It is crucial to address cropland abandonment to achieve Zero Hunger according to the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. However, quantitative research examining the governance of abandoned croplands from the perspective of agricultural operating entities remains relatively scarce. Based on a large sample of panel data from the Chinese Family Database, this chapter applies a panel Tobit model to examine the relationship between new agricultural operating entities (NAOEs) and cropland abandonment. Results show that NAOEs are negatively and significantly correlated with the ratio of abandoned cropland areas. The cultivation of NAOEs in villages could help deter farmers from abandoning their cropland. This effect is achieved through channels such as promoting land leasing, providing technical guidance, and facilitating the sale of agricultural products. Moreover, relative to farming companies, the contributions of the other three types of NAOEs, are more significant. Additionally, the effects of NAOEs on cropland abandonment vary significantly across regions, villages, and households. NAOEs benefit more from China’s central and western regions, mountainous areas, villages with better land tenure security, and households with poorer human resource endowments. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers to ensure food security and promote sustainable development by cultivating various large-scale farmers.