Let corporate farms sink or swim
An increasing number of state
governments have established
laws banning completely, or
placing severe restrictions on,
corporate farm activity. Almost
one-fourth of the states - most of
them western and mid-western
farm states, have such laws and
the list is growing.
If you’re fond of the family farm
you may applaud these actions.
BA beware laws that control
eH' can also control exit. And
something that was set up to
control the bad guys may also
work against the good ones.
On the surface, a law that
restricts the movement of multi
company corporate giants into the
com fields and cow barns of rural
America seems like a good idea.
But let's look deeper.
In the first place, those big cor
porations aren’t that hot when it
comes to farming. Many of them
tried it with disastrous results.
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They couldn’t sell out and go back
to town fast enough. A few have
stuck it out, but pose no great
threat to family farming.
Over the years farming hasn’t
been profitable enough to attract
much corporate money. Beyond
that, there are just too many un
certainties. Board members and
corporate managers aren’t geared
fo financial loss due to hail storms
and flooded fields. They’d rather
spend the stockholders money on
things that can be counted on. They
understand assembly lines,
production per man hour, things
like that. TTiey don’t understand
corn blight, dysentery, and wet
ground.
Another thing farmers must
consider before applauding too
loudly for anti-corporation
legislation is the direction all
agriculture is headed. The word is
big. Big farms with big equipment
and big money needs will rule
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Farm
Talk
Jerry Webb
v? 1 -
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agriculture m the future. In fact,
they do already.
While most of these are still
essentially family farms, they’re
organized differently than they
used to be. The family farm cor
poration is commonplace and
plans that involve pooling of
resources and talent between
individual fanners are increasing.
Laws now on the books could
restrict these kinds of
arrangements.
Here are examples of
corporate farming restrictions
• North Dakota all cor
porations are prohibited from
producing food.
• Kansas no farm corporation
of more than 10 shareholders and
no more than 5,000 acres.
• South Dakota no more than a
20 percent increase in acreage in
any five-year period.
• Minnesota five shareholder
limit and a majority must live on
the land or actively engage in
fanning.
some
• Missouri two-thirds of cor-
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poration’s mbome must result
from farming.
Obviously, these are the har
shest parts of several detailed laws
aimed at saving agriculture from
big city money.
I guess the point that really
upsets me about this concept is
that governmental units are
deciding who will be allowed to
farm. If a corporation can be
excluded, why not lawyers and
doctors?
Maybe the legal heirs to a farm
(Turn to Page D 34)