a fourth-generation baitfish hatchery founded in 1949: history, how it makes money, lessons and contact details.
- Isbell FarmsNotable operation. England, Arkansas. Isbell Farms of England, Arkansas, also called Zero Grade Farms: a family rice farm that grows sake rice for brewers worldwide. History and lessons.
- JA FarmsNotable operation. Bismarck, Arkansas. JA Farms of Bismarck, Arkansas, the Allen family's cow-calf, hay, feed and farm store business, 2023 Arkansas Farm Family of the Year: history and lessons.
- Keo Fish FarmsNotable operation. Keo, Arkansas. Keo Fish Farms of Keo, Arkansas, a hybrid striped bass and triploid grass carp hatchery with roots in 1951: history, revenue streams, lessons and contact notes.
- Lockeby FarmsNotable operation. Ashdown, Arkansas. Lockeby Farms of Ashdown, Arkansas, a family poultry, hay and pecan farm making about 12.8 million hatching eggs a year; 2025 district Farm Family of the Year.
- Mezza Luna FarmsNotable operation. Blytheville, Arkansas. Mezza Luna Farms, run by Dalton Dilldine near Blytheville, Arkansas: about 6,000 acres of cotton, soybeans, rice, corn and wheat. History and lessons.
- Peach Pickin' ParadiseNotable operation. Clarksville, Arkansas. Peach Pickin' Paradise of Clarksville, Arkansas, the Morgan family's peach orchard and cattle farm, 2016 state Farm Family of the Year: history and lessons.
Who to Contact in Arkansas: Agriculture Offices and Associations
- Arkansas Department of Agriculture - State agency partners and programs
- University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture - Land-grant research and Cooperative Extension
- 2022 Census of Agriculture, Arkansas - USDA NASS state tables
- Arkansas Farm Bureau - State farm organization and Farm Family of the Year program
- Arkansas Century Farm Program - Recognition of family farms 100 years or older
- Arkansas rice production resources - Division of Agriculture rice information
- Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame - Recognized agriculture leaders
Arkansas Farming FAQ
How much do Arkansas farms sell?
The 2022 Census of Agriculture reports $13.90 billion, up 44.0 percent from 2017.
What is Arkansas's top agricultural commodity?
Poultry and eggs, at $7.68 billion or 55.2 percent of sales.
Where can Arkansas farmers get help?
Contact the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, USDA FSA and NRCS offices, and the Arkansas Farm Bureau.
Which elite Arkansas operations are profiled here?
Riceland Foods, Producers Rice Mill, Pendergrass Cattle Company and Henderson Family Farm.
Arkansas farms combine row crops, poultry and cattle with strong cooperatives and family traditions. Read the profiled operations below to see how the state's leaders do it.