Part 1/8:
The Viability of Small-Scale Farming in America: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities
In 1973, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Earl Butz famously told American farmers they must "get big or get out." This sentiment characterized the evolution of farming in the following decades, where massive vertical integration dominated markets such as pork, poultry, and beef. As a result, many small-scale farmers have found themselves squeezed out of an industry that increasingly favors larger operations. But what does this mean for the future of small-scale farming? Can they truly thrive amid such challenges?