Large family farms — ones bringing in more than $1 million a year — produce most of the cattle and hogs in the country, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.
A majority of farms in the U.S. are considered small, or having an annual income less than $250,000. But the large-sized farms tend to produce much more.
With beef, the large-scale family farms are more likely to operate feed lots, which concentrate a large number of animals into a relatively small space, according to the USDA.
[Read more: Independent cattle ranchers continue fight against national checkoff program]
But it’s a different story for poultry.
About half of the country’s poultry output comes from small family farms. These farms typically contract with large chicken processing companies to raise birds to maturity.
*Scroll over the bars to see the percentages*
Top photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Republish our articles for free, online or in print.
