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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsU.S. Chapter 12 bankruptcy filings by family farmers and fishermen rose to 216 in calendar 2024, up from 139 in 2023. That is an increase of 77 filings, or 55%, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. The rise is notable, but it does not show that 55% of farms filed or closed: the count was still well below its 2019 high, and regional trends varied.
What does “farm bankruptcy” mean here?
The figures refer specifically to Chapter 12 bankruptcy filings, not every farm facing financial trouble. The U.S. Courts describes Chapter 12 as covering “family farmers and fishermen.” It is a specialized bankruptcy process designed for eligible family farming and fishing operations.
Chapter 12 can give farmers and ranchers flexibility to address debt through a repayment plan. Ag Proud reports that plans usually run three to five years. Filing does not automatically mean a farm has closed or that its owner has lost the operation. The count also does not measure farm closures, foreclosures, delinquencies, or all financially distressed farms.
How does the 2024 increase compare with earlier years?
The 55% increase is a year-over-year change from 139 filings in 2023 to 216 in 2024. The American Farm Bureau Federation says the 2024 rise ended a four-year decline. It remains far below the 599 Chapter 12 filings recorded in 2019: the 2024 figure was 64% lower than that recent high.
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That history matters when interpreting the headline. The increase signals a reversal from the preceding downward trend, but the percentage alone does not establish a broad farm-sector collapse.
Where did filings rise or fall?
Regional counts show that the change was uneven. The American Farm Bureau Federation reported these 2024 figures and year-over-year changes:
| Region | 2024 filings | Change from 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Midwest | 71 | Up 69% |
| Southeast | 62 | Up 55% |
| Southwest | Not stated by the American Farm Bureau Federation in the cited summary | Down 14% |
The counts help put the percentages in perspective: a percentage change can look large when it is calculated from a comparatively small number of filings. At the state level, California recorded the most, with 17 filings. Fourteen states and territories had zero.
What economic conditions were associated with the increase?
The American Farm Bureau Federation points to declining farm receipts, particularly in crop markets, as economic context for the increase. It also reports that net farm income reached a four-year low in 2024 and fell nearly 24% over two years.
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Those figures describe broader conditions, not the cause of any individual bankruptcy. The aggregate data do not show why each of the 216 debtors filed, and they cannot establish that lower receipts or income caused every case.
How does Chapter 12 compare with all U.S. bankruptcies?
The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts reported 517,308 bankruptcy filings across all chapters in calendar 2024, up 14.2% from the prior year. Chapter 12’s 216 filings are a small, specialized subset of that total; the all-chapter figure is not a measure of farm bankruptcies or farm financial distress.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the filing count can—and cannot—tell you
- It counts a defined legal category: Chapter 12 cases involving family farmers and fishermen.
- It shows a year-over-year increase: 77 more filings in 2024 than in 2023.
- It does not count every struggling farm: Farms may face debt pressure without filing Chapter 12, and some may use other options.
- It does not tell whether a particular farm closed: A filing by itself is not proof of closure or loss of the farm.
Read together, the count, the 2019 comparison, and the regional figures describe a genuine increase in Chapter 12 filings in 2024, but not a complete measure of the financial health of U.S. farms.
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