Re: Farm subsidies
Tom Hodges (thodges@beta.tricity.wsu.edu)
Tue, 22 Nov 1994 13:13:16 -0800 (PST)
There has been a lot of talk about the advantages and benefits of
big and small in farms and in other non-farm businesses. In several
posts, the assumption was that big had all the advantages in
non-farm businesses and probably also in farming. Actually I
think in the wider business world, small, new entrepreunurial (sic?)
businesses have many advantages due to high creativity and
flexibility. Most new job creation in the US (possibly other
countries as well?) occurs in fairly small businesses. Of course
most small businesses probably also fail instead of growing into
larger, more stable enterprises. Large businesses only have the
advantage when they can use monopolistic practices which are now
mostly illegal, i.e. Rockefeller requiring that railroads that got
his steel shipments had to charge other steel producers much
higher freight rates or lose his business in the last century.
Probably small farms can have many of these advantages (and risks)
also, but only if the farmers are prepared to think hard and
question ALL their practices and always to look for new market
niches and products. There is, of course, risk associated with
this approach, as well as great opportunity.
Tom
Tom Hodges Cropping Systems Modeler ___ ___
USDA-ARS / \_/ \
Rt. 2, Box 2953-A Telephone: 509-786-9207 | |
Prosser, WA 99350 Fax: 509-786-4635 \______/^\/
USA potato tuber
============= thodges@beta.tricity.wsu.edu ========================
...photosynthesis makes the world go around... Mr. Potato Head