RURLSOC 1500 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Agritourism, Making Money, Qibla
Document Summary
Sociology of agriculture and food: agriculture is part of the seven big changes, 1. 5% of us live on a farm. Increasingly more efficient: declining in gnp, both farm and food and fiber system, large part of the land is arable, farms remain family owned. Counter of trend for every other industry: pattern #6. Means that a growing percentage of food produced by a smaller number of farms. 3. 4% of farms produce 62% of value of all agricultural products in the us. 3 out of 4 farm households, half or more of the income comes from non-farm sources and for over 70% work off the farm. Impacts (functions) of concentration and few farms (and decreasing farm population) on rural communities. General loss of population- middle age/middle class/better education. Decline of property tax base to fund public services, including schools. Accelerate consolidation/elimination of rural community institutions, like local schools, post offices: pattern #8.