The average size of farms in Virginia increased from 181.97 acres in 1982
to 196.51 acres in 1992, an increase of nearly 8 percent. At the same time,
the number of farms decreased by 18.6 percent from 51,859 to 42,222. The
amount of land in farms fell by 12 percent from more than 9.4 million acres
in 1982 to just under 8.3 million acres a decade later.
So farm size is increasing while the big fish eat the little fish. It
looks to me like a small farm would fall at about 50 acres or less.
There is a direct link between small farmers and the promotion of
sustainable agriculture efforts. In order to encourage this link, we should
not tax the small organic farmer.
this taken from the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center on
loss of small farms
http://www2.ncredc.org/ncredc/papers/smfarmses.html
A loss of 13,544 farms (18.6% of the 72,792 present in 1982
A loss of 2,049 minority farms (38.3% of the 5,352 present in 1982)
A loss of 6,627 small farms (22.1% of the 29,968 farms of less than 50
acres present in 1982)1
Here it is again 50 or less acres is considered a small farm. I think
anything under 50 acres should qualify for the small farmers exemption
http://www.cfarm.com/nosb/OrganicCrop/4farmer.htm
I do not know where the USDA/NOP came up with the $5000 number but I can
not get by the very first line in the NOP. it states that those selling
only $5000 will be qualify for the small farmers exemption. This number is
way to small and the NOP will be a burden on the small farmer that we so
much want to save. This oppression on the poor would make a wise man mad.
The introduction of new crops, animal enterprises, and new methods of
structuring agricultural production make the effective delivery of
agriculture technological, financial management, and marketing services to
diverse clientele more important than in the past. Organic farming give
the small farmer hope and we should help them not tax them. All the people
that are trying to save the small farmer should take note of what these
people are doing by taxing the small farmer. Most people with small farms
have to work off farm just to keep it together and the NOP wants to take
money out of their mouths.
there is something wrong when those who
are trying to straighten out agriculture are being taxed and burdened with
inspections and paperwork while those who continue to pollute and deplete
are subsidized and allowed to continue,
Go ! Farm Aid save the small farmer from loosing their farm
Booo! NOP just another tax on the poor.
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