Share Weighted Size Index (SWSI)

The Share Weighted Size Index (SWSI) measures how farm production is concentrated among small or large farms in each U.S. state for crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat, among others. Using public data from the Census of Agriculture, it assigns a value between 0 and 1 where higher values mean more production is controlled by large farms, indicating greater consolidation. Developed by Lacy, Orazem, and Schneekloth (2022), the index tracks changes in farm structure over time.


How to interpret SWSI values:

  • 0: All production comes from the smallest farms
  • 1.00: All production comes from the largest farms
  • 0.50: Even split between small and large farms
  • 0.30: Smallest 30% of farms produce 70% of output
  • 0.75: Largest 25% of farms produce 75% of output

Authors:
Rabail Chandio
Development:
James Bass

Click the following link to load the online tool directly:
SWSI Tool for mobile users

Disclaimer:

For Educational Purposes; No guarantee or warranty implied or stated.


Citation:

Lacy, K., Orazem, P. F., & Schneekloth, S. (2022). Measuring the American farm size distribution. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 105(1), 219–242.