The Cost of Factory Farm Vs Family Farm
There are over 2 1000000 farmers in this land. Each of whom are working long hours, braving extreme weather condition, and tirelessly caring for land and livestock. How many of those farmers are family unit farmers? 96 percentage of them, according to the USDA, including the farm I piece of work on with my brothers, my parents and my sister. In fact, I've never actually met a farmer who isn't a family farmer! Have you? I'1000 sure there are a few out there, only even then, do you really recall a farm run past not-family unit members would operate any differently from those that are?
The Peterson Family on our family unit farm!
Sympathise this: The vast bulk of farms are operated just similar the family unit farm that I live and work on. We accept many videos about how our operation works on our YouTube Channel and we promise that this tin give you an idea of what a typical family farm really looks similar!
These family unit farms are not the family farms from 50 years ago, still. Higher land prices and higher input costs have made it extremely tough to make much of a profit as a farmer, especially on a small subcontract. Few farming opportunities and the draw of a higher salary in the city have also led to a decline of young people returning to their family unit'due south subcontract. These factors contributed to a decline in the number of farms and the growth of the average size of a typical family unit farm. Many family farms joined together to farm "corporately" (Our father and grandfather farmed together as a corporation, as volition the Peterson Farm Bros) to assist absorb the massive costs of running a modern day farm. So, equally yous can see, "corporate farms" can be family farms at the same time, and corporate farming tin can really encourage family farming! There are true corporate farms that operate as a large business, but they are not most every bit common equally family unit farms. Don't believe me? Come up out here to the Midwest and try to find a corporate farmer!
Eating together in the field as a family.
New engineering such as larger equipment, GPS, and automated processes have allowed for farmers to farm more acres and raise more livestock per farmer, which has allowed agricultural output to thrive in recent years. Many family farms accept thousands of acres of land and over a grand caput of livestock, including ours.
" data-medium-file="https://petersonfarmblog.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/10424268_800387916650067_1707673285493958733_n.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://petersonfarmblog.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/10424268_800387916650067_1707673285493958733_n.jpg?w=584" class="size-medium wp-image-120" src="https://petersonfarmblog.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/10424268_800387916650067_1707673285493958733_n.jpg?w=300&h=200" alt="The cattle on our 1000 head " width="300" height="200" srcset="https://petersonfarmblog.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/10424268_800387916650067_1707673285493958733_n.jpg?w=300&h=200 300w, https://petersonfarmblog.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/10424268_800387916650067_1707673285493958733_n.jpg?w=600&h=400 600w, https://petersonfarmblog.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/10424268_800387916650067_1707673285493958733_n.jpg?w=150&h=100 150w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px">
The cattle on our 1000 head "factory" subcontract enjoying their evening meal!
An "industrial subcontract" or "factory farm" is considered a large-scale farming operation with over ane,000 acres of footing or over 1,000 head of livestock (otherwise known as a Concentrated Beast Feeding Operation). This definition fits our family farm and many others I know of. These bigger farms have allowed for greater nutrient production on less land. In 1960, one farmer fed just 25 people. Today, the average family unit farmer feeds over 155 people and the average American spends but nearly 6% of their income on their food, compared to 17% in 1960. Less expensive nutrient has immune for 98% of the population to spend all of their time doing something else also raising their ain nutrient. How would yous like information technology if you spent each day of your life growing your own food, instead of working at your current chore and spending loads of fourth dimension and money on family unit, leisure, and entertainment?
Fact: The "industrial, corporate, factory" farming anybody seems to be and so against is really taking place on family unit farms just like ours! Yet, please hear me out! Just because farms these days are big, do not mean they are unethical, merely concerned most money, or rich and spoiled. In fact, many large family unit farms all the same have problem making a profit. Droughts, floods, blizzards, marketplace prices, and equipment breakdowns can wipe away all of our profit in an instant. Farmers, no thing how big or small, however take to work crazy long hours, still take to get their clothes dirty, and still have to deal with the defeat and sadness of losing a ingather or losing an animal to sickness. It's not an easy job. And that is why farmers use these methods and new technology, to make their chore a little easier!
I firmly believe in that location is no better place to raise a child than on a farm, big or pocket-sized. I was outside helping my dad feed cattle before I went to preschool. I learned to drive a tractor when I was v. I put in my first 10-hour workday when I was in fifth grade. And I loved every infinitesimal of it! The farming community that I have experienced in my travels throughout the country is 1 represented past strong ethical values, hard piece of work ethic, and legendary perseverance no affair what the size, blazon, or location. If yous've met a farmer that doesn't exhibit these qualities, I would be extremely surprised!
Our subcontract is a 5th generation subcontract that started out with just a few acres and just a few animals. Nearly everyone in this state was a farmer back then, and and so non as much food needed to be produced. It was also a lot easier to brand a profit. Today, farmers make upwardly less than ii percent of the population, meaning farms accept had to abound to continue up with food demand. Our subcontract, as I mentioned is pretty large! Just of course, y'all tin can see in the videos that nosotros are as "family farm" as you lot tin go! My dad, my brothers, and I operate our subcontract, with occasional help from our cousin Terry and our mom and sister. All family! And of the thousands upon thousands of Midwest farms, the bulk of them expect substantially similar ours. And so, here is the big takeaway: If yous are going to hate on "big, modern day agriculture" and "large farms," just know that the majority of the farms y'all are hating on are down to earth, Midwest families merely like ours who are just trying to work hard to brand a living!
Additional Resources:
Facts about "Corporate" Farms
Source: https://petersonfarmblog.wordpress.com/2014/07/13/what-is-a-factory-farm-corporate-farm-industrial-farm-family-farm/
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