November, 2003 - Vol. 2, No. 2

View on line at: http://www.bowviewfarm.com/FamilyFarmer.shtml#farmers

COLUMBIA, Missouri - Every time I ask my audience that question, mouths fall open. Invariably, an urbanite says "Well, of course we do, why wouldn’t we?" Oh, it’s not simply a matter of food and its availability – after all many of the audience will have downed apples that have come from China, or beef from Argentina. No, it’s about food quality and safety – but also about that fuzzy feeling that thriving rural communities are important to sustaining an American way of life.

About the Author – Mary Hendrickson is a rural sociologist with the University of Missouri at Columbia, working on agriculture concentration issues, family farms and rural communities. She is also a member of the 2003-2005 class of Food and Society Policy Fellows, a national program funded in part by the Kellogg Foundation, administered by the Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute and the Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy.

The current food system, globally organized and industrialized, doesn’t allow rural communities across our heartland to prosper because it limits options for family-sized farms and businesses. For today’s farmers – and processors and grocers – traditional markets aren’t open or competitive, the key component to sustaining large numbers of family-size operations. Five seed firms now control the genetic material for our major crops worldwide, three firms handle virtually all the grain that moves between nations, two firms process the majority of protein in this country, and five firms sell 50% of our American groceries.

Faced with these overwhelming trends, many farmers have chosen to grow their operations to overcome decreasing margins and access increasingly consolidated markets. Bigger operations mean fewer farmers. Fewer farmers mean less rural businesses to support them. Pretty soon there is a town with no commerce, and then there is no town. What’s more, there is no support network – like schools, churches and hospitals – for those few hardy souls who do survive in such an environment.

It doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, for our children’s sake, we must change our rural economy. According to a Missouri Department of Economic Development report, having more farmers in a community means better quality of life for kids. Farmers farming with their families in a sustainable way have rejected input packages and contracts that tie them to a vertically integrated system thereby keeping decisions on the farm. These farmers – along with supporting small businesses like insurance agencies, feed stores and grocers – gain valuable decision-making experience every day. These skills of self-reliance can then be applied to the management of schools, churches and other volunteer groups. Civic society thrives!

Moreover, family-sized farms using sustainable practices tend to rotate crops and integrate livestock into their operations. These practices create a diversified landscape that encourages wildlife and is pleasing to the eye. Plus, it roots us all in a unique, special place that we can call our own.

One can clearly see the enormous benefits from having diversified, family farmers and small businesses in our communities. However, viable farms and businesses don’t happen without community support. As members of churches, PTAs, 4-H clubs, Kiwanis, Lions and other organizations, we can use our dollars to keep vibrant farms and businesses alive in our communities. Saying no to the shopping trip to the big city is a first step. Buying 10% more of everything you need in your hometown is a second one. Being involved in creating proactive rural policies is a third step.

Do we need US farmers? For thriving rural communities, the answer is a resounding yes!