The Vanishing Family Farm

Check out this thorough take on the plight of the family farm and how federal policy encourages the dissolution of smaller farms.  One effect of the decline in the number of farms and, naturally, farmers is the depopulation smaller towns that existed to support the farm community.  The article points to an issue that agriculture communities must struggle with: the small family farm no longer makes much economic sense, but we still like the idea of its existence.  Economically, the nation would be better off with few large and efficient farms.  But as is usually the case with the creative destruction caused by the market, overall economic gain is small solace for those left behind by economic efficiency.