Rhode Island Farms and Ranches: Agriculture History, How Farms Make Money and Strategy
Guide updated November 2026
Rhode Island farms numbered 1,054 in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, working 59,076 acres at an average of 56 acres and selling $92.83 million of products, up 60 percent from 2017. Crops made up 78 percent of sales, and total sales ranked the state 49th of 50. This guide covers the state's history, income sources, farm and business strategy, and the standout operations profiled below.
| Farms and land in farms | 1,054 farms on 59,076 acres; average 56 acres (2022 Census of Agriculture) |
|---|---|
| Top commodities | Forage, sod, vegetables, corn silage, nursery stock; eggs and dairy among livestock |
| Market value of ag products sold | $92.83 million in 2022, up 60 percent from 2017 |
| State agriculture department | Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Division of Agriculture |
| Land-grant extension | University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension |
| Farm Bureau | Rhode Island Farm Bureau |
Agriculture in Rhode Island: A Short History
Rhode Island's farms are small, family-run and close to cities. In the 2022 census profile, 93 percent of farms were family farms, 26 percent sold directly to consumers and 802 producers were new and beginning farmers. The state's land base is mostly woodland, with 29,682 acres, against 16,665 acres of cropland.
Farmland preservation began in 1981 when the Agricultural Lands Preservation Commission was created under the Farmland Preservation Act. By its fiscal 2015 report it had protected 102 farms totaling 7,061 acres by buying development rights.
How Farms in Rhode Island Make Money
Commodity sales
The 2021 NASS state profile reported 2020 sod sales of $10.41 million from 13 farms on 2,597 acres and nursery stock of $6.17 million from 23 farms. Chicken eggs were $4.8 million in 2019 cash receipts. In the 2022 census, layers numbered 44,574 and cattle and calves 3,871, the smallest cattle inventory of any state in the earlier profile.
Value-added and direct sales
With 26 percent of farms selling directly and 2 percent organic, direct sales and processing matter more than commodity volume. Wright's Dairy Farm sells bottled milk, bakery items and ice cream, while Matunuck Oyster Farm ties aquaculture to a restaurant.
Agritourism, leases and diversification
Schartner Farms pairs a farm market, pick-your-own pumpkins and a nursery with a large greenhouse project. Hay, sod and nursery stock sit alongside pumpkins and sweet corn, giving farms several income lines.
Agriculture Strategy for Rhode Island Farms
Soils, water and climate
Rhode Island has coastal, glacial soils and a lot of woodland, so field size is limited. Coastal ponds suit shellfish, and rainwater capture and cisterns, as at the planned Schartner greenhouse, reduce irrigation draw. DEM runs a water testing program and a produce safety program for growers.
Production and risk
Forage covers 5,267 acres, sod 2,588 and vegetables 1,970. Spotted lanternfly and avian influenza appear on DEM's alert pages, so pest and animal-health monitoring is part of risk planning.
Technology and inputs
Controlled-environment greenhouses and collar-based herd monitoring, as at Wright's, show how small farms add technology. Household-scale farms can start with soil testing and URI Extension advice.
Farm Business Strategy in Rhode Island
Margins and markets
Average sales per farm were $88,074 in the 2022 census profile, so margin comes from direct sales, wholesale to coffee shops and grocers, and institutions. DEM notes the state has 44 school districts, 11 hospitals and 11 colleges that buy local food.
Land, credit and succession
The 2022 profile counts 661 producers aged 65 or older among 1,938, so succession matters. The preservation commission buys development rights while farmers keep ownership, and Farm Credit East financed Wright's bakery conversion. Free legal help for income-eligible farmers is available through the Legal Food Hub.
Marketing and diversification
Farm stories, tours and award recognition build trust. Matunuck's tours, a New England Leopold finalist listing and Wright's year-round ice cream shop all show brand building.
Farm Insight: Rhode Island Trends to Watch
Trends to watch: sales rose 60 percent between 2017 and 2022 even as the state ranked 49th, and farms grew in number by 1 percent, so a small base is growing. New farmers are an important share, with 802 new and beginning producers.
Another trend is investment in controlled-environment and aquaculture production, which use little land. Preservation funding comes mainly from the Open Space Bond, so bond decisions affect the pace of protection.
Rhode Island is small enough that a cow can probably see the ocean from the milking parlor, and it often can. At farm.FM farm satire has never needed more than a state this tidy and a pie this good. Our farm humor staff and ranch humor staff are fond of a state with the smallest cattle count in the country, and the farm jokes we wrote were all too short for a full punchline.
The outlet behind those laughs, farm.FM, is the nation's first satirical farm site, complete with Tractor Tunes country music for farmers. A farm.FM humorist's archive shows what a week of it looks like.
Elite Farms and Ranches in Rhode Island
These 3 operations are profiled in full, with history, how each makes money, lessons for other farms and published contact details.
Elite operations in Rhode Island
- Matunuck Oyster FarmElite operation. East Matunuck, South Kingstown, Rhode Island. Matunuck Oyster Farm on Potter Pond, RI: founded 2002 by Perry Raso, Leopold Award finalist. History, revenue streams, lessons and contact details.
- Schartner FarmsElite operation. Exeter, Rhode Island. Schartner Farms of Exeter, RI: 150-acre family produce grower since 1902 with a farm market and a large greenhouse project. History, income, contact.
- Wright's Dairy FarmElite operation. North Smithfield, Rhode Island. Wright's Dairy Farm of North Smithfield, RI: fifth-generation dairy since 1914, 2019 Outstanding Dairy Farm. History, revenue, lessons and contact.
Who to Contact in Rhode Island: Agriculture Offices and Associations
- USDA NASS Rhode Island 2022 Census profile - Farms, land, sales and operators
- USDA NASS Rhode Island state profile - Crop, nursery, sod and livestock figures
- Rhode Island DEM Division of Agriculture - State agriculture programs and certifications
- Agricultural Lands Preservation Commission report - How the state buys development rights
- URI Cooperative Extension - Land-grant extension services
- Farm Credit East - Agricultural lender and advisory services
- URI Food Center producer resources - Resources for food producers
Rhode Island Farming FAQ
How many farms are in Rhode Island?
The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 1,054 farms on 59,076 acres.
What are Rhode Island's main crops?
By acres, forage, sod, vegetables, corn silage and nursery stock.
How does Rhode Island protect farmland?
The Agricultural Lands Preservation Commission, created in 1981, buys development rights to farmland.
Which Rhode Island farms are profiled here?
Wright's Dairy Farm, Matunuck Oyster Farm and Schartner Farms.
Rhode Island farms are small, direct-market and fast-growing. Read the profiled operations below to see how dairy, aquaculture and produce farms compete in the smallest state.