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A story that has happened a thousand times over in America's Heartland (great pice by @erinfjordan).
Since 1980, America has lost 50% of its cattle farms, 80% of its dairies, and 90% of its hog farms, most of which were family farms. https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/business/farm-bankruptcies-iowa-2020-2019-market-facilitation-program-trade-war-china-20210104?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=the_gazette_daily_news_sports_opinion&utm_term=2021-01-04
Since 1980, America has lost 50% of its cattle farms, 80% of its dairies, and 90% of its hog farms, most of which were family farms. https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/business/farm-bankruptcies-iowa-2020-2019-market-facilitation-program-trade-war-china-20210104?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=the_gazette_daily_news_sports_opinion&utm_term=2021-01-04
And this was by design.
Large commercial farms now produce most of the country’s meat and dairy. In 2017, three-quarters of the egg-laying hens were owned by just 320 operations, each averaging about 900k birds in annual inventory. https://www.thegazette.com/subject/opinion/guest-columnist/the-meat-supply-is-at-risk-more-family-farms-are-the-answer-20200426
Large commercial farms now produce most of the country’s meat and dairy. In 2017, three-quarters of the egg-laying hens were owned by just 320 operations, each averaging about 900k birds in annual inventory. https://www.thegazette.com/subject/opinion/guest-columnist/the-meat-supply-is-at-risk-more-family-farms-are-the-answer-20200426
Wal-Mart even recently opened its own dairy operation. https://www.dairyherd.com/news/walmart-opens-indiana-milk-plant
The system was rigged to drive family farms out of business and the field titled towards the large operations.
It's the story of the American economy in this laissez-faire/ #2ndGildedAge era that COVID only turbocharged.
It's the story of the American economy in this laissez-faire/ #2ndGildedAge era that COVID only turbocharged.
And yet, the self-proclaimed "voice of farmers" Farm Bureau sided with the corporate interest. https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/whose-side-american-farm-bureau/
Between 2007 and 2017, Iowa lost a third of its hog farmers yet the @IowaFarmBureau budget tripled.
The self-proclaimed "friend" is really a foe. #agtwitter
The self-proclaimed "friend" is really a foe. #agtwitter
To go back to @erinfjordan's article, the most likely outcome is that an older farmer buys that farm to grow more corn/soy (a young farmer can't afford it w/student loan debt). The new owner lets the home go and eventually plows in under.
And the rural community rots away.
And the rural community rots away.
