Texas

From the citrus groves of the Rio Grande Valley to the cotton farms in the Texas panhandle, Texas is home to over 14% of the country’s agricultural lands. The diversity of Texas’ agricultural lands and products rivals that of any other state, producing by far more beef cattle, cotton, hay, horses, sheep, and goats. Yet, Texas is expected to lose more agricultural land than any other state over the next twenty years.

American Farmland Trust is working directly with farming and ranching communities to support farming practices that improve production, reduce environmental impacts, and protect their livelihoods. AFT’s approach puts farmers and ranchers first, supporting them as stewards of the land and empowering them as part of the solution to the challenges we face across agriculture.

Threat to Texas’ Farmland and Ranchland

Unfortunately, due to increasing pressure from urban sprawl, population growth, climate change, water scarcity, and solar energy development, our farms and ranches across Texas are more threatened than ever before. In 2022, AFT’s Farms Under Threat research indicated that Texas has the highest concentration of threatened agricultural land in America – with 2.2 million acres projected to be converted to real estate development by 2040.

Learn More