Canva
1 / 25#25. Daviess
- Farmland: 241,213 acres (1.3% of state total)
- Farms: 1,882
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (84,375 acres, 35.0% of county farmland)
Counties with the most farmland in Missouri
Farmland across the U.S. is disappearing by the millions of acres each decade by some estimates as sprawling urban development driven by rising housing costs pushes further into rural pastures.
The farmland that still exists in the U.S. is heavily dedicated to growing plants that Americans can't consume—grass. That grass, accounting for more than 300 million acres now, feeds our livestock, provides sod for new development, and serves as a cover crop to protect soil health between harvests.
Demand for major crops like corn and soybeans to feed Americans is only forecast by the USDA to grow in the coming decade, and demand for U.S. agricultural exports is expected to grow similarly.
The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed the way people purchased and consumed food, placing renewed attention on an increasingly consolidated agricultural industry where family farms have been swallowed up by large food corporations.
And after shifting behaviors caused massive economic swings in the U.S. and elsewhere, the Russian invasion of Ukraine forced food producers to once again account for yet another shock with so much of the world's grain capital taken offline by warfare.
War and corporate interests aside, farms have also had to reckon with a changing climate. Wheat fields were once commonplace across the country, but drought conditions of late have caused farmers to give up growing the crop entirely. Agitated by climate change, the shortage of water in parts of the country coupled with higher interest rates and the ongoing war in Ukraine are making agricultural businesses harder to run profitably.
To illustrate where American farms still persevere, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the most farmland in Missouri using data from the Agriculture Department's Farm Service Agency. Farmers reported the data as mandated by participation in USDA income support programs, including Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage as well as loan assistance. Counties are ranked by total acres of farmland.
In Missouri, there are 19,125,793 acres of farmland, with fescue tall grass being the most common crop.
You may also like: Easy as pie: See the most uniquely popular pie in Missouri
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
2 / 25#24. Scott
- Farmland: 242,434 acres (1.3% of state total)
- Farms: 1,295
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (58,674 acres, 24.2% of county farmland)
APN Photography // Shutterstock
3 / 25#23. Cooper
- Farmland: 244,859 acres (1.3% of state total)
- Farms: 1,277
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (72,883 acres, 29.8% of county farmland)
Canva
4 / 25#22. Monroe
- Farmland: 258,147 acres (1.3% of state total)
- Farms: 1,677
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (105,243 acres, 40.8% of county farmland)
Patrick Jennings // Shutterstock
5 / 25#21. Linn
- Farmland: 269,700 acres (1.4% of state total)
- Farms: 1,753
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (73,079 acres, 27.1% of county farmland)
You may also like: Missouri's Halloween sweet tooth: 2025 candy and decor trends from Instacart data
Wirestock Creators // Shutterstock
6 / 25#20. Barton
- Farmland: 277,189 acres (1.4% of state total)
- Farms: 1,328
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (84,676 acres, 30.5% of county farmland)
Jon Kraft // Shutterstock
7 / 25#19. Johnson
- Farmland: 279,103 acres (1.5% of state total)
- Farms: 2,254
- Most common crop: Legume/grass mixture mixed forage (100,062 acres, 35.9% of county farmland)
Canva
8 / 25#18. Mississippi
- Farmland: 285,802 acres (1.5% of state total)
- Farms: 1,016
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (102,794 acres, 36.0% of county farmland)
Canva
9 / 25#17. Dade
- Farmland: 288,089 acres (1.5% of state total)
- Farms: 1,472
- Most common crop: Fescue tall grass (183,848 acres, 63.8% of county farmland)
Canva
10 / 25#16. Atchison
- Farmland: 291,464 acres (1.5% of state total)
- Farms: 1,128
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (120,046 acres, 41.2% of county farmland)
You may also like: Highest-rated IPAs in Missouri
Canva
11 / 25#15. Lafayette
- Farmland: 296,780 acres (1.6% of state total)
- Farms: 2,123
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (115,476 acres, 38.9% of county farmland)
Canva
12 / 25#14. Vernon
- Farmland: 299,373 acres (1.6% of state total)
- Farms: 1,585
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (88,489 acres, 29.6% of county farmland)
Canva
13 / 25#13. Pemiscot
- Farmland: 301,546 acres (1.6% of state total)
- Farms: 1,974
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (124,166 acres, 41.2% of county farmland)
Canva
14 / 25#12. Pettis
- Farmland: 305,164 acres (1.6% of state total)
- Farms: 1,800
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (104,682 acres, 34.3% of county farmland)
Canva
15 / 25#11. Macon
- Farmland: 308,544 acres (1.6% of state total)
- Farms: 2,187
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (105,714 acres, 34.3% of county farmland)
You may also like: Best private colleges in Missouri
Canva
16 / 25#10. Chariton
- Farmland: 324,328 acres (1.7% of state total)
- Farms: 2,153
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (140,690 acres, 43.4% of county farmland)
Canva
17 / 25#9. Audrain
- Farmland: 340,143 acres (1.8% of state total)
- Farms: 1,976
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (148,001 acres, 43.5% of county farmland)
Canva
18 / 25#8. Harrison
- Farmland: 341,360 acres (1.8% of state total)
- Farms: 2,028
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (83,516 acres, 24.5% of county farmland)
Wirestock Creators // Shutterstock
19 / 25#7. Carroll
- Farmland: 342,088 acres (1.8% of state total)
- Farms: 2,048
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (136,161 acres, 39.8% of county farmland)
Sabrina Janelle Gordon // Shutterstock
20 / 25#6. Dunklin
- Farmland: 381,126 acres (2.0% of state total)
- Farms: 2,614
- Most common crop: Cotton upland (106,537 acres, 28.0% of county farmland)
You may also like: Car insurance rates in Missouri August 2025
Canva
21 / 25#5. Saline
- Farmland: 382,482 acres (2.0% of state total)
- Farms: 2,164
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (144,536 acres, 37.8% of county farmland)
Canva
22 / 25#4. Bates
- Farmland: 386,395 acres (2.0% of state total)
- Farms: 2,145
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (129,090 acres, 33.4% of county farmland)
Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock
23 / 25#3. New Madrid
- Farmland: 412,999 acres (2.2% of state total)
- Farms: 2,016
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (169,173 acres, 41.0% of county farmland)
Canva
24 / 25#2. Nodaway
- Farmland: 429,804 acres (2.2% of state total)
- Farms: 2,402
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (142,903 acres, 33.2% of county farmland)
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
25 / 25#1. Stoddard
- Farmland: 472,363 acres (2.5% of state total)
- Farms: 2,665
- Most common crop: Common soybeans (130,406 acres, 27.6% of county farmland)
You may also like: Highest-rated wineries in Missouri by visitors
