Re:Bayer confirms $66bn Monsanto takeover
by M_Grey on Wednesday September 14, 2016 @07:16PM
(#12502021)
Again, are they "scary stories" or just the reality of where most of our food comes from? I'm also still curious about just how meaningful the term "Family farm" is.
Re:Bayer confirms $66bn Monsanto takeover
by maxerickson on Wednesday September 14, 2016 @08:28PM
(#12502462)
Reread my initial comment. Look for where I use the term. I avoided it on purpose because I think that part of it is a boring discussion.
The majority of our food comes from huge farms running huge machinery. Thousands and thousands of those huge farms are owned by small groups (there's a few million farms in the US, so even 1% of them is still a lot). Are those groups families? Some of the are, some of them aren't.
Re:Bayer confirms $66bn Monsanto takeover
by newman8r on Friday September 16, 2016 @12:05AM
(#12511749)
one thing I noticed is that the document didn't define "family farm" to my satisfaction, but maybe I missed it.
It is worth noting that my family/their farm qualifies some of them as 1%ers (bayfront house in Newport which has architectural significance, members of several country clubs, etc). Personally I have decided to forego 100% of my inheritance and let my sisters take it (I have no problem with being rich, but I do believe that having an inheritance hanging over your head is an innovation killer)
Farms have gotten larger as equipment has gotten larger and more effective. This isn't particularly shocking. But much of the consolidation has been individuals and families building up large farms over time.
It certainly appears that production will continue to concentrate under fewer and fewer operators, so the scary stories about the corporate takeover of farming can still come true.