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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Interesting Numbesr from USDA Family Farm Report

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  • From: road's end farm <organic101 AT linkny.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Interesting Numbesr from USDA Family Farm Report
  • Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:36:46 -0400


On Sep 12, 2007, at 9:00 AM, Bill Shoemaker wrote:

Interesting data Brigette. Confirms my experience with Illinois farms, most
"corporate farms" are actually family corporations. Their holdings (land,
equipment, etc.) may have great value but when held against the net returns,
debt they manage and the risk they face, they are no major economic force.
Much of the politicking about corporate farms vs family farms is misplaced.
They're talking about the same thing.

Yes, it's a very blurry line. Some quite small operations are incorporated. Drawing a line based on size is also difficult, since 1) as you say, gross holdings can be misleading and 2) how much acreage is a family-sized farm varies drastically depending on the climate and the type of farming. Distinguishing as to whether it's run by a family or not doesn't help much either; ten acres of produce might be run by three unrelated partners living in three different houses, while Walmart is still, I believe, basically run by one family.

I think one criteria is, are the people running the business actually farming? that is, are they making day-to-day decisions about management, based on personal inspection of the crops/fields/livestock; are they actually out in the field doing a significant portion of the physical work (their health permitting)?

But it's difficult or impossible to put into a soundbite the difference between the three-partner corporation running a few acres of fresh market produce, and, say, Dole. Some of it comes down to, "I know it when I see it"; and even that involves a blurry line.

-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale



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