There is no such critter as the traditional farmer anymore.
Very true. A farmer either has to go big, specialize, or have a second job "in town".
With one exception...the organic farmer. There are an ever increasing number of organic farmers here in Maine. And I know they are plentiful in upstate NY.
These farmers are making good money on small acreage. Their vegetables and meats are in high demand...and they take food stamps!
There are two organic farms within a mile of my place. One guy has been here for 20 years. The other guy started his farm about 6 years ago. They make big bucks.
A good friend of mine is just starting out. He grew 800 Cornish cross chickens this year and sold every one of them (at around $20 per bird). He grows several organic crops as well.
I don't doubt that is happening in some areas where the farms are small,but what about the HUGE farms in the mid-west,and some areas of the south. We are talking farms that have thousands of acres of tillable land.
No way are they going to survive from roadside stands.
what about the HUGE farms in the mid-west,and some areas of the south.
Those huge farms will be okay. As you mentioned, many of them are owned by corporations.
It's the midsize farms that have my attention. The farmer who supplies my hay was running 300 head of beef cattle until this year. Now he has reduced his herd to maybe 50 head. He told me that he cannot sell a year old calf for $700 and make money. He's heading for the door. I'm hearing this from others, as well.
My hay supplier's calves are the calves that find their way to the feed lots and eventually to the grocery stores, etc. And when he quits farming cattle he'll stop making hay which will affect me.
You don't even want to know what is happening to dairy farms. Suffice it to say, I'm glad just to be in the "hobby farm" category...
Today, grain prices went up 15% from my supplier.
People say, "Why do we need farmers? We can just go to the grocery store and get our food" ;-)
This mill is a big facility that sells custom blended grain in bulk to farmers.
But I noticed they were making improvements...adding a retail space.
Perhaps they're passing those costs on to me.
Thing is, I can buy Blue Seal Milk Maker at full retail (for 15% cheaper!) at the farm co-op.
To add insult to injury, the mill had to stop selling molasses from their bulk tank (because the FDA inspector decided it was unsanitary). I was only paying $1.80/gallon. The co-op wants $6/gallon for the same molasses!
Between the grain increase and the FDA...well, I'm stunned I tell ya
But that's okay, Pete, we'll just keep on milking!