Agricultural bankruptcy tracking project sheds light on Chapter 11s and Chapter 12s
Aug. 24, 2026
By John Lovett
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- Farm, fishing bankruptcies historically tracked through Chapter 12 filings
- About 14 percent of agricultural bankruptcy filings found to be Chapter 11
- Ag bankruptcy data dashboard launched this week by NALC, NASDA
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Download PHOTO of Harrison Pittman
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A dashboard tracking agricultural bankruptcy filings is providing a more complete picture of the agricultural sector by capturing bankruptcy filings under both Chapter 11 and Chapter 12.
The data can help identify changes over time, geographic patterns and emerging financial challenges affecting agricultural operations.
Historically, farms filing for bankruptcy have been tracked through Chapter 12 filings, which is specifically designed for family farmers and fishermen with regular annual income. It provides eligible farms with a process for reorganizing debt while continuing to operate.
However, Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings are also made by family farmers and fishermen. Often called the “reorganization chapter,” Chapter 11 allows corporations, partnerships and some individuals to reorganize without having to liquidate all assets.
The Data on Economic and Bankruptcy Trends in Agriculture project, or DEBT, was launched by the National Agricultural Law Center and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture to provide a more comprehensive view of bankruptcy trends across the agricultural sector.
Of the 1,401 agricultural bankruptcy filings mapped, about 14 percent, or 201 bankruptcies, were filed under Chapter 11. All 1,200 Chapter 12 filings were counted because only farmers and fishermen are eligible to file under that chapter.
Because not all farms participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency programs, the Chapter 11 results may not capture every agricultural operation that filed under that chapter. However, by compiling agricultural bankruptcy filings across both chapters, the DEBT project provides a more comprehensive view of trends across the agricultural sector, according to Harrison Pittman, director of the National Agricultural Law Center.
“These filings can offer a clearer picture of the financial realities facing U.S. agriculture for attorneys, policymakers, researchers, lenders and others seeking to understand and respond to those challenges,” Pittman said.
How they did it
The project examined Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 bankruptcy filings from January 2021 through June 2026.
To find farms that filed under Chapter 11 rather than Chapter 12, the two organizations
worked with SAS, an advanced analytics company.
According to a news release from the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, SAS developed an automated process that cross-referenced federal court files, case
dockets and legal documents using the Public Access to Court Electronic Records, also
known as PACER, with publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
Farm Service Agency.
When an entity appeared in a bankruptcy filing and as a Farm Service Agency program
recipient, SAS used that as an indicator that the entity was an agricultural operation.
“DEBT is a first step in gaining a definitive, foundational picture of agricultural
bankruptcy filings in the U.S. from 2021 onward,” Pittman said. “We look forward to
collaborating with NASDA and other partners and stakeholders in building on this foundation.”
The National Agricultural Law Center entered a memorandum of understanding with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture last year to expand
collaboration to inform agricultural policy and education.
“The DEBT project accomplishes exactly that by providing better data and a more complete
picture of the economic conditions U.S. farmers are facing," said Ted McKinney, CEO
of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.
Visit the dashboard on the National Agricultural Law Center’s website to learn more about the project, methodology and findings.
The National Agricultural Law Center is a unit of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture and works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library.
To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit aaes.uada.edu. Follow the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station on LinkedIn and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.
About the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
NASDA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit association which represents the elected and appointed commissioners, secretaries and directors of the departments of agriculture in all 50 states and four U.S. territories. NASDA engages state departments of agriculture to strengthen U.S. agriculture and allied industries through policy, partnerships and public outreach. To learn more about NASDA, please visit www.nasda.org.
About the National Agricultural Law Center
Created by Congress in 1987, the National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, agribusinesses, state and federal policymakers, lenders, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, students, and many others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information to the nation’s agricultural community.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 22 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three system campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media Contact:
John Lovett
U of A Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station
(479) 763-5929
jlovett@uada.edu