Family Owned vs. Corporate Farming
January 23rd 2012 19:23
In the last 150 years or so, farming has become more than just simple means of producing food to survive. It not facilitates the urbanization of the majority of the planet and the increase in specialization. The last 30 years, however, have seen an increase in anti-corporate farm sentiment. Finally, in the last 10 years, we've seen the rise of "green" and "environmentally friendly."
The farm sits in a special place when it comes to evaluating it's environmental impact. On one hand, the small farm is less likely to sacrifice organic and green production practices for the sake of the bottom line; and on the other hand you have the mega-corporation that can increase the efficiency of the same plots of land 10-fold. Which is better?
That all depends on who is doing what? Is the large farm dumping tons of toxic pesticides on it's products? Are they trying to raise Oranges in the arctic where it's infeasible? Or are we talking about the farmer who lets a field sit fallow because he doesn't have the workers or time to cultivate it? Maybe the family owned farm that produces just enough because the owners can't afford to buy a new combine or repair the new spreader that broke? These kinds of questions bring up lively debate amongst those in the agricultural industry and certainly are not easy to answer. It seems like every few weeks there is another newspaper article detailing the valiant struggle of a family farm fighting a buyout by a large corporation.
Personally, I would advocate for the larger farms. Better equipment and efficiency are a major piece of the puzzle. Also, often overlooked, is the increased regulation of practices and materials. Small farms can easily fall through the cracks when it comes to stringent testing. Large corporations can also leverage greater funds to research new agricultural methods and apply the latest technology (which, I agree, isn't always the best).
As usual, it comes down to the preferences of you, the consumer. Do you always buy local and want to know EXACTLY where your food comes from? Then keep the small farms alive. Do you appreciate lower prices, or out of season foods? You may just favor the large corporation. Neither option is 'evil', 'backwards', or 'wrong' just different, and it's up to you.
The farm sits in a special place when it comes to evaluating it's environmental impact. On one hand, the small farm is less likely to sacrifice organic and green production practices for the sake of the bottom line; and on the other hand you have the mega-corporation that can increase the efficiency of the same plots of land 10-fold. Which is better?
That all depends on who is doing what? Is the large farm dumping tons of toxic pesticides on it's products? Are they trying to raise Oranges in the arctic where it's infeasible? Or are we talking about the farmer who lets a field sit fallow because he doesn't have the workers or time to cultivate it? Maybe the family owned farm that produces just enough because the owners can't afford to buy a new combine or repair the new spreader that broke? These kinds of questions bring up lively debate amongst those in the agricultural industry and certainly are not easy to answer. It seems like every few weeks there is another newspaper article detailing the valiant struggle of a family farm fighting a buyout by a large corporation.
Personally, I would advocate for the larger farms. Better equipment and efficiency are a major piece of the puzzle. Also, often overlooked, is the increased regulation of practices and materials. Small farms can easily fall through the cracks when it comes to stringent testing. Large corporations can also leverage greater funds to research new agricultural methods and apply the latest technology (which, I agree, isn't always the best).
As usual, it comes down to the preferences of you, the consumer. Do you always buy local and want to know EXACTLY where your food comes from? Then keep the small farms alive. Do you appreciate lower prices, or out of season foods? You may just favor the large corporation. Neither option is 'evil', 'backwards', or 'wrong' just different, and it's up to you.
| 14 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog