craig k harris
department of sociology
michigan state university
429b berkey hall
east lansing michigan 48824-1111
tel: 517-355-5048
fax: 517-432-2856
> ----------
> From: Jim Worstell[SMTP:jvworstell@futura.net]
> Sent: Monday 9 August 1999 10:23 AM
> To: Paul Schmitmeyer; Sanet
> Subject: Re: Future Generations of Family Farmers
>
> Paul et al.,
>
> You have one good point: most farmers like to farm, not worry about
> markets.
> And that's exactly why Barbara is right. The only type of government
> program which will help small and moderate sized family farms is some sort
> of supply management based on allotments attached to the land. In such
> programs, supply is managed so that farmers get a fair return, farmers
> don't
> have much worry about selling their crops, etc. and the taxpayers only
> have
> minor adminstrative costs
>
> The train wreck of present farm policy is resulting in a bipartisan $7-10
> billion giveaway this year after a record $6.4 billion giveaway last
> year.
> But the ag economists are so wedded to their faulty assumptions that they
> can't even see the cost of those assumptions, much less their effect on
> family farms and rural communities.
>
> The few supply management programs left in the U.S. are the only ones
> which
> have resulted in prosperous family farms and rural communities.
>
> Jim Worstell
> www.deltanetwork.org
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Paul Schmitmeyer <ps@erinet.com>
> To: Sanet <sanet-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu>
> Sent: Monday, August 09, 1999 7:14 AM
> Subject: Fw: Future Generations of Family Farmers
>
>
> > Hi all,
> > First off, you offer some very good points! There are some areas I
> would
> > like to offer my view points on. I have had some first hand experience
> in
> > direct sales, that is farmers to consumers. The problem is most farmers
> are
> > not good direct marketers. They aren't good at it and DON'T want to do
> it.
> > It's not part of their farming plan. Not to say you arn't right, it's
> just
> > that most people won't do it.
> > A note on dairying program like the one in Canada, most of them are
> not
> > happy at all with their program. They DO give up a lot of their freedom
> to
> > do what they do.
> > Go with God,
> > Smitty
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Barbara R Buchmayer <organic-harvest@juno.com>
> > To: sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu <sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu>
> > Date: Sunday, August 08, 1999 7:36 PM
> > Subject: Future Generations of Family Farmers
> >
> >
> > >Dear Marian
> > >
> > >My view of where future farmers will come from is quite different
> from
> > >Ann Clark's.
> > >
> > >My husband and I have farmed for about 20 years, never quite
> conventional
> > >farmers more like lunatic fringe. We have known a lot of conventional
> > >family farmers and have seen some of them evolve into sustainable or
> > >organic farmers. We have also known and been friends with the "new
> > >"farmers, those that have chosen to farm but were not really raised on
> a
> > >farm or even in a rural area. In fact my husband is from a century
> farm
> > >and I was raised in the 5 acre suburbs, but I always knew I was to be a
> > >farmer.
> > >
> > >We have recently started bottling our organic milk and selling it in a
> > >metropolitan area. So after 20 years we have moved from intensive
> > >grazing on our dairy to not only being graziers but being organic and
> > >adding value as well.
> > >
> > >I believe the future family farmers will be four major groups,
> depending
> > >on how you define "family farmers". These groups being: traditional
> > >farmers that have evolved into direct marketers or value-adders or
> both;
> > >"new" farmers that are innovative but not terribly tied to the land;
> > >contract growers that really are surfs on their own farms for some
> large
> > >corporation; and large conventional farmers.
> > >
> > > 1) The strongest or toughest of these will be the farmers that
> > >have evolved or young farmers with traditional backgrounds that are
> > >drawn to sustainable farming as the only alternative they and the land
> > >can live with. These are the people who are committed to farming and
> > >will work their butts off because they can see no other meaningful use
> > >for their lives that can provide comparable satisfaction. These
> people
> > >know how to work and we are talking 80 hours a week as being nothing
> > >unusual. Some will evolve because they realize it is the right
> direction
> > >for them and others will be forced by finances to change or get out.
> > >
> > > 2) The "new" farmers will be around, from my experience about 5
> > >years before they realize they don't have the skills, money, commitment
> > >or whatever it does take to hang in there. They will add much depth
> and
> > >bring a lot of diversity to the farming community but in the end they
> > >really aren't committed to the land and will move on to greener
> pastures
> > >in other career areas. These are the ones that want to farm, have a
> lot
> > >to offer the ag community but really don't want to sacrifice too much.
> > >
> > > 3) The contract growers will survive on their farms but most of
> > >their freedom will have been taken from them in exchange for security.
> I
> > >don't have a clue how large this group will be but I doubt there will
> be
> > >very many "happy campers" among them.
> > >
> > > 4) Large conventional farmers will still be around. There seems
> > >to be no limit in size for these guys and yet they truly are family
> owned
> > >and managed farms. How many dairy cows can one farmer deal with? Ten
> ,
> > >twenty or maybe even thirty thousand. Its not for me but they are
> > >expanding every day with the only limits in sight being laws governing
> > >total numbers of animals per acre and "safe" manure disposal.
> > >
> > >Sadly, I don't see a lot of farmers able or willing to be direct
> > >marketers or value-adders or a lot of "new" farmers with the resources
> > >and desire to make a go of it. I would like to see lots of sustainable
> > >and organic farmers for the good of the land and future generations.
> > >
> > >I think if we really want to have lots of family farmers we would have
> to
> > >impose some type of quota system guaranteeing good prices for specific
> > >amounts of commodity with any overage selling at much lower market
> > >prices. Something similar to the dairy quotas in Canada with all the
> > >pros and cons inherent to a quota system. It boils down to: Are we
> > >willing to trade our freedom and independence for security?
> > >
> > >How far are we willing to go to preserve the family farm?
> > >
> > >Barb Buchmayer
> > >Green Hills Harvest
> > >organic-harvest@juno.com
> > >
> > >
> > >
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