Your Opinion: Help for farms large and small

Dear Editor:

The opposition to Amendment 1 - the Right to Farm - have focused on the livestock industry. They want you to believe that family farms will not benefit from this amendment, only corporate farms will.

Do you even know the difference?

A family farmer supports his family by working the land or raising livestock. He may or may not own the land or livestock. He may live on a farm and manage it for an absentee landowner. He may be under contract to produce for another farmer or company. There may be several families supported by one large farming operation. His family may or may not be involved in the operation. It's not always a given.

Then there are corporate farms; many farms managed by a rental office with many employees or they may contract a family farmer to raise animals for them.

Contrary to popular belief the corporate farm did not lead to the decline of family farms. What started with the exodus of young people off the farm after World War II, the lack of steady dependable markets, urban encroachment, 1980s' interest rates (bankruptcy) and aging farm populations have all led to the decline of the family farm.

As the small farms were sold they were bought up by larger farms, sometimes creating super-farms that are not the Smithfield's or the Cargill's that you associate corporate farms with.

Within the livestock industry the demand for a consistent product in quality and quantity did lead some processors to take charge of their surplus, hence the corporate farm was born. Contract production has been around for over 60 years. It may not be for everyone but it does have its place in the industry. It does give producers a steady income and is required by some banks. It has allowed some young farmers to continue farming.

There is a place in the ag industry for farms of all sizes. Small family farms would be hard-pressed to produce the amount of product required to meet the demands of the days markets but they do have their niche.

The two types of production agriculture are entwined with many family farmers using the same production practices as corporate farms. Any laws passed to restrict certain production practices would hit family farms harder than corporate.

Having a safeguard in place to protect all farms from senseless, agenda-driven lawsuits is a must if we are to continue producing abundant, affordable food.

Vote yes on Amendment 1.