Will Family Farm Die?

Friday, June 9, 2000

Will Family Farms Die Like Mom, Pop Stores?

by Al Neuharth USA Today Founder
Alpena, SD

Once in little towns across US every business was family owned
Mom & Pop ran the grocery store, butcher shop, drugstore, movie house, gas station
Most customers were from the family farm

I grew up in Alpena, SD
I worked at Rosser's Butcher Ship for $1 per week & all the cheese & salami I could eat

Now virtually all mom & pop places are gone, replaced by Walmarts & Piggly Wiggly's

Fam farms are dwindling: gobbled up by huge, national agribusiness corps

1950 5.6 mm farms averaging 213 acres each

1998 2.2 mm farms averaging 432 acres each

In SD revised Const prevents outside corps to farm the land
They can mfr farm products, but can't farm the land
Result: most big owners are 2nd, 3rd, etc gen natives

In Alpena, Local farmer Stanley Kopfmann diversified into running grain elevator which ships most of area's crops
Also lured Link's Beef Jerky factory to town, which employs 444 in a town of 250

Small producers can compete w/ corps & be efficient

Richard Luger
R--Ind
US Senate Ag Com Chair
& 604 acre fam farm owner "Less than 20% of US farms produce 85% of our crops & livestock. But small farms are increasing as families choose farming as a second income or hobby."

Bob Stallman
Am Farm Bureau Federation "Farming in Am remains a family affair. Individuals, family partnerships & family corporations own 99% of all farms. Better tools & technology allow & encourage families to operate larger farms."

Stanley Kopfmann
Stan's Feed & Grain
Alpena, SD "As time moves on, businesses change, you must change. It's not just corporations: families & people have got to grow w/ the times."

The End

1950	5.6 mm farms	averaging 213 acres each
1998	2.2 mm farms	averaging 432 acres each

Richard Luger R--Ind US Senate Ag Com Chair & 604 acre fam farm owner	"Less than 20% of US farms produce 85% of our crops & livestock. But small farms are increasing as families choose farming as a second income or hobby."
Bob Stallman Am Farm Bureau Federation	"Farming in Am remains a family affair. Individuals, family partnerships & family corporations own 99% of all farms. Better tools & technology allow & encourage families to operate larger farms."
Stanley Kopfmann Stan's Feed & Grain Alpena, SD	"As time moves on, businesses change, you must change. It's not just corporations: families & people have got to grow w/ the times."