Louisiana Farms and Ranches: Agriculture History, How Farms Make Money and Strategy
Guide updated November 2026
Louisiana farms numbered about 25,000 in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, with roughly 8.0 million acres and an average size near 319 acres. Agricultural products sold were worth about $4.8 billion, and the state is known for rice, sugarcane, soybeans, crawfish and cattle.
| Farms and land in farms | About 25,000 farms on about 8.0 million acres (2022 Census) |
|---|---|
| Top commodities | Rice, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, cotton, cattle, poultry, crawfish |
| Market value of ag products sold | About $4.8 billion in 2022 |
| State agriculture department | Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry |
| Land-grant extension | LSU AgCenter |
| Farm Bureau | Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation |
Agriculture in Louisiana: A Short History
Louisiana agriculture grew along the Mississippi River and bayou country, from plantation-era sugar and cotton to modern rice, soybean and crawfish systems. The state's Century Farm Program recognizes families who have farmed the same land for 100 years or more, and the Louisiana Farm Bureau honored families at its annual convention in 2018.
Sugarcane remains rooted in river parishes such as St. James and West Baton Rouge, while rice is concentrated in Acadia, Vermilion and Jefferson Davis parishes, and row crops like corn, soybeans and wheat anchor the northeast delta around Morehouse Parish.
How Farms in Louisiana Make Money
Commodity sales
The 2022 Census shows about $4.8 billion in sales, or about $192,000 per farm. Large sugarcane growers like Morris Farms Partnership and Gerald Wood Farm run thousands of acres, while northeast row crop growers such as Harper Armstrong Farm plant corn, soybeans and wheat.
Value-added and direct sales
Crawfish, rice and cane products can be sold beyond raw commodity channels. Many farms combine rice with crawfish or cattle to add a second product.
Agritourism, leases and diversification
Hunting leases, timber and cattle on fallow ground add income, and Farm Bureau awards bring visibility.
Agriculture Strategy for Louisiana Farms
Soils, water and climate
Louisiana's flat, wet landscapes support rice and crawfish, while river-bottom soils support cane. Hurricanes, floods and drought are recurring risks, and Armstrong lived through the 1998 drought. Laser grading and GPS mapping, used by Morris Farms, improve water management.
Production and risk
Use crop insurance, diversify crops, and consider pairing rice with crawfish or cattle, as Leonards and the Vails do. Flexible crop choices help, as Armstrong shifted away from cotton.
Technology and inputs
Precision agriculture, as adopted by cane growers, and early access to new cane varieties through secondary station programs can raise yields.
Farm Business Strategy in Louisiana
Margins and markets
Know your mill or buyer. Cane is delivered under quotas and paid on sugar yield, and rice goes through mills. Track costs per acre.
Land, credit and succession
Owning land is difficult where industry competes for acreage, as one cane family noted. Explore FSA loans and farm credit, and plan succession; Century Farm families show it can last generations.
Marketing and diversification
Join producer associations such as the Louisiana Rice Growers Association and American Sugar Cane League, and use awards for recognition.
Farm Insight: Louisiana Trends to Watch
Industrial development pressure on river-parish farmland is a trend to watch, as the Sotile family noted. Protecting access to land is a strategic priority.
Scale is rising in cane, where Morris Farms doubled its acres twice, while young farmers win recognition through the Farm Bureau program.
Louisiana is the only state where the rice field might also be the crawfish pond, the hurricane evacuation route and the Sunday supper. Over at farm.FM we file a good deal of farm satire under 'it is just a little water.' Our farm humor staff adores a place where cane harvest and football season overlap, and the ranch humor and farm jokes about laser-leveled rice fields being flatter than the state itself are in the queue.
Part newsroom, part radio dial, farm.FM bills itself as America's first satirical farm site and plays Tractor Tunes, its country music for farmers. Browse a farm.FM writer's back catalog to see the style.
Elite Farms and Ranches in Louisiana
These 5 operations are profiled in full, with history, how each makes money, lessons for other farms and published contact details.
Elite operations in Louisiana
- Donald Leonards FarmElite operation. Crowley, Louisiana. Donald Leonards Farm near Crowley, Louisiana: 1,400+ acres of rice and crawfish, 2016 International Rice Festival Farmer of the Year. History and contact.
- Gerald Wood FarmElite operation. St. James, Louisiana. Gerald Wood Farm in St. James Parish, Louisiana: more than 6,000 acres of sugarcane and a Louisiana Farmer of the Year finalist. History and contact.
- Harper Armstrong FarmElite operation. Bastrop, Louisiana. Harper Armstrong Farm in Bastrop, Louisiana: about 2,500 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat, 2013 Louisiana Farmer of the Year. History and contact.
- Morris Farms PartnershipElite operation. Port Allen, Louisiana. Morris Farms Partnership near Port Allen, Louisiana: 3,200 acres of sugarcane, fourth-generation family. History, operation, revenue streams, lessons and contact.
- Vail FarmElite operation. Lake Charles area, Louisiana. Vail Farm south of Lake Charles, Louisiana: 2,000 acres of rice and cattle, run by Brandon and Danielle Vail, a Farm Bureau award winner. History and contact.
Who to Contact in Louisiana: Agriculture Offices and Associations
- Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry - State Century Farm Program
- LSU AgCenter Faces of Louisiana Agriculture - Land-grant extension profiles of Louisiana farmers
- USDA NASS Louisiana Census of Agriculture - State farm counts, land and sales from the 2022 Census
- Louisiana Farm Bureau news - Young Farmers and Ranchers award coverage
- American Sugar Cane League - Louisiana sugarcane families
- Louisiana Farm Bureau: Sotile family - Cane family on land pressure
Louisiana Farming FAQ
How many farms are in Louisiana?
About 25,000 per the 2022 Census of Agriculture.
What are Louisiana's key crops?
Rice, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, cotton and crawfish, plus cattle.
Who helps Louisiana farmers?
LSU AgCenter, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Louisiana Farm Bureau.
Where can I see elite Louisiana operations?
See the profiles below.
Louisiana farms span river-parish cane, Acadiana rice and crawfish, and Delta row crops. Browse the profiled operations below to see what works.